August 2007

Loni Mahanta, daughter of Dr. Banti and Chandan Mahanta of St. Louis, graduated magna-cum-laude from the Hastings College of the Law of the University of California at San Francisco in May 2007. She has just taken her California bar examination and is expected to start work in San Francisco from November. Loni was a competitive gymnast in high school and won a number of state and interstate awards. She graduated from high school from the Thomas Jefferson School of St. Louis and was a Scholar Athlete of the year, sponsored by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

During the past four decades, the stories, writings and films of the legendary Dr. Bhabendranath Saikia of Assam left an indelible mark not only on the Assamese society but also on mankind in general. Authenticity was his signature; it was the hallmark of this genius who is credited with putting Assamese film truly on the Indian national scene.

The great Vaishnavite saint and reformer Srimanta Sankardeva was born in Alipukhuri of Bratadova, Nagaon, in 1449. He was destined to play a significant role in preaching to humanity, and protecting human religion, the downtrodden, the oppressed and the untouchables.

What do you write about a young woman who was only twenty two and had died of leukemia?' This or words to this effect formed the opening one liner of Eric Segal's 'Love Story'. The same could have been said of another young man, who had seen only twenty four summers before his life was cut short by the infamous Calcutta Carnage of 1946.