GUWAHATI, Oct 26 - Eminent economist Dr Jayanta Madhab was felicitated at his Kharghuli residence yesterday evening by about 200 citizens including journalists, educationists, politicians and social workers drawn from the State as well as from Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad on his 90th birthday.
Dr Madhab graduated from JB College Jorhat with honours in economics, and did his MA from Gauhati University before getting his doctorate in financial management from London School of Economics. After completing his education Dr Madhab served for a couple of years as financial adviser to the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Corporation and later joined the Manila-headquartered Asian Development Bank (ADB) as a director.
The function held on the occasion was presided over by PG Baruah, Editor of The Assam Tribune, who narrated the brilliant career of Dr Madhab right from his school days up to his stint at the ADB.
Baruah said that Dr Madhab was a trusted lieutenant of RG Baruah who allowed him to assist Satish Chandra Kakati to develop Asom Bani as one of the most popular and largely circulated weeklies in the entire country.
Addressing the function as chief guest, senior journalist DN Chakravartty who was a classmate of Dr Madhab in their school and college days, narrated the special qualities of broadness of mind and simplicity of life of Dr Madhab. He also recalled how Dr Madhab had introduced him to Lakshmi Nath Phookan, the first editor of The Assam Tribune, and RG Baruah, and facilitated his appointment as a sub-editor in the English daily in 1955.
Chakravartty also released an Assamese translation (second edition) of Srimad Bhagawat Gita written by the late Sarbananda Sarma and published by his younger brother, the late Tulasi Narayan Sarma, father of Dr Madhab.
Chakravartty spoke on the importance of the Srimadbhagawat Gita in the lives of the Indian people, saying that no other book in the world had exercised so much influence on an entire nation as was done by the Gita which was rightly called �my mother� by Mahatma Gandhi.
Dr Madhab thanked the people of Assam for their love and respect. He pledged to serve the country in general and Assam in particular till his last breath. Earlier, his younger sister Lakshmi Goswami welcomed the guests. A musical programme was also held.
