Assam Civilian Awards: People honoured are deserving, says VP Jagdeep Dhankhar

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: “Conferment of the highest state civil award of Assam is beyond being just a celebration of individual achievement. It is also a reflection of the rich tapestry of Assam, its people and their invaluable contribution to the progress and cultural diversity of a great Nation”, said Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during his speech at the presentation of the state civilian awards here today.

The Vice President was attending the event as the Chief Guest and was very much impressed with the choice of awardees, saying, “Friends, I thought awards will be given to the people who will be deserving, but I didn’t even imagine the variety will be so deep, so touching, so emotive. People being conferred are those who really deserve it, they have been discovered and honoured. Congratulations to the government.”

Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria bestowed the awards for Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurabh and Assam Gaurav at a glittering function where Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was the guest of honour.  The Vice President expressed his gratitude for inviting him to the event. He said, “Grateful for this honour and privilege, I will ever remember this honour and privilege. What I have seen for the last one hour or so is an amazing function with total commitment to societal growth. I am really honoured to confer and witness the highest civilian awards of the state - Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurabh and Assam Gaurav.”

“Assam, often referred to as the ‘Gateway to the Northeast,’ is a land of enchanting landscapes and diverse cultures, and a history that spans centuries. Its fertile plains, lush green hills, and meandering rivers make it a jewel in the crown of our great nation. The Ashtalakshmis of the North East are blessed with this wholesome and sublime confluence of nature and culture. The Look East - Act East Policy is fructifying in exponential phenomenal infrastructure and connectivity growth of Ashtalakshmi,” he added.

Celebrating the culture of Assam, Vice President Dhankhar further said, “State’s cultural mosaic, with influences from various communities, adds to the uniqueness that is Assam. I have seen it here from my own eyes. From the Bihu dance that reverberates during the harvest festival to the soul-stirring tunes of the traditional Assamese music, every aspect of this land tells a story – a story of resilience, unity, and harmony. In this remarkable land- Assam- we find the essence of unity in diversity, a concept that is the cornerstone of our great nation.”

Dhankhar praised the awards, Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurabh, and Assam Gaurav, which, he said, symbolized the acknowledgment of outstanding contributions in various fields. “Friends, I could never imagine that the fields will be so diversified, that the recipients will be spread across the strata of society. The works done by the persons concerned are amazing. But I see here such a massive, genuine, authentic transformational mechanism in giving awards. Congratulations to those who have done it.”

This year, the Assam Baibhav award - the state’s premier civilian honour, was conferred on former CJI and the first one from the North East to occupy the highest judicial pedestal -Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

This year the state government will confer civic awards on a total of 22 personalities, including four Assam Saurabh and seventeen Assam Gaurav awards.

At the realm of sports, young and dynamic athlete, Hima Das, and channel swimmer Elvis Ali Hazarika were honoured with the Assam Saurav award.

Assam Saurabh Award 2023 was presented to four personalities:

Hima Das - Athletics; Dr. Kishan Chand Nauriyal: Art and Culture; Elvis Ali Hazarika: Swimming; Nadiram Deuri: Tiwa Dance.

Assam Gaurav Award 2023 was conferred on 17 personalities:

Ranjit Gogoi (Folk and Bihu dance exponent); Parvati Barua (as the first female mahout and animal activist) Debojit Changmai (sound engineer); Drona Bhuyan (Oja Pali); Neelam Dutta (Organic Farming); Anupam Deka (Industrialist); Soumyadeep Datta (Wildlife Conservation); Basanta Chiring Phukan (Mushroom Cultivation); Manendra Deka (Handicraft); Minakshi Chetia (Social Service); Pokhila Lekthepi (Karbi Folk); Tenzing Bodosa (Elephant- friendly Tea Garden); Nirmal Dey (Sitol pati); Jecin Kumbang Pao (Weaving); Mary Hassa (Social services); Upendra Rabha (Black rice cultivation); Rahul Gupta (Hydroponic Farming).

Also Read: Assam: VP Dhankhar To Present State Civilian Awards

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