GUWAHATI, Feb 28 - Professor Ranjit Kumar Dev Goswami, former Srimanta Sankardeva Chair Professor of Tezpur University, delivered a lecture on �Archiving memory� to mark the 10th death anniversary of Late Professor Dipankar Moral in the auditorium of the New Academic Building of Gauhati University here today, stated a press release.
Prof Dev Goswami�s magisterial account of Assam�s colonial history and the memories of a �usable past� interspersed by rich anecdotes from tracts and little known sources made his speech a rare treat for the audience. It was delivered in over 80 minutes in a hall that was packed to the brim.
The talk that began on an emotional note with recitation of three poems dedicated to Moral�s memory and premature death, resonated with spontaneity and was enriched with brilliant examples of archival material that has gone into the digital library curated and completed recently by Professor Dev Goswami for the Centre of Assamese Studies, Tezpur University.
The talk was hosted by the Gauhati University Institute of North East India Studies (GUINEIS) and was attended by faculty, students and the extended family members and friends of Moral. Chaired by Professor Madhurjya Prasad Bezbaruah, Director of the Centre, the meeting began with colleagues and friends sharing their memories and associations with Dipankar Moral.
Prof Jyoti Prakash Tamuli fondly recounted his friendship and student days with Moral, while Prof Malini Goswami reminisced about her experiences of working with Prof Moral in the Assamese Department where he had taught Linguistics. Dr Padmini Boruah, Prof Moral�s PhD scholar, enlightened the audience on Moral�s life and works.
Earlier, Dr Rakhee Kalita Moral of Cotton University and widow of Late Moral, gave a brief account of Prof Goswami�s contribution to the intellectual history of Assam and glimpses into his body of critical writings on early and modern Assamese literary and cultural traditions. Dr Sanjay Dutta of GUINEIS offered the vote of thanks.
