GUWAHATI, Jan 21 � The Assamese of the Year award was conferred on actor Adil Hussain at a function held on the occasion of the seventh anniversary celebrations of News Live at a function at the Pragjyoti Centre for Perorming Arts, Machkhwa this evening.
Journalist Sanjoy Ray of The Assam Tribune was also honoured at the same function with the Monideep Bodo memorial award for best investigative journalism. Ray had reported on the �increase in child pregnancies in tea garden belts in Assam.�
In his acceptance speech, Hussain said that the State was passing through a difficult stage marked by violence, conflict and bloodshed because people had forgotten to be humans. He added that he had always been overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on him by the people of Assam - something that constituted the biggest reward.
Senior journalist and author Homen Bargohain, in his address, said he was touched by Hussain�s words, and said that in order to ensure a strife-free world, there was no alternative but to imbue and nurture human values.
Dr Jaimini Bhagwati, former Indian High Commissioner to the UK, in his address, stressed the need for building a success story for Assam by investing heavily on the State's physical infrastructure and human resources.
While the award for the Assamese of the Year carries a citation and Rs 2 lakh, the Monideep Bodo memorial award for best investigative journalism carries Rs 50,000 and a citation.
Earlier, Zarir Hussain of News Live presented the welcome speech.
