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January 2008

Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters (FASS) Goes Public

FASS meetRecently, some of us, members of the Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters (FASS), made a pilgrimage to Assam, and frankly speaking, we achieved more than what we expected during the trip. Some of our achievements are already reported partly in the press. As a name, FASS is still unknown to most; as an organization, FASS is still a child.

Windy Wellington: A City Extraordinaire

Windy WellingtonFor someone who is fond of clear blue  skies, lush green fields and rolling  hills, Delhi is indeed a hard place to live. So when I got the chance to present a paper at an international conference in faraway New Zealand, I lapped it up immediately and almost broke into an impromptu Bihu, only to see my wife giving me a startled look.

FASS NEDFi join hands for development of the North East

FASS-NEDFi MoUA MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) was  entered on 21st day of January, 2008 at Guwahati BETWEEN North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi), incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956, with its registered office at Guwahati, Assam, for the development of industries, infrastructure, animal husbandry, agri-horticulture plantation, medicinal plantation, sericulture plantation, aquaculture, poultry and dairy in the North Eastern States of India.

Another Assam Lad Shines in Bollywood

DudulMusic lovers from Assam are  proud with the success of  Alaap a.k.a. Dudul Saikia in Bollywood after legendry Dr Bhupen Hazarika and Zubeen Garg. Dudul joins the select group of Assamese with Zubeen, Debojit Saha, Banajyotsna who are recognized as the voices of India.

Dudul’s music in the latest release of State’s music sensation Zubeen Garg, Zindagi, is receiving critical applause in Bollywood.

Assamese Last Names in American Census of 2000!

According to Wikipedia, the first census in the world was conducted in Babylon in 3800 BC. There was a census conducted in Persia around 500 BC. The Maurya Dynasty in Northern India conducted a census in around 300 BC. There are several references to counting people or censuses in the Bible including command from God to King David of Israel to “Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring me the number to me, that I may know it.” The first modern census in the UK was conducted in 1801. The first census in India was completed in 1872; it took more than ten years to complete.

My trip to Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National ParkI set my alarm for 5:30 in the morning. A  shower followed by a quick breakfast   and then I drove down to my university campus at 6:30. As we gathered in the Outdoor Recreation Program building, our van was parked just outside. Nikki, our trip leader, called me and asked me to stow my luggage in the trailer. The rest of the participants soon arrived. There were Paul, Mark, Samantha, John, Holly, Candice, Kristin, Caitlin and Elli, the second trip leader.

Anita Sharma

Anita SharmaAnita Sharma is a well-known Sattriya dancer in Guwhati. She started learning Sattriya dance at the age of nine years under the guidance of Late Guru Roseswar Saikia Barbayan, awardees of Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Magh Bihu Celebration at Nagaon

RanggharMagh Bihu was celebrated all over Assam on January 14th and 15th, 2008. It was celebrated all over the world wherever Assamese people are. In Nagaon, Assam, it was celebrated in a special way. There was a show called “Amaar Oxom” where large-scale models of religious and other buildings were built on Nehrubali, right next to the Bihutoli. The most impressive were the models of Kamakhya, Rong Ghor, Borduwa Kirtonghor, Puwa Mokka Mosque, and Dhubri Gurudwara.

Minoti Khaund

Minoti Khaund 50 years of her musical career

Minoti Khaund celebrated 50 years of her musical career as a violinist on the 29th of December 07.It was a grand evening with a packed audience full of her friends, family and fellow musicians.

The program had performances by Minoti’s sister Pronoti Khaund on bhajans, her junior students and senior studetns on the violin, a vocal performance by well known writer Mitra Phukan ,(she is minoti’s sister inlaw ) and also a raag based so