In tune with the rest of the world the Asam Sahitya Sabha, United Kingdom (ASSUK), has been organising local functions to celebrate the Birth Centenary of Jyotiprasad Agarwala of Assam, with effect from 17 June 2002. The finale of the Centenary celebration together with 52nd Silpi Divas and Bhogali Bihu (Assamese Harvest Festival) is to take place on Saturday the 18 January 2003 in London.

The agenda includes talks about Jyotiprasad's contribution to Assamese literature and culture, a variety programme of song (Jyoti Sangeet) and dance (Bihu), fun sports and bonfire followed by a buffet dinner.

The function is to start from 1700 hrs at St. Andrews Church Hall, Chase Side, Southgate, London N14 5PP and to finish at 2230 hrs where Sadananda Gogoi and Mausumi Saharia the guest artistes from Assam together with local artistes are to perform and people from all over the UK are expected to attend.

To commemorate Rupkonwar's Birth Centenary ASSUK is issuing a special edition of its in-house magazine Poob-Paschim which includes the five prize winning essays of the essay competition organised by ASSUK amongst the undergraduates of the universities in Assam.

First prize, Rs.3000/- for the essay Oxomor xomaj-xangskritic bibortonot Jyotiprasador borongoni (Contribution of Jyotiprasad in socio-cultural evolution in Assam), went to Nani Narayan Bora, Tyagbir Hem Baruah College, Jamugurihat, Sunitpur; Second prize, Rs.2000/-, a tie between Santana Adhikari, essay - Oxomor xomaj-xangskritic bibortonot Jyotiprasador borongoni Madhya Kamrup College, Shubha, Chenga and Namita Pathak, essay - Jyotipraxador likhonit srishtixeelota (Creativity in Jyotiprasad's writing), Devi Charan Baruah Girls College, Jorhat and the third Prize, Rs.1000/- again a tie between Jamini Hazarika, essay - Jyotipraxador likhonit srishtixeelota Dhemaji College, Dhemaji and Sukapha Konwar essay Oxomor xomaj-xangskritic bibortonot Jyotiprasador borongoni Debraj Roy College, Golaghat.

However to encourage and inspire the winners of the second and the third positions ASSUK has decided to reward them with the full prize money of Rs.2000/- and Rs.1000/- to each of the second and the third position winners respectively.

The coordinator of the essay competition, on behalf of ASSUK, was Dr Khanindra Pathak, Associate Professor, Dept. of Mining
Engineering, IIT, Kharagpur - 721302 and the learned judges were Prof.(retd.) S Kalita of Tihu, Prof. B Kalita of Abhayapuri College and Swapna Pathak of Kharagpur.

Further details if required may be obtained from Gagon Hazarika (ghls21625@blueyonder.co.uk or Manjira Chowdhury (manjirachowdhury@yahoo.com).