The Centre for Studies in Journalism & Mass Communication (CSJMC), Dibrugarh University on Wednesday organised the 6th Dr Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya Memorial Lecture in remembrance of the first Assamese Jnanpith Award recipient.
Journalist Prasanta Rajguru delivered the memorial lecture on theme “Challenges before democracy and media as an institution.” Sahitya Akademi Award winner and former Assam Sahitya Sabha president Nagen Saikia was present at the event as the guest of honour. Jiten Hazarika, Vice Chancellor of Dibrugarh University, Dipankar Bhattacharyya, son of Dr Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya, Satyakam Borthakur, former Chariperson, CSJMC, Dibrugarh University, and PK Gogoi, Chairperson, CSJMC, Dibrugarh University were among those present.
While explaining the objectives of the memorial lecture, Dipankar Bhattacharyya, the son of the late litterateur said, “The aim of this memorial lecture is to introduce the new generation to the literary works and thought processes of Dr Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya as well as provide an engagement platform for the students with eminent journalists so that they could learn new things and move forward in the direction of journalism”.
Delivering the lecture, Prasanta Rajguru said that he was introduced to Dr Bhattacharyya through a story published in the magazine Prantik. He mentioned that the period when Dr Bhattacharyya was working as the Editor of Ramdhenu was a golden period of Assamese literature. He also spoke about the beginnings of democracy in Europe, the progress of the media as well as the narrative of the Indian media. He mentioned that democracy, mass media and capital go parallelly and stressed on the need for changes within the society in order to see changes in mass media.
Nagen Saikia, in his speech said, “I had the opportunity to know him very closely. I realised that the person and the writer that he was, there was no difference between the two. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya was a deeply humanitarian writer and intensely recognised his responsibilities towards the society.”
