Bharat Dignity Award Honours Barak Valley’s Finest in Silchar Ceremony on its 4th Edition

Kolkata, February 21: In a significant gesture to celebrate regional excellence on a national platform, the organisers of the Bharat Dignity Awards 4th Season in collaboration with the Department of Bengali of Cachar College,held a special felicitation ceremony in Silchar to honour three distinguished personalities from the Barak Valley for their exceptional contributions in literature, environmental advocacy and social service. The initiative aimed to recognise grassroots achievers whose work has created meaningful impact beyond the region.

The event commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Eminent Guest. The awardees included eminent poet Ashutosh Das from Hailakandi, noted environmentalist Professor Parthankar Choudhury of Assam University, and distinguished social worker Pradip Dutta Roy. They were felicitated with traditional shawls, Award Trophy, and certificates of appreciation.

Through their dedicated efforts, they have enriched intellectual discourse, strengthened environmental awareness, and promoted humanitarian values across South Assam. Poet Ashutosh Das stated that such events would inspire regional poets in their literary pursuits. Dr. Parthankar Choudhury emphasized that just as every nation must preserve its mother tongue and culture, environmental conservation is equally essential.

On behalf of social worker Pradip Dutta Roy, his daughter Prothoma Dutta Roy received the award. She remarked that her father had devoted a significant part of his life to progressive social movements and had even faced imprisonment during the Barak Valley language movement. She highlighted his unwavering faith in honesty, sacrifice, dedication, and commitment to service.

The ceremony was graced by several eminent personalities from across the Barak Valley, whose presence added dignity and encouragement to the awardees and organisers. Among them were Mrs. Swarnali Choudhury, Owner of Ellora Hotel and noted social worker; Dr. Bivash Deb, President of Rupam Cultural Organization and Former Director of the College Development Council, Assam University, Silchar; Dr. Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, Professor and Surgeon at Silchar Medical College and President of the G.C. College Alumni Association; Prof. Anup Kumar Dey of the Department of English, Assam University, and Governing Body Member of Cachar College; Dr. Dipankar Kar, Retired Associate Professor and former Head of the English Department, G.C. College, Silchar; Sri Joydeep Biswas, Advocate; Sri Chandan Paul Choudhury, Associate Professor, Department of Geology, G.C. College and Director, College Development Council, G.C. University; Mrs. Sarbani Choudhury Biswas, Reid Teacher, D.N.H.S. School, Udharbond, Cachar; Prof. Paromita Das of the Department of Mass Communication, Assam University; Dr. Sudip Kumar Das, Head of the Bengali Department, Cachar College; Dilip Kumar, Publisher of the Hindi daily Prerna Bharati; and Md. Shams Uddin, In-charge Principal, along with several other distinguished guests who extended their support and encouragement.

For the first time, Kolkata-based media house News Mania travelled to Silchar to formally confer the honours, marking a symbolic outreach beyond metropolitan centres and reaffirming its commitment to highlighting remarkable contributions from across India. The selection panel was headed by acclaimed national award-winning filmmaker Gautam Ghose, International Odissi Dancer Guru Sanchita Bhattacharyya who led the rigorous process of identifying individuals from the Barak Valley whose work deserves wider national and global recognition.

While the main Bharat Dignity Award ceremony was held at Park Hotel in Kolkata in December last year, the Silchar programme at Cachar College served as a follow-up event to formally present the awards on February 21 — observed worldwide as International Mother Language Day. The Bengali Department of Cachar College hosted the event, aligning the celebration with the spirit of linguistic pride and cultural preservation envisioned in India’s National Education Policy.

Bornali Biswas, Chairman of the BDA Selection Committee and Editor-in-Chief of News Mania, graced the programme along with other prominent personalities of the Barak Valley to honour the award winners. The ceremony reflected the collective commitment of institutions and individuals to celebrate excellence, cultural identity, and meaningful social impact.

The Bharat Dignity Award continues to uphold its vision of recognising individuals whose dedication and service embody integrity, creativity, and commitment to society — ensuring that regional voices receive the national recognition they deserve.