GUWAHATI, Dec 10 - Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi today said that Assam is the richest State in terms of culture and appreciated the State�s people for their interest and love in culture and literature.
�I have been here for two months now. More than half of the programmes I attended so far were related to culture and literature. I must say the interest the people of the State have in culture and literature is much more than what is in other states,� the Governor said addressing the function organized by the Jeewan Ram Mungi Devi Goenka Public Charitable Trust for conferring the annual Lifetime Achievement Awards for Excellence in Culture and Literature.
Mukhi also said a good share of developmental activities in the country is done through public contribution and appealed to the business fraternity to involve the youth in social and charitable programmes.
This year the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Literature was conferred upon Late Arun Sarma (posthumously). Late Sarma�s wife Aroti Sarma received the award.
The Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Culture was conferred upon famed actress Bidya Rao, noted actor and filmmaker Dilip Kumar Hazarika, singer Archana Mahanta and art director Phatik Barua.
The award carries a plaque and a cheque of Rs 50,000.
Entrepreneur Dr Murli Dhar Khetan, filmmaker Jaicheng Jai Dohutia, journalist and filmmaker Sibanu Bora, film editor Ramen Bora, filmmaker Sanjib Sabhapandit, producer Utpal Kumar Das, filmmaker Deep Choudhury, radio and stage actress Dr Santwana Bordoloi, and Arman Ahmed.
At the beginning of the programme, tributes were paid to actor-director Abdul Mazid, Biju Phukan and Shashi Kapoor, who passed away recently.
Academician and chairman of the Royal Global Institute Ashok Kumar Pansari delivered the 11th Jeewan Ram Mungi Devi Goenka Memorial Lecture on the topic �Jyoti Prasad Awarwala: A Quest into the Vast�.
Veteran journalist DN Bezborua was the guest of honour at the programme, which was also attended by managing trustee of JRMD Goenka Public Charitable Trust Shankar Lal Goenka and various other noted personalities of the cultural and literary arena.