ITANAGAR, June 7 - Noted author, novelist and critic from Assam, Dr Tilottoma Misra, retired professor of English, Dibrugarh University, has been conferred with the 5th Lummer Dai Sahitya Bota-2017.
Instituted by Assam Sahitya Sabha in 2009 in memory of �Sahitya Surya� Lummer Dai, the award carries a citation, a plaque and a cash reward of Rs 25,000 and is given bi-annually to writers for outstanding literary work in Assamese language. Previous recipients of the award are: Swarna Bora (2009), Basanta Das (2011), Kengsam Kenglang (2013; posthumously) and Dilip Bora (2015).
The Bota was presented to Dr Misra in a function jointly organised by Assam Sahitya Sabha and Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society in Itanagar on Thursday last coinciding with the 77th birth anniversary of Lummer Dai and as a part of year-long centenary celebration of Sahitya Sabha.
In her acceptance speech, Dr Misra described late Dai and Sahitya Akademi award-winning author Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi as �twice-born� writers. She said both engaged in �tragedy� writing as their literary creations in Assamese about their respective societies. She also lamented that though widely accepted in nook and corners of Assam, they were no longer understood by the people of their own State.
Speaking on the occasion, Arunachal Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok called for cementing the age-old cultural ties between Assam and Arunachal so that peaceful co-existence prevails among the people of the neighbouring States.
He said, �I believe Assam Sahitya Sabha and Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society would bring better understanding and much better relations between both the States through their socio-cultural activities.�
Describing Assam as a �Big Brother�, the Speaker said, �Arunachal can�t go ahead, can�t develop until and unless Assam develops. We, Arunachalees, are equally concerned for development of Assam. Assam has to develop for Arunachal to follow suit,� he said.
Padmashree awardee and recipient of 2nd Luminous Lummer Dai Award presented by APLS, Mamang Dai said the foundation of Assam-Arunachal relationships was quite strong and unbreakable but then it needs to be reinforced given the inter-State boundary row that comes to forefront time and again.
Earlier, the Assam Sahitya Sabha vice president Prahlad Chandra Tasa, along with Thongdok and APLS president Thongchi handed over the Lummer Dai Bota to Dr Misra.
