UDALGURI, July 2 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today ceremoniously presented the prestigious Kalicharan Brahma Award of 2018 to Vaishnavite scholar Harekrishna Mahanta, the Satradhikar of Barangajuli Satra of Udalguri district here at Udalguri DC parade ground amid a huge congregation.
The award carries a cheque of Rs three lakh, a citation, phulam gamosa, seleng sador etc. The award was instituted by the Cultural Affairs department of the State government.
Addressing the huge congregation on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal observed that Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma was the torch bearer among the then most backward community. �His ideologies teach us a lot, he contributed a lot to the people of Assam. His teachings should be borne in mind by the present young generation. He was the sentinel of solidarity. Let us lead ourselves with such teachings,� Sonowal added. He also appreciated the life and works of Mahanta and said that he is a great man with versatile humane qualities which heralded the message of peace and prosperity. The Chief Minister also appealed to uphold the work culture saying that good work culture brings prosperity and peace in the society.
The award giving ceremony was also addressed by Naba Kumar Doley, Minister for Cultural Affairs, Pramila Rani Brahma, Minister of Social Welfare, Rihon Daimari, PHE Minister among others. The programme was also attended by Janardan Dev Goswami, Satradhikar of Kamalabari Satra, Jogeswar Brahma, the forerunner of Brahma dharma among many others.
The State government also felicitated eight distinguished persons of the Boro community on the occasion with sarai, phulam gamosa and a citation each. They are as follows: Sisir Kumar Suni of Harisinga for music, Surendra Nath Brahma of Baksa, an environmentalist; Chandrakanta Basumatary, archer; Ratan Boro, artiste; Raviram Brahma, Mathura Basumatary, Baunofar Narzary and Dr Birhash Giri Basumatary of Korkajhar while the Chief Minister also felicitated seven talents of the Boro community on the occasion. They are as follows: environmentalist Tenzing Bodo, archer Promila Daimary, ideal farmer Avinash Daimari, Dharmeswar Rabha for pisciculture, Kameswar Basumatary for promoting football and Dhireswar Boro Narzi for his contribution to literature.
The 95-year-old Vaishna-vite scholar and awardee of Kalicharan Brahma Award, Harekrishna Mahanta expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister and his team for the award and narrated how he fought against the odds during the fifties to reform a backward society in the remote Indo-Bhutan border villages near Dimakuchi in Udalguri district.
Earlier, Satriya and Bodo folk dances were performed by the invited artistes on the stage.
