GUWAHATI : With the objective to work together in the field of literature, culture, heritage, diversity and ethnicity in the north-eastern region and carry documentation and research work on indigenous languages, the AsamSahityaSabha, the apax literary body of Assam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) at here on Friday.
The MoU was signed by Dr Paramananda Rajbongshi, President of Asom Sahitya Sabha and Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM. A host of literary and academic personalities, including former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dr Dhruba Jyoti Borah, Prof Nirmal Kumar Choudhury, former Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University, RS Mooshahary, former Governor of Meghalaya and prominent litterateurs and members of Sabha as well as academicians from USTM.
Signing the MoU, USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque said that the University had a social commitment and is keen to work for establishing harmony, brotherhood and integrity among different sections of society. “We are determined to contribute to the language and culture of the region and want to offer fellowships to do researchwork on 20 former presidents of Asam Sahitya Sabha. The MoU with Assam’s largest and oldest socio-literary organization will pave the way to achieve objectives which will further nurture unity in diversity of the north-eastern states, especially Assam and Meghalaya”, he said.
On this occasion, 100 USTM employees became members of Asam Sahitya Sabha for lifetime. This would be followed by another 500 membership from USTM, said Hoque.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Paramananda Rajbongshi, President of Asam Sahitya Sabhasaid said that by contributing to the protection of language and culture, USTM could assume a significant place among the universities of the world. He also said that Assam needed a language policy and support of the Government for the intellectual development of the region was very important.
According to the MoU, the Sabha and USTM will jointly organise Workshops, Seminars, Symposia on language, literature and culture on mutual consultation and will honour literary stalwarts and achievers from time to time to encourage and inculcate literary culture among the future generations.
A significant decision taken in the MoU is that, USTM will offer two fellowships for researchers at the initial stage to carry out research on the life of two literary stalwarts of Assam—Dr Maheswar Neog and Syed Abdul Malik. The Fellowships may also be extended for further research leading to award of Ph.D degree.
According to the MoU, special importance will be given to Char areas, the Barak Valley and other economically underdeveloped areas, including some areas of Meghalaya where the two organisations will take up developmental activities within their capacity. Villages will be adopted by both the organisationsto promote educational activities including literature and culture. The initial target will be to adopt two villages on mutual consultation.