DERGAON, May 20 - �The person who is not responsible to his or her mother tongue should be ashamed of themselves. We must keep our mother tongue intact and rich for our better future. And persons like Hemchandra Baruah who did their best to keep the Assamese language rich and worked for the betterment of the Assamese nation, will always be in the minds of the Assamese people.�
This was observed by noted litterateur Anuradha Sarmah Pujari while receiving the Hemchandra Baruah Literary Award presented by Dergaon Sahitya Sabha (DSS) at a function held at Chandranath Khound Bhavan of DSS on Sunday.
Delivering her speech, the noted litterateur said that the award presented to her as a token of honour from the people of Dergaon has increased her responsibility towards Assamese literature.
She was of the opinion that the students of the state who secured high percentage in examinations but could not speak Assamese properly, in reality do not know anything.
�The life and activities of Bhasar Oja Hemchandra Barua and such other personalities should be included in the school curriculum so that children from their childhood onwards will be able to know their language and state,� she said.
In the programme which was moderated by the president of the Project Implementation Committee (PIC) of DSS Nurul Sultan, former Professor in the Department of Assamese in Gauhati University Dr Nagen Thakur paid floral tribute before the portrait of the literary doyen of Assamese literature.
In his speech, he said that Hemchandra Baruah was not just the head of a family, but was the head of the Assamese nation.
Taking part as the chief guest, former president of Asam Sahitya Sabha (ASS) Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora said that at present there were some negative issues which questioned the future of Assamese language and literature.
�We must develop love, attraction and confidence for our mother tongue so that it will again grow without any crisis,� Bora said.
In the award-distribution ceremony which was moderated by the secretary of PIC of DSS Bichitra Bhusan Kalita, Anuradha Sarmah Pujari was presented the award which carries a set of Assamese attire, a sorai, a citation and a cash award.
Earlier, the litterateur was accorded a warm felicitation by DSS along with several organisations of the locality.
The programme was also attended by Deputy Commissioner of Golaghat Dhiren Hazarika, MLA of Dergaon Bhabendranath Bharali, ex-MLA Arati Hazarika Kachari, office bearers of ASS Samiran Bordoloi, Ashok Senapati, Knogen Barkataki, Diganta Bhuyan, Manik Ahmed, Pradip Pujari and Dr Porag Thakur, among others.
The programme ended with a vote of thanks by the secretary of DSS Ajit Dutta.