Asom Sahitya Sabha adds Rs 2 Cr to capital fund, aims self-reliance, literary freedom

Jorhat, Oct 14: The Asom Sahitya Sabha has added Rs 2 crore to its capital fund as of June this year, with an ambitious target to raise the amount to Rs 10 crore.

This was announced by the Sabha president, Basanta Kumar Goswami, at a press conference held at Chandrakanta Sandikoi Bhawan, the Sabha’s headquarters in Jorhat. omn Monday.

Goswami said that the move marks a major step towards making the Sabha financially self-reliant, reducing its dependence on external funding sources and ensuring that it can sustain its cultural and literary activities independently.

“Our goal is to ensure that the Asom Sahitya Sabha does not have to depend on anyone for funds. We have already added Rs 2 crore to our capital fund and set a target of Rs 10 crore. A self-reliant Sabha will have greater freedom to promote Assamese language, literature, and culture with integrity,” Goswami stated.

He highlighted that the Sabha has been making consistent efforts to strengthen its financial base through transparent management, public contributions, and institutional partnerships.

The capital fund initiative, he said, reflects the organisation’s broader vision to restore its former stature as Assam’s foremost cultural institution.

“From Sadiya to Dhubri, we have been working tirelessly to bring back the lost glory of the Asom Sahitya Sabha. Every contribution, small or large, goes toward preserving the heritage of Assam,” he added.

During the press meet, Dr. Goswami also addressed a malicious social media campaign falsely claiming that he would travel to Singapore to personally investigate the death of singer Zubeen Garg.

The posts, which allegedly used his photograph and the Sabha’s official emblem, were intended to mislead the public and damage the organisation’s reputation, he said.

“This campaign is completely baseless. It was started by malicious elements to paralyse the Sabha’s functioning. Our statement about reaching out to the Assamese diaspora in Singapore through our local branch was deliberately twisted to suggest that I would travel there personally, which is untrue,” Goswami clarified.

He further explained that during the recent executive meeting held in Silchar, the first resolution adopted by the Sabha pertained to Zubeen Garg’s death.

The Sabha expressed deep sorrow, called for a neutral and scientific investigation and urged the government to prevent political exploitation of the incident.

“We requested that justice be delivered transparently and that the investigation remain free from politics. The Sabha has no intention of involving itself in anything beyond that,” he said.

Goswami also described the Silchar executive session as a historic milestone in the Sabha’s evolution.

“Such a session has never before been held in the history of the Sabha. It was significant not just for its decisions but for the unity it reflected among our members,” he noted.

He reiterated that the Sabha’s current focus is on financial stability, institutional strengthening, and cultural preservation, urging the public to support its initiatives and not fall prey to misinformation.

“The Asom Sahitya Sabha belongs to every Assamese heart. Our mission is cultural preservation with transparency and self-reliance. We will continue to move forward, undeterred by false narratives,” Goswami concluded.