Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday conferred the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award to scholar Nirode Kumar Barooah, Assam Branch of the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust and Meghalaya’s Shillong Chamber Choir.

The award, which was instituted by the Assam government in memory of the state’s first Chief Minister and Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, carries a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh, a citation and a shawl.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

Germany-based writer-scholar Barooah, who was alumni of Cotton College, taught modern history at the University of Delhi, authored several books and research papers on the Indian freedom movement with particular reference to Assam.

The Assam branch of the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, which was founded by Mahatma Gandhi on January 9, 1946, had initiated huge efforts to forge national integration and promote the ideals of non-violent resistance.

The Trust has been contributing immensely to the empowerment of women.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

Well-known music troupe  Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC), which was founded in 2001, has performed in several national and international platforms and received much acclaim.

The SCC also performed at former President Pratibha Patil’s presidential banquet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the former US President Barack Obama during his November 2010 state visit to India.

Speaking on the occasion, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Gopinath Bordoloi was a visionary leader who laid the foundation of modern Assam.

“Bordoloi would always be remembered for his stand against ‘Grow More Food’ policy of the then Syed Muhammad Saadulla government, contribution towards the inclusion of 6th schedule in the constitution, creation of belt and blocks and stand against the grouping system of the Cabinet Mission,” Sarma said.

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Bora among others were present at the event in Guwahati.