[Assam] Gandhian visits State to promote cause of underprivileged children(The Assam Tribune, Monday, March 31, 2008 )

[Buljit Buragohain]

Gandhian visits State to promote cause of underprivileged children
By A City Correspondent
 GUWAHATI, March 30 - International Member of Friends of Assam & Seven Sisters (FASS), Garvin Brown, a 79-year-old Gandhian from Queensland, Australia, met Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on March 24 at his office and requested him to support the cause of underprivileged children.

Garvin had visited Assam to create awareness for promotion of education for underprivileged children and world peace. He recently took part in a charity walk in Guwahati to collect fund for underprivileged children.

During his interaction with the Chief Minister, Brown requested him for a plot of land for Parijat Academy, a school for underprivileged children at Pamohi, Garchuk, Guwahati. Garvin informed the Chief Minister that he was planning a students’ exchange programme to Australia from schools of underprivileged children, namely Prajnalaya of Titabor and Parijat Academy of Garchuk, Guwahati.

Brown was accompanied by Friends of Assam & Seven Sisters (FASS) secretary general Bidyananda Barkakoty and vice-president Jayanta Barman. Brown had participated in another charity walk in Titabor. In both the places there was an overwhelming response from the public and many noted Gandhians and senior citizens took part in the walk. 

Brown, an ardent follower of the Gandhian principles, has organised a Mahatma Gandhi awareness day in Gold Coast, Australia, participated in the 75th anniversary of the Dandi Yatra in India and runs an organisation called Mahatma Gandhi Awareness at Queensland, Australia. 

Brown’s visit was a great boost to several schools for underprivileged in Pamohi, Titabor, Nongpoh and Tamulpur. His presence motivated hundreds of villagers in Garbhanga (on the city outskirts near Assam-Meghalaya border) who incidentally have not yet seen basic amenities such as electricity, clean drinking water, school, medical facility, etc.

Besides bringing many FASS volunteers unitedly into selfless actions, the trip of Brown also started a new Gandhi consciousness in the North East, as many old Gandhians came out in big numbers to join the general charity walks both in Guwahati and Titabor. 

Brown’s visit to the North East has finally come to an end. He took pains to travel to the distant places of Assam and the North East which include Tamulpur, Kumrikata, Jorhat, Titabor, Nongpoh, Shillong , Garbhanga, etc., and spread the message of peace.
  
 
  (The Assam Tribune,Monday, March 31, 2008 ) 




       
---------------------------------
 Bring your gang together - do your thing.  Start your group.