GUWAHATI, Jan 2 - The ninth biennial conference of the Assam Science Writers� Association (ASWA) was held at the Genius Academy, North Lakhimpur on December 30 with a day-long programme, a press release stated.
The programme got under way with hoisting of flag by the president of the association, Dr Mukunda Rajbongshi, who chaired the open session held thereafter. The general secretary, Munin Sabhapandit, explained the objectives of the meeting and read out the secretarial report for 2017-2018 which was endorsed by the house. The president, Mukunda Rajbongshi in his welcome address laid great stress on development of reading and writing habits of the children at an early stage. The habit of consulting a dictionary is also important for theme, he pointed out.
On Aswa�s role, he said that to have a strong foundation, it should concentrate on publishing need-based quality books. A book Bigyan Sahitya edited by Dr Arabinda Rajkhowa and published with financial assistance received from North Lakhimpur Autonomous College was inaugurated by noted science writer and founder president, ASWA, Dr Dinesh Chandra Goswami. In his speech, Dr Goswami exhorted the science writers to constantly endeavour to acquire the skill of science communicator alongside developing their level of self-confidence.
The newly-elected 23-member executive body of ASWA for 2019-2020 with Dhiren Deka as president, Dr Biman Chetia, Labanya Lahon Chutia and Abhijit Sarma Baruah as vice presidents, Dr Kalyan Bhuyan as general secretary, Dr Prakash Jyoti Borthakur as publication secretary and Bhupen Sarmah as treasurer was handed over charge in the meeting. In the end, a popular talk on �Science Popularisation� was delivered by Jaydeep Baruah, secretary, Assam Science Society and Head of Environment, Assam Science, Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC). Citing the establishment of Assam Science Society in 1953, he said that Assam was not much lagging behind the other States. But to make science understandable at all levels public engagement of science is the need of the hour.
