Govt taking measures to impart primary education through medium of tribal languages: Assam CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday attended the celebration of the 92nd Birth Anniversary of late Homen Borgohain, a doyen of Assamese literature, and the ceremonial conferment of Literary Pension for the year 2023 to 23 litterateurs from across the State held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Janata Bhawan in Guwahati.

Those conferred with Literary Pension this year are — Sitaram Basumatary (Baksa), Jaya Deb (Cachar), Champa Lal Sinha (Cachar), Bagen Gogoi (Dhemaji), Anupama Naiding (Dima Hasao), Dr. Paritosh Chakkravorty (Goalpara), Dr. Molina Rabha (Goalpara), Dr. Malini (Jorhat), Seniram Gogoi (Golaghat), Jhoola Sarma (Golaghat), Dr. Ankon Chandra Saikia (Jorhat), Binanda Sarmah Pujari (Jorhat), Rajlakshmi Khound (Kamrup Metropolitan), Anil Kumar Boruah (Kamrup Metropolitan), Dr. Nandita Devi (Kamrup Metropolitan), Jayanta Madhab Bora (Kamrup Metropolitan), Renuka Biswas (Kamrup Metropolitan), Pratima Nandi Narzaree (Kokrajhar), Bijoy Rabi Das (Sivasagar), Dilip Kumar Baruah (Sonitpur), Gyan Bahadur Chetri (Sonitpur), Sumitra Goswami (Kamrup Metropolitan) and Mohan Sonowal (Dibrugarh).

Speaking at the occasion, Sarma said as a mark of recognition towards Homen Borgohain’s contributions towards Assamese literature and the impact of his thoughtful thinking on the State’s socio-economic and intellectual sphere, the Government of Assam started the tradition of conferring Literary Pensions on this great litterateur’s birth anniversary after the latter’s death in the year 2021.
Referring to the tribal communities as integral and inseparable parts of the greater Assamese society, Chief Minister Sarma said the list of litterateurs selected for this year’s Literary Pensions also include writers and authors who write in tribal languages. That apart, literary figures from Barak Valley too figure on this year’s list, the Chief Minister added.

The Chief Minister stated from the coming academic session, in line with the National Education Policy 2020, imparting of primary education through the medium of a few tribal languages in select schools too shall be introduced keeping in mind a 3-year road-map ahead.

Speaking about the attempts by the Government of Assam to enrich the literary sphere in the State, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said Assam Prakashan Parishad has been organizing book fairs across the State with the aim of ushering in a book-reading movement among the people.

Referring to the standard of Assamese literary works such as novels and proses to be on a par with their counterparts from the rest of the country, Dr. Sarma said sincere attempts were being to take the great Assamese literary works outside the perimeters of the State.

He appealed to the Assam Prakashan Parishad to annually translate at least 10 books in Assamese language to other major languages of the country so that avid readers of literature from outside the State can have the opportunity to make themselves familiar with some of the finest literary creations. Works on a biographical account of the great Ahom Army Commander Lachit Borphukan in all major Indian languages were going ahead in full swing and soon it will be formally published and distributed in libraries of over ten thousand colleges across the country, the Chief Minister added.

Referring to Homen Borgohain as one of the finest Assamese litterateur par excellence next only to Sahityarathi Lakhsminath Bezbarua, Chief Minister Sarma said Borgohain, in his roles as a litterateur and a journalist, made a deep positive impact on the State and its people. His prose writing skills left an indelible mark on the readers, Dr. Sarma remarked.

The event was also attended by Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Public Health Engineering Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, Education Advisor to Government of Assam Noni Gopal Mahanta and Additional Chief Secretary Bishwaranjan Samal, along with a host of other dignitaries.