Internationally acclaimed author and journalist Arup Kr Dutta, who has been selected for this year’s Padmashri award was felicitated in Mangaldai on Monday evening.
Local scribe body Mangaldai Media Circle organized a public function at the auditorium of Sanatan Dharma Sabha where President of Mangaldai Media Circle Hitesh Hazarika, its secretary Mayukh Goswami, prominent cultural organizer Rajib Kr Deka and Deputy Commissioner, Darrang Ashok Kr Barman on behalf of the organizing scribe body offered him a traditional ‘Cheleng Chadar’, a ‘Gamosa’, a ‘Bota’ made of brass metal and a citation letter respectively.
Twenty local public organizations including Darrang Zila Sahitya Sabha, AASU, AJYCP, Crystal Vision, AMSA, Mangaldai Chambers’ of Commerce , Sangbad Sahitya Chora, DIET, Darrang , Chapai Sahitya Sabha , Mangaldai Municipal Board etc also offered him felicitation of their own.
Addressing the gathering Arup Kr Dutta said, “In 2014 I along with my wife attended a function in Las Vegus , North America, organized in our honour by the Assam Association there. But I consider today’s function at Mangaldai as more memorable for me than that of the Las Vegus!” an overwhelmed Dutta said.
“I am speechless at the way people of Mangaldai have shown love and affection for me. It’s symbolic of how cultured the people here are.”
Recalling fifty years of his literary journey, the author of about thirty five fiction and non-fiction books including The Kaziranga Trail, The Brahmaputra, The Unicornis, Cha Garam, Roving Ministrel and Pothorughat among others, the eminent author said that when he was studying in boarding school in Himachal Pradesh, very often he would hear derogatory comments about Assam and North East by other students and he promised himself to make Assam and northeast proud.
Regarding the selection for the Padmashri award, he said , “I always give top priority to the feedback from my readers. However recognition of my works by the society and the government has given me encouragement.”