Assam: Dergaon book fair and literary festival concludes

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: The Dergaon Book Fair and Literary Festival, organized by Ashray, concluded on Wednesday with several engaging literary events held at the Neelmani Phukan Kshetra, Noren Sharma Smriti Pathar, in Dergaon.

On the fifth day of the festival, an engaging panel discussion on Assamese children’s literature was held in the evening at the Zubeen Garg Smriti Stage. Renowned children’s writer Shantanu Tamuly, fondly known as Mouchak Mama, participated as the keynote speaker and shared his thoughts on the development of children’s literature. He remarked, “Mothers are the original creators of oral literature. When a child is born, the mother communicates with the child in various languages, and the child understands them. That’s how oral literature is created. In fact, the first literary figure of every language in the world is the mother.”

During the event, two books were released: Alokbeethi, a collection of selected essays written by students, edited by Jyoti Kumari Sharma and Dhruvajyoti Bora, was released by Shantanu Tamuly, while Chinta Taranga, authored by Avani Barthakur, was unveiled by retired principal and writer Beena Thakur Bezbaruah of Dergaon Kamal Duwara College.

Earlier in the day, the Atul Thakur Memorial All-Assam Prize-Winning Debate Competition was also held at the same venue. In the evening, a cultural performance by students of Dergaon Girls’ Higher Secondary School was inaugurated by social worker Paresh Gogoi.

At the closing ceremony, the open-stage anchoring was conducted by noted businessman, writer, and Dergaon resident Pradip Khadaboya. The event was formally inaugurated by Abhiborton Goswami, Vice-President of the All Assam Students’ Union.

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