Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal visits Asom Granthamela

Guwahati, December 30, 2021: 
Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited Asom Granthamela,
presently going on at Assam Engineering Institute playground at
Chandmari locality in the city on Thursday and took a look around
various book stalls at the book fair. Sonowal, who is immediate past
chief minister of Assam, bought several books and interacted with
booklovers and students as well.
Jointly organised by Asom Prakashan Parishad (the State government run
Publication Board Assam) and All Assam Publishers & Book Sellers
Association, the event (29 December 2021 to 9 January 2022) has
attracted nearly 150 book-publishing groups comprising 10 from
Bangladesh, 10 from New Delhi and 5 from Kolkata along with local
publication houses.
Expressing his satisfaction over the event, Sonowal commented that
books are the symbol of identity of a community and society. The young
generation must inculcate the habit of reading books regularly, said
Sonowal adding that everyone on the eve of New Year should make the
resolution to bring a book revolution collectively. Prakashan Parishad
secretary Pramod Kalita and Assam Children's Literature Trust
secretary Hrishikesh Goswami accompanied him on the occasion.
The 12-day Granthamela was officially inaugurated by State education
minister Dr Ranoj Pegu. Also the chairman of Prakashan Parishad, Dr
Pegu also expressed happiness that more people are now reading books.
The minister however emphasized on developing a culture of book
reading and insisted on translating various literary works in Assamese
to different larger languages and also translating ethnic linguistic
creations into Assamese.
Dr Pegu also honoured Dr Nandita Devi with Prakashan Parishad literary
award for her novel ‘Bongol Bohu Door’ along with its publisher Nagen
Sarma of Jyoti Prakashan. Asom Sahitya Sabha president Dr Kuladhar
Saikia, in his speech, stressed on popularising the books among the
young people with new contents. He argued that new technology should
be used for making books available to them. Dr Noni Gopal Mahanta,
adviser to the education department, claimed that even after the
invasion of internet and social media, the books remain popular around
the world.
It may be mentioned that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the publishers
& book-sellers could not organise Northeast Book Fair last year and it
even failed to accommodate the annual event because of anti-CAA
(citizenship amendment act) movements in 2019 too. However, Prakashan
Parishad successfully held Guwahati Granthamela in 2020 with
significant public support.
This time, organisers of both the events have joined hands to pave the
way for Asom Granthamela, where State chief minister Himanta Biswa
Sarma had taken a positive initiative for the combined effort. Next
year, both the events may take place separately if the
corona-situation improves significantly, informed Sarma, who served as
the education minister in Sonowal’s cabinet.
The inaugural function was attended by State’s education official
Pritam Saikia, Prakashan Parishad vice-president Sumanta Chaliha,
office-bearers of publishers & book-sellers association Dhiraj
Goswami, Imran Ahmed, Baharul Islam Choudhury, etc. The first
evening’s cultural programs were inaugurated by Pabitra Margherita,
member-secretary of the State level advisory committee  for student
and youth welfare. The fair is open from 11 am to 8 pm every day where
the children are enjoying free entry.