GUWAHATI, Oct 5 � Noted writers and academicians on Tuesday highlighted the role of the media in the development of literature in the North East with particular reference to Assam.
At a day-long symposium organised by Sahitya Akademi and the Journalists Union of Assam here, former Sahitya Sabha president Kanaksen Deka said that Assamese literature has flourished on media support. He referred to the newspapers and magazines like Abahan, Ramdhenu, Monideep etc, which provided a platform to budding writers and encouraged experimentation with new ideas and techniques.
Deka focused on the potential of the media to change society and stressed that media must be committed to the people and utilize its power for ushering in positive changes in the State.
In the programme presided over by noted writer Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora, veteran journalist DN Chakravorty spoke at length on the support that media has been extending to literature. He said that the media in Assam has been guiding and influencing literature and this role of the media has given a platform to many young writers.
Mentioning the diverse literary genres that the media has been promoting, Chakravorty said that both the daily newspapers as well as a few magazines have been giving space to writers to showcase their creativity in short story writing, poetry, articles, critical reviews etc. "The daily newspapers have been playing a commendable role in this regard. By bringing out special issues during festive occasions like Bihu and Puja, the newspaper houses have been helping towards flourishing of Assamese literature," he said adding that many authors who have won recognition first got their works published in a serialized form in the newspapers.
He also said that media has been inspiring the writers with new ideas.
On the other hand, writer Indrani Rai Medhi while dwelling on the similarities and differences noticeable in media and literature, said that they were mutually supportive. Educationist Dr R Buragohain spoke on the challenges faced by the media and its role in encouraging Assamese literature. Other literary figures Kanak Chandra Sarma, PC Barooah and Debabrata Das also spoke on the occasion.
The symposium was inaugurated by RK Mukhopadhya, regional secretary, Sahitya Akademi, Kolkata. He described media and literature as the two sides of the same coin complementing each other.
