Assamese Children’s Literature Awards 2025 Presented at Tezpur Xahitya Xabha Bhawan

Our Correspondent

Tezpur: The Assamese Children’s Literature Award–2025 and the Assamese Best Children’s Book Award–2025 were presented at a programme organised by Akanir Xahitya Xabha at the Tezpur Xahitya Xabha Bhawan.

Renowned children’s writer, publisher, and translator Bijoy Kumar Dutta, the creator of over 150 children’s books and the Assamese translator of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, was honoured with the Assamese Children’s Literature Award–2025. The Assamese Best Children’s Book Award–2025 was conferred on Gahana Chakraborty, a Class X student of National School, Noonmati, Guwahati, for her recent children’s book “Sei Rahasyamayi Mashto” (That Mysterious Fish).

The programme was held under the chairmanship of Pankaj Barua, President of Akanir Xahitya Xabha, and was anchored by Aditya Ankur Nath, a member of the organisation and a student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The awards were presented by Tezpur MLA and actor Prithiraj Rava, Sonitpur District Commissioner Ananda Kumar Das, Tezpur Xahitya Xabha President Dhrubajyoti Das, eminent writer and former President of Sonitpur Zila Xahitya Xabha Dr Bhupen Saikia, and children’s activist Dulal Bora. The awardees were felicitated with traditional gamocha and cheleng, book hampers, Jaapi, mementoes, citations, and cash awards.

The programme began with a group song by children from Nabaprabhat Shishu Griha, Tezpur. Delivering the welcome address, Kabin Patar, Secretary of Akanir Xahitya Xabha, greeted the guests and participants. Addressing the gathering, MLA Prithiraj Rava said that creativity takes shape in a child’s mind from an early age and stressed the need to encourage children to write literature for children. He also recalled that legendary figures such as Jyotiprasad Agarwala, Bishnu Prasad Rabha, and Phani Sarma had studied in Tezpur before achieving national recognition.

Speaking as an honoured guest, District Commissioner Ananda Kumar Das said literature has long played a vital role in social development and added that nurturing children through literature and cultural exposure contributes to the overall progress of society.

The cultural segment included songs by child artiste Padmaja Kashyap, poetry recitations by Baibhavi Bora of Tezpur and Dasmita Saikia of Nagaon, and a performance of Zubeen Garg’s song “Mayabini” by young Barnil Jonak of Nagaon. During the programme, the poetry collection of octogenarian writer Suchitra Sarma of Tezpur was formally released by former Secretary of Tezpur Xahitya Xabha Debabrata Sharma.

Accepting the award, Bijoy Kumar Dutta said that the true value of the occasion lay not in receiving an award but in interacting with Tezpur’s vibrant literary community. He observed that children’s literature is closely linked with nature and that a nurturing literary environment helps develop creativity in children, who are pure and open-minded like the sky.

Special guest Surendra Mohan Das, Xahitya Akademi Award-winning children’s writer, recalled receiving the Assamese Best Children’s Book Award from Akanir Xahitya Xabha in Tezpur in 2022 and praised the organisation’s consistent efforts to promote children’s literature. Poet Suchitra Sarma also expressed her gratitude for having her book “Anubhav’r Dastabej” released at a programme dedicated to children and literature.

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