GUWAHATI, Sept 1 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi launched the website of the Assam State Archives www.assamarchives .gov.in at a function held at his Secretariat�s Conference Room here today, said an official press release.
Formally launching the website in the presence of senior officials and eminent historians, Chief Minister Gogoi said that the State archives have a pivotal role to play in shaping the present and the future. �The present and future is built on the edifice of the past. To know more about our past, we must bank on history. Assam has a rich tradition on the study of history. The Ahom kings gave importance to writing down history as well as intensive study on history,� he said.
�Archives have a pivotal role in the study of history. The students and researchers have to rely on the archives to know about the past � political, economic and socio-cultural history,� he said.
Expressing immense satisfaction over the modernisation of the Assam State Archives, the Chief Minister said, �The use of modern, sophisticated technology will help to bring the students-researchers of history closer to the archives.�
Gogoi said that the launching of the state-of-the-art archives would remain as a momentous day towards the study on the rich heritage of the State.
Addressing the function, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and Principal Secretary, SAD (Archives), Jishnu Barua spoke at length on the slew of steps taken up for renovation of the State Archives and its new website designed by AMTRON.
Barua revealed that 3,06,643 files dating back to 1774-1957, almost 29,300 books and reports, 2,419 old maps have been preserved through modern scientific ways and explained how these materials could provide the students-researchers of history as well as people at large with vital information.
Additional Chief Secretary, VK Pipersenia, spoke on the importance of the website in getting inputs on study and research in the modern age.
Earlier, Commissioner and Secretary, SAD, Ganesh Kumar Kalita delivered the welcome address while the vote of thanks was offered by Director, Assam State Archives, Dr D Sonowal.
The function was attended, among others, by historians Dr Jogendranath Phukan, Dr Rajen Saikia and senior officials of different departments.
