* Assamese-Bengali bonhomie will continue: Tathagata Roy
GUWAHATI: Books are oasis of the desert as they nurture the intellectual and creative faculties of human beings, said Chief Minister's Media Adviser Hrishikesh Goswami while inaugurating the 33rd Guwahati Book Fair along with former Governor of Tripura and noted intellectual Tathagata Roy, renowned litterateur Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi and other dignitaries at Assam Engineering Institute playground in Guwahati on Wednesday.
On the occasion, Goswami presented lifetime achievement award for the year 2019 instituted by Publication Board, Assam to noted scholar Dr. Thaneswar Sarma. The award carries a citation, angabastra, books and a cheque of Rs. 2 lakh.
Attending the programme as guest of honour, former Governor of Tripura Tathagata Roy recollected his association with Assam since childhood. Terming Assamese as a sweet language, he expressed hope that the bonhomie between Assamese and Bengali people would continue in future also. Roy further observed that the National Education Policy 2020 would immensely help in highlighting the regional languages and their literature.
Renowned litterateur of Arunachal Pradesh and Sahitya Akademi Awardee Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi thanked the Publication Board, Assam for the book fair as it provided an opportunity for the book lovers to come together. He said that though COVID-19 pandemic brought lots of challenges, yet at the same time there was a rapid increase of the number of readers worldwide which was a positive development. Thongshi said that he was fortunate to have released the collection of books written by another recognized name of Assamese literature Lumber Dai, who was also from his native State, a press release said.
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