New literary award announced for Bodo writers

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, April 30: A new literary award was announced by the Bodo Writers’ Academy on Friday. The award, titled Asha Mashahary Memorial Literary Award, will be conferred from 2017 to the best creative writers among Bodos.

The secretary of BWA, Rajen Basumatary said it would be the first literary award from the academy as it had no such award since its foundation. He said the award, which was med after Asha Mashahary, a dedicated teacher of Kokrajhar, would be given to creative Bodo writers and would be conferred from 2017. He said the award would carry cash Rs 10,000, memento and citation. He also said the husband of Asha Mashahary, Sarada Mashahary had given Rs 2 lakh to BWA to start an award in memory of his beloved wife.

Meanwhile, Sarada Prasad Mashahary of Banganshali, Kokrajhar, the donor of the award who is also a noted writer, said his wife Asha Chakravarty belonged to the Bengali community but she always maintained social integrity. He said she had love and respect towards Bodo language and literature and she being a BSc. teacher at Vidyapith High School, Kokrajhar had produced many meritorious students through her dedicated teaching. Asha (Chakravarty) Mashahary was born on March 29, 1954. She retired from the school on March 31, 2014 and passed away on September 22, 2014 after prolonged illness.