Hope and joy: A glimpse at the year gone by

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, December 31: 2014 was a year of much significance for the people of Darrang district for two events of joy and hope.

 A student of Mangaldai, after completing the HSSLC examition in second division from Mangaldai Government HS School in 1961, had a strong desire to take admission in medical science but the fincial hardship of his family stood as a barrier in fulfilling his dream, though he obtained the highest marks in Biology in the State that year. However, availing a special scholarship from Assam Government under ‘Scholarship for fincially backward classes’ this student of Tengabari, Lakshmi th Bezbarua Road of Mangaldai town was able to take admission in medical science in Guwahati and proved his ability by securing the fourth position in the fil examition of MBBS in 1967 from Gauhati University.

 Since then he did not have to look back.  This student was able to earn a rare distinction at the intertiol level in the field of medical science for performing more than 3,000 kidney transplants, thereby rendering a yeoman service to the people in different States of India, with his base in Hyderabad. This soft spoken persolity in recognition of his service in the field of medical science received another feather on his cap when the President Prab Mukherjee conferred the prestigious Padmashree award on him at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 31 this year.

 He is none other than Padmashree Dr Sarbeswar Saharia, a worthy son of Darrang who has performed the first ten successful Rel Transplant Operations in Assam (both in Dibrugarh and Guwahati) during 1992–2003. Dr. Saharia is the first and the only person of Darrang to be honoured with the Padmashree award.  Bringing a new ray of hope for the patients of Assam and the north–eastern region, Dr Sahariah recently started a free medical clinic and dispensary under the banner of North East Care Foundation in a newly–constructed building at Pachim Baragaon,– in Guwahati mostly for the people from the weaker sections of the society. Here medical consultation and common drugs are offered free of cost to the patients.

 In the other event,  a very small yet humble effort, initiated with only one rupee way back in 1937 by a youth with strong determition, courage, sincerity and the highest degree of devotion and hard work, was transformed into Rs 150 crore within 77 years. The SRD Group of Companies founded by legendary business tycoon Sunda Ram Deka of Mangaldai, laid the foundation of North East Nutrients Private Limited– the first joint venture of ITC in the North East at the estimated project cost of Rs. 150 crore in Mangaldai in February this year. The project is expected to be commissioned in the month of July in 2015. Many eyebrows were raised about the possibility of the setting up of such a major industry in a comparatively backward place like Mangaldai. But the SRD Group of Companies has made it possible with hard work, sincerity, honesty and strong resolution.. This industry will produce 2200 MT biscuits of various brands of ITC including the ‘Dark Fantasy’ which will also offer direct employment to 850 persons and indirect employment to 600 persons. This industry will also be the first mega projects of the Northeast in the food sector and at the time it will also become the first Green Industry in the entire north–eastern region as the organic fuel, mainly bamboo, will be used in it while pollution will be controlled by adopting advanced technology of pollution control.

 The SRD Group of Companies has already founded SRD Nutrients Private Limited for production of Horlicks on behalf of London based multitiol Company GSK, Sunda Ram Foods Private Limited for production of cakes on behalf of Britannia Industry and Trinity Fructa Limited for production of ORS L on behalf of US based multitiol Company Johnson & Johnson. The Sunda Ram Foods Private Limited has earned the reputation of being the largest cake production industry in India with its capacity of 7600 MT per year.