TEZPUR, Jan 10 - Curtains fell on �Brahmaputra Mahotsav�, the five-day-long 31st inter university East Zone Youth Festival organised by Tezpur University, in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and financed by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, from January 3 recently with the prize distribution and valedictory programme at the Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha auditorium of the University.
Students from altogether 25 universities including the Assam Don Bosco University, Banaras Hindu University, BIT Mesra, Central University of Jharkhand, Central University of South Bihar, Deendayal Upadhyay University (DDU), Gorakhpur, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Gauhati University, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, Kolhan University, Jharkhand, Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga, Bihar, Manipur University, Nagaland University, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Silchar, Patna University, Rajiv Gandhi University, Ranchi University, Sido Kanhu Murmu University, Jharkhand, The Assam Kaziranga University, University of Science and Technology (USTM), Meghalaya, Vidyasagar University, West Bengal, Vinoba Bhave University, Jharkhand, Visva Bharati University, West Bengal, and Tezpur University, took part in a total of 25 events.
The host University, TU bagged the championship prize securing top prizes in all the events while the Banaras Hindu University managed to capture the runners-up position.
Speaking on the occasion, Ranjan Rai, observer of the cultural event, said that politics and consumerism have almost destroyed the country and the mentality of people. But programmes like the Brahmaputra Mahotsav, organized to increase cultural exchanges among the people from across the country brings a ray of hope as only culture can build harmony, brotherhood, and a sense of nationalism. Urging the youth to take up the responsibility of the nation-building process, he said �the mighty Brahmaputra is not only a river, but a symbol of culture.�
Padma Shri noted Satriya dance guru, Jatin Goswami said that a society can be developed only through a cultural revolution and not through political activities. �Till date we have seen many political revolutions in the region, but nothing substantial has been witnessed in the real sense.� He urged the TU authorities to turn the institution into a cultural platform in addition to its academic activities.
The Asam Sahitya Sabha president, Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora, who was also present in the programme as the chief guest sharing experiences from his personal life, said that cultural events like the �Brahmaputra Mahotsav� not only provide an environment for the youths to focus their talents, but also help in shaping a brotherhood, nationalism, and a sense of belonging in the society. He said, �as an Assamese, I have unspeakable attachment with the Tezpur University, since it is the fruition of the six-year- long Assam Agitation.�
The Vice-Chancellor of Tezpur University, Prof Mihir Kanti Chaudhuri said that duty of an institution like a university is to provide proper facilities and exposure so that one can show his or her talent in various fields. �I do hope the Tezpur University has been able to carry out that responsibility by organizing a mega event like this,� he said adding that elders who play the role of guardians of the society will have to understand how much they have been able to reach into the mind of the youth, and how much they have been able to provide space to assimilate the knowledge of nationalism, brotherhood, national integrity, peace and tranquility.
Earlier in his welcome address, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr Amarjyoti Chowdhury urged the students to build the bond of brotherhood through culture which was done by international figures like Paul Robeson and Dr Bhupen Hazarika through the theme �We are in the same boat brother.�