GUWAHATI, March 19 - The prestigious Padmanath Vidyabinod literary award and the Bhuparjatak (Globe-trotter) Ramnath Biswas literary award, given by the Ramanath Bhattacharya Foundation, Mumbai, were presented to Assamese poet Sananta Tanti of Guwahati and Bengali poet Udayan Ghosh of Kolkata respectively, at a solemn function held at Sudmarsan hall of the Cotton College here on Saturday.
Both the awards carry a cash prize of Rs 51,000, a citation and a memento, besides a specially designed scarf. The function, conducted by chief adviser of the foundation and a veteran poet-journalist Sukumar Bagchi, was attended by distinguished personalities in a packed auditorium. Both the awards were handed over to them by renowned Assamese poet Harekrishna Deka.
The welcome address was delivered by general secretary of the foundation and renowned producer of Hindi TV serials Shyamashis Bhattacharya.
A souvenir, published on the occasion by the foundation, was released by Assamese writer Nirupama Borgohain. Borgohain thanked the foundation for giving awards to an Assamese poet and a Bengali poet together and said that this was a positive gesture in bringing the two communities closer.
Poet Sananta Tanti expressed gratitude and happiness for receiving the award given in the name of famous Pandit Padmanath. The Ramnath Biswas literary award recipient poet Udayan Ghosh offered thanks to the foundation authorities for their contribution in the fields of literature and culture.
The Padmanath memorial lecture on �Evolution of Assamese prose� was delivered by renowned Assamese writer and a former president of Asam Sahitya Sabha Nagen Saikia. In his Ramnath memorial lecture, Tarun Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata dwelt on Bengali prosaic verse.
The programme ended with an orchestra with dance based on folk and traditional music fusion with Indian classical music directed by Purabi Kakoty Sharma.
It may be recalled that both Padmanath (1868-1938) and Ramnath (1894-1955), in whose names the two awards are given, were born in Baniachang under Habiganj subdivision in the Sylhet district of undivided Assam. While Padmanath had a bright educational career, who spent major parts of his life as a professor in the Cotton College, Guwahati, and was actively associated with literature and historical research of Assam with his pioneering research work titled �Kamarupashasanavali�, was also instrumental in the establishment of Assam Research Society and was also one of the founder members of Asam Sahitya Sabha.
On the other hand, Ramnath had participated in the Indian freedom struggle as a member of the famous Anushilan Samiti and later travelled four continents of the world on a number of journeys with bicycle, which earned him the title of �Bhuparjatak� (globe-trotter).
