Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival 2024, Guwahati
Guwahati: The second Pragjyotishpur Literature Award will be conferred on veteran Nepali-language author Bidyapati Dahal for his significant contributions to literature, the LitFest organising committee announced here. The Pragjyotishpur Young Literature Award 2024 has gone to Suprakash Bhuyan of Sivasagar for his thought-provoking fiction and socio-political essays.
The three-day celebration of literature, culture, and intellectual discourse is underway at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The awards will be presented at the closing ceremony here on Sunday, where prominent Assamese academician Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury will attend as chief guest.
On the second day yesterday, the festival hosted four panel discussions, that explored the socio-cultural developments of the far eastern part of India. The discussions witnessed vibrant intellectual exchanges delving into Assam’s heritage, culture, journalism, and cinema. Experts from various fields shared their perspectives, contributing to a deeper understanding of Assamese culture and society.
Moderated by Dr Rakhee Kalita Moral, a professor at Cotton University, the panel discussion on the topic ‘In search of Heritage and Cultural Identity: Digital Dependency’ explored the possibilities of preservation for cultural heritages through technological advancements. Dr Dhruvajyoti Bora, Vice-Chancellor of Srimanta Sankaradeva Health Science University, as one of the panellists, highlighted the importance of regional languages in maintaining cultural authenticity. Dr Bhaskarjyoti Sharma from Anundoram Borooah Institute of Language, Art & Culture, discussed how traditions shape identity. He stressed the role of technology in conserving these legacies. Similarly, Dr Arup Nath from Tezpur Central University stated that some traditions are tangible and visible to all. These are markers of history, he said. However, there are also intangible traditions that can only be felt. For instance, the melodies of Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s songs can be cited as an example. These too are part of Assam’s heritage, he added.
The discussion on the ‘Role of Brahmaputra in Assam’s Diverse Society’ was moderated by the Padma Shri-winning writer, Arup Kumar Dutta. During the discussion, engineer Pradeep Bhuyan cautioned about ecological and cultural threats posed by a number of hydroelectric dams on Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh. Prashanta Boro from Bodo Sahitya Sabha spoke about the mighty river’s historical significance from ancient Pragjyotishpur to modern Assam.
The topic ‘Changing Media Landscape: Credibility and Reliability’, moderated by Prasanta Jyoti Baruah of The Assam Tribune, focused on the evolving landscape of journalism in the country. Senior journalist Rupam Barua discussed the challenges ahead of media persons while maintaining factual accuracy amidst the immediacy of social media. Another journalist Nava Thakuria emphasized truth-driven reporting while highlighting the adverse impacts of unchecked misinformation spread by the news outlets.
The last panel discussion on ‘Beyond Entertainment: The Role of Cinema in Shaping Societal Narratives’, which was moderated by film critic Aparajita Pujari, examined cinema’s transformative potential in shaping societal norms and perceptions. Atul Gangwar, a veteran filmmaker, spoke about cinema’s power to address misconceptions and foster social changes. Popular actor Kapil Bora highlighted the importance of conveying meaningful messages through film works. Accomplished speaker Dabang Tayeng and academic Samrat Bora discussed how cinema introduces new ideas to influence social progress.
– global bihari bureau
