GUWAHATI, Nov 27 - �It is due to a faulty education system that people tend to know more about foreign countries than about our own nation. This is precisely why, despite being very identical in nature, the Assamese and Bengali languages have not complemented each other the way they should have.
�Result, people from West Bengal know about William Shakespeare and John Keats more than they know about Srimanta Sankaradeva, Lakshminath Bezbaroa or Tarun Ram Phookun.�
This was stated by Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy while addressing the Samabartan-2019 organised by the Asam Sahitya Sabha here today. �It is high time that we reviewed our education system,� he said.
On the occasion, the Sabha conferred the �Sahityacharya� title on Dr Parag Kumar Bhattacharya and Nahendra Padun. Moreover, for the first time, the Sabha also conferred the �Shiksacharya� title on the Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) Mahbubul Hoque.
In his speech, the Meghalaya Governor also emphasised that there is a need to promote the works and contributions of Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Dr Bhupen Hazarika among the youths of the country. He observed that Bengali language and literature also need an organisation like the Asam Sahitya Sabha for their development.
Accepting the honour, Nahendra Padun said, �I don�t know whether I am eligible for such an honour or not. A real writer never writes to get an award in his life. For me, writing is like an addiction through which I try to express my feelings.�
In his acceptance speech, Dr Bhattacharya lauded the Asam Sahitya Sabha for its various activities to save the Assamese language.
Mahbubul Hoque in his speech announced that his institution would work together with the Sabha in the coming days for development of the Assamese language and culture.
Sabha president Dr Paramananda Rajbongshi while speaking on the occasion, said that under its new constitution, the State�s apex literary body would honour people working in various fields in the coming days.
�For the first time we conferred the �Shiksacharya� honour on Mahbubul Hoque for his contribution to the education sector,� he added.
As part of the programme a team of artistes led by Dinabandhu Saharia performed the Sabha�s song Chira Senehi Mor Bhasa Janani by using folk instruments of Darrang district.
