JORHAT, June 29 - The tea industry of Assam achieved a milestone today by electing a woman planter to the top post of the tea growers� association.
Dr Nazrana Ahmed was elected as the new Chairperson of Assam Tea Planters� Association (ATPA) at the executive meeting of ATPA held at its head office here.
ATPA, established in 1935, is one of the oldest and largest tea planters� body in the north-eastern region, having about 200 tea gardens as members.
ATPA secretary Anjan Bhuyan told The Assam Tribune this evening that the executive meeting unanimously elected Dr Ahmed as Chairperson for the two-year term (2018-20) of the association.
Bhuyan said that in the history of Assam tea industry, Dr Ahmed will be first lady planter to head a tea growers� body.
She as 35th Chairperson of the ATPA will assume charge at the 81st annual general meeting of the association scheduled to be held on July 13 next at the Jorhat Gymkhana Club.
Bhuyan said that Dr Ahmed is a third generation planter from Dibrugarh. She is also a lawyer.
Dr Ahmed is the Director of Ahmed Tea Co. (P) Limited, Boiragimoth, Dibrugarh.
The ATPA secretary said that presently Dr Ahmed is the ATPA Vice-Chairperson, a post which too was occupied by a woman planter for the first time ever.
DN Boruah, a former ATPA Chairman and a Dibrugarh-based planter, while hailing the election of Dr Ahmed, said she was a very capable person and a successful planter.
Bhuyan further said that the executive meeting also elected Gautam Barooah, a planter from a noted tea planters� family of Jorhat as the Vice-Chairman of ATPA for the two-year term (2018-20) of the association.
Barooah is the Managing Director of Muktabari Tea Estates (P) Limited here.
