Padmath Vidyabinod, Ramth Biswas awards given away

By a Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 14: The prestigious Padmath Vidyabinod Literary Award and the Bhuparjatak (globe-trotter) Ramth Biswas Literary Award, instituted by the Ramath Bhattacharya Foundation, Mumbai were presented to Assamese poet Bhaben Barua and Bengali poet Shyamalkanti Das of Kolkata respectively at a function held at Vivekanda Kendra here today.

Each of the awards carries a cash prize of Rs. 51,000, a citation and a memento, besides a specially-designed muga scarf. The function, conducted by chief adviser of the foundation and a veteran poet-jourlist Sukumar Bagchi, was attended by distinguished persolities in a packed auditorium.

While the welcome address was delivered by general secretary of the Foundation and renowned producer of Hindi TV serials’ Shyamashis Bhattacharya followed the iugural Borgeet by Mitali Dey and a devotiol Bengali song by Bibhuranjan Choudhury, the president of the Foundation Ramath Bhattacharya explained the background of instituting the two awards in memory of their two renowned ancestors — Pandit Padmath and Bhuparjatak Ramth — both of whom were illustrious sons of undivided Assam.

A souvenir edited by Sukumar Bagchi and published on the occasion by the Foundation was released by Assamese poet and recipient of Sahitya Akademi's Children Literature Award Toshaprobha Kalita. She thanked the Foundation for giving awards to an Assamese poet and a Bengali poet together and said, this was a positive gesture in bringing the two communities closer.

Accepting the award, poet Bhaben Barua expressed happiness. Poet Shyamalkanti Das offered sincere thanks to the Foundation authorities for their contribution in the fields of literature and culture.

The Padmath memorial lecture on Sahityarothi Lakshmith Bezborua’s tiol feeling and its Bengali background was delivered by jourlist Dr. Sivath Barman. While delivering the Ramth Biswas memorial lecture, academician Dr. Sudhangshu Shekhar Mukhopadhyay discussed different aspects of life and musical contribution of Swami Chandikanda.