GUWAHATI, Nov 24 - The Dainik Asam Literary Award (Sahitya Bota) 2017 was presented to promising young generation poet Siddhartha Sankar Kalita at a function organised at Vivekananda Kendra here today.
The award, which carries a memento, a citation and a cheque of Rs 50,000, was given to Kalita for his poetry collection titled Polythene-or Dhura Kaori.
The award is given to encourage young writers.
The function was presided over by litterateur Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora. Eminent litterateur Dr Nagen Saikia was the chief guest of the function while Asam Sahitya Sabha�s former president Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora was the guest of honour.
The function began with a rendition of Dr Bhupen Hazarika�s Ami Asomiya Nohou Dukhiya by the maestro�s close associate Kamal Kotoky.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Saikia said as every individual is unique in its own way, a writer should also have a signature style when it comes to creative works.
�There is no harm in following writers of repute but that should not affect his or her own style of writing. A creative writer has control over his or her past and future, and so his/her works are powerful. Works which touch the readers� hearts are permanent, while the other works are shortlived,� Dr Saikia said.
Admitting that there are 40 to 50 promising young poets in the State, Dr Saikia said each of Siddhartha Shankar Kalita�s poems has a �strong binding� and has a separate story to tell.
In his brief speech, Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora hoped that the Dainik Asam Award will attain the status of the �Ananda Puraskar�, a literary award given by the Anandabazar Patrika.
Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora pointed out to the threat faced by the Assamese language and culture. He referred to the situation in Sikkim where the indigenous people have become a minority.
�We have accepted the people who have come here before 1971 but the indigenous people are yet to be given constitutional safeguard as per the Assam Accord. Are we going the Sikkim way?� he wondered.
Describing the move to amend the citizenship law as �unnecessary�, he said the updated NRC should be linked to the voters� list.
Dr Bora also urged the media to play a role in building public consensus in this crisis situation.
The proceedings of the function were conducted by Munin Bayan, executive editor of Dainik Asam.