By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 8: The 163rd birth anniversary of renowned poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was celebrated on the premises of the Rilbong Sports and Cultural Club, organised by the club in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture and ICCR, Shillong. The event commenced with an inaugural song performed by members of the Rilbong Sports and Cultural Club, under the guidance of Sudip Chakraborty.
Following this, the Director of Arts and Cultural department, DD Shira, delivered a welcoming speech.
Known author and professor, Streamlet Dkhar from NEHU recited a self-composed poem in Khasi and its translated version on Tagore, following which students of Gitanjali Dance Academy, directed by Monica Chanda, presented a dance performance. This was followed by another Khasi traditional dance by students of Padma Shri awardee Silbi Passah. Additionally, there was also a dance performance by students of Rilbong PN Chaudhuri Higher Secondary School.
In a first, students of Garo Union HS School, Shillong, recited a Tagore poem from Gitanjali that was translated into Garo. Thereafter, many soothing musical performances by Sutapa Jalsaghor, Red Oleanders, and students of Bahar Music School, Piyali Bhattacharjee, and the Shillong Tagore Choir were witnessed to pay their tributes to the legendary Tagore.
Conclusively, for the painting and drawing competition that was held on Tuesday, prizes were distributed among the winners.
The winners of the competition include Srijoni Sarkar (1st) of Laban Bengalee Girls HS School, Samsho Jama (2nd) of Laban Presbyterian HS School, and Sunandan Chanda (3rd) of Laban Bengalee Boys HS School, under Group A (Class VI to class VIII); and Sumana Sinha (1st) of Laban Bengalee Girls HS School, Rajdeep Modak (2nd) of Laban Bengalee Boys HS School, and Ananya Das (3rd) of Lumparing Vidyapith Secondary School under Group B (Class IX to Class XII).
The event had Frederick Roy Kharkongor, Commissioner and Secretary, as the chief guest, and Munish Singh, Regional Director, ICCR, NE Region, as the guest of honour.
Earlier in the day, the members and Tagore lovers paid floral tribute to the bust of Tagore at Jitbhumi.