In a step to take Asam Sahitya Sabha to global arena, the apex literary body of the state has opened a branch in Singapore.
The branch will act as a hub to help promote the spread of language, literature and culture amongst the Assamese diaspora across South East Asia, Singapore branch of the Sabha said in an email statement.
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Sahitya Sabha president Paramananda Rajbongshi was present during the launch of the branch on July 28, along with other dignitaries from the literary body, including Balendra Kumar Das, noted poet and Sahitya Sabha executive member Bipul Deuri, Sahitya Akademi Translation Award winning writer and Director, Institute of Translation Nurul Sultan, and Planning Coordinator Jutikaa Mahanta.
Addressing the function, Rajbongshi said he was excited to see the passion displayed by the Assamese diaspora in Singapore in upholding their language and literature.
He exhorted the Assamese diaspora in Singapore to assume responsibility in propagating and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Assamese people for generations to come.
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At the function, a committee was formed with a mandate to generate awareness among the Assamese diaspora on the cultural and literary heritage of Assam, with Abhimanyu Talukdar as the president, Bazid Ahmed as the general secretary and Saptarshi Bhattacharya as the treasurer.
Pinku Saikia, Momee Baruah and Anindita Gogoi were named as the members of the literary committee, while Tonmoy Phukan, Sweety Hatibaruah and Arzu Begum were named as the members of the media and the public relations committees of the branch.
“On behalf of the Assamese community, I would like to thank Asam Sahitya Sabha for setting up a branch here. The branch will enable our upcoming generations to take advantage of the programmes developed to promote our language and culture,” said Abhimanyu Talukdar, president, Singapore Sahitya Sabha.
“It’s a collective effort of the entire Assamese diaspora, along with the Asam Sahitya Sabha, to have this branch in Singapore, which is the gateway to entire South East Asia. The real work starts now,” said Bazid Ahmed, general secretary of the Singapore Sahitya Sabha.
About 40 families from the Singapore Assamese diaspora attended the inaugural function. The evening commenced with chorus Siro Senehi Mor Bhasha Jononi – the theme song of the literary body. This was followed by Assamese poetry recital, story-telling and distribution of Luit – the magazine of Assamese community in Singapore. The evening ended with Assam’s jatiya sangeet O Mor Apunar Desh.