A grand bihutoli was set up with elaborate tents at the Central Civil Services Sports Control Board playfields. This was the second straight year where the weather god did not play truant and the bright Sun providing succour to the cold bitten souls. More and more people are joining the festivities and ORKUT communities like Assamese in Delhi, Assam our Paradise etc. flashing news chains that drew hundreds into the field. The attendance was in excess of 1000 and the items of 'bhoj' (feast) exhausted by late afternoon.

Goswami’s The Man from Chinnamasta, translated into English by Prashant Goswami from her Assamese work Chinnamastar Manuhto, along with In a Forest, a Deer by CS Lakshmi and M Mukundan’s Kesavan’ s Lamentations are the three novels shortlisted in the Indian Language Fiction Translation category. The awards will be given away on February 21 in Mumbai.

Talking to PTI over phone from Guwahati, Indira said the shortlisting is a big boost for Assamese translators.

“There was this notion that Assamese translators cannot make it to the big league but Prashant’s effort negates that,” she said.

Meanwhile, four former presidents of the Asam Sahitya Sabha Homen Borgohain, Dr Nagen Saikia, Dr Birendranath Dutt and Dr Lakshminandan Bora, have opposed the change of the State’s name to Asom. Noted litterateur Dr Mamoni Roisom Goswami has also opposed the move as an entirely unwarranted and undemocratic move on the part of the State Legislature.

Several organizations also have opposed the move and they have already held a convention and formed a committee to carry forward the fight against the move.

The 54-year-old IPS officer, known for his contribution to Asomiya, Mising and English literatures, went to Goa with his wife and two sons on January 10. On Saturday night, he suffered from a stroke and was rushed to a hospital where he breathed his last at 2 a.m.

For the purpose of changing the name of the state, they also advised the Chief Minister to set up an advisory commission with eminent citizens, academicians, historians, linguists, literary figures and the like and the members of the Assamese Diaspora, to have a transparent debate on the issue with public participation.

In their petition to the Chief Minister, these persons identified themselves as ‘friends and well wishers of Assam living in and outside the State and country. They have also forwarded the copies of the petition to the President and Prime Minister of the country.

Durga, the emblem of female power or Shakti appeared to us on September 30th and October 1st this year and it was celebrated by the Bengali Association of Victoria Inc. (BAV – www.bavwebsite.org) in Wellington Secondary Collage, 91 Police Road, Mulgrave, Vic 3170. As a part of the Durga Puja celebrations, it was given a grand closure with the celebration of Bijoya Sammelani on 8th October 2006 afternoon at Mulgrave Community Centre.

Dear Friends and Wellwishers of Assam:

PETITION TO SAVE THE NAME OF ASSAM

On 15th December 2006, the State Assembly of Assam adopted a resolution by voice vote to write the name of the State of Assam as \\'Asom’. No argument or reasoning was given for the name change, nor any debate was allowed in spite of requests from the opposition. We are starting a general campaign to oppose the government of Assam\\'s resolution to change the name of the state from Assam to Asom.

Goswami, who was conferred with several prestigious awards before, is the best known for his works Hamdoipulor Jon (1966) and Namgharia. Born at Adharxatra in Golaghat district in 1935, Goswami came to limelight in the 1950s through magazines like Ramdhenu, Monideep, Prakash etc.

In a vote-count on the sidelines of a full-fledged meeting of the apex literary body for the outgoing term, 2005-’07, at the Radhakanta Handique Bhavan here today, the incumbent president pipped four other rivals to the post. Deka will preside over the 69th session of the AXX to be held at Chapor in March next year.

The ULFA came in to the fry with the Peoples’ Consultative Group (PCG) saying the group was entrusted with the responsibility of preparing the groundworks for the show. The Government which has been traditionally making clarion call to the insurgent outfits too came for talks in three rounds with the group. That too was kickstarted by Prime Minister Dr Singh.

The Centre evinced keen interest to talk to the ULFA leaders directly and indicated that it would release five top ULFA heavyweights to clear the decks for the show, who have been languishing in judicial custody.