GUWAHATI, June 19 � The rejuvenated Publication Board, Assam (Asom Prakashan Parishad) has chalked out a two-pronged strategy to create reading ambience in the State and to promote sales of its valuable literature, both old and new.
Secretary of the Board Sadananda Gogoi while talking to The Assam Tribune said that as part of its initiative to promote reading and sales, the Board is going to organize small book fairs in the mofussil areas in collaboration with the non-government organizations.
�We will join with non-government organizations or with the authorities of the local schools and hold the book fairs. Our books will be on sale at attractive discounts and we believe this step will encourage those readers who are not financially well off to purchase literature of their choice,� said Gogoi.
Within two months, the Board is going to open a reading-cum-sales centre at Chandmari, Guwahati. Gogoi disclosed that this centre will be open to people of all age group and any background. �People from very poor background too would be able to take a journey into the world of valuable Assamese literature at our reading centre,� said Gogoi, asserting that the efforts of the Board to popularise the rich literature of the State will definitely yield the desired results.
It needs to be mentioned here that the Board recently released 43 books penned on a wide variety of themes including children literature. Many more books are going to be released in the coming days. Gogoi informed that the Board has undertaken an initiative to publish the collection of writings (Rasanawali) of many stalwarts including that of Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, Maniram Dewan, Bagmibor Nilmoni Phukan, Mahendra Bora, Benudhar Sarmah, and playwright Arun Sarma.
The Board is going to publish several translation works including a translation of Mishing Oinitam and a biography of Rabindra Nath Tagore into Assamese.
Another ambitious project of the Board is translation of the Kirtan Ghosa into all the major Indian languages.
On the other hand, the Board is going to pay its tribute to the cultural icon Dr Bhupen Hazarika by releasing a collection of write-ups on the life and works of the bard on his birthday. Gogoi informed that reputed Indian writers and scholars have contributed to this work on Dr Hazarika.
