July 2007

Dr. Prasanta Kalita was honored by the University of Illinois for excellence in teaching and advising. Dr. Kalita, of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, was given the life-long title of University Distinguished Teacher/Scholar in May 2007.

Monmi Goswami, daughter of Deep and Anima Goswami of Fort Collins, Colorado, graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, Toronto, Canada in June 2007. She specialized in Immigration and Human Rights. Monmi has accepted an Articleship with Ontario Human Rights Comission in Toronto.

Assam 2007, a get-together of Assamese people in North America, was organized by a group of people from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We were called on to take up this special mission and make the event a memorable one. I personally was to not ready at the beginning to take the role of the Chairman of the Cultural Committee, wondering if I can fulfill the high expectations of the vibrant and talented North American Assamese community.

Quite often, the state of Asom garners media headlines for insurgency related issues. Surely, the northeastern state of India is home to many armed outfits including the United Liberation Front of Asom, fighting New Delhi for various demands from self-rule to sovereignty. But these gun-totting youth are not the only people in Asom. The oil and tea rich state has also given birth to many enterprising men and women, who are making valiant endeavors to earn dignified livelihoods. The poor workforce in rural Asom have started taking advantage of the few available Central Government schemes. Slowly but steadily, some have marked their points in the profession and have set example for hundreds of others.