’People are yet to be liberated from mental slavery’
SILCHAR, August 18: “Although we have got our independence on August 15, 1947, but we are yet to be liberated from mental slavery.” This was observed by Dr Santanu Sarkar, assistant professor of the department of Bengali, Assam University, while delivering a lecture at the valedictory session at DIET hall organized by Udharbond Table Tennis Club on the occasion of Independence Day.
Sarkar said that people could think ‘freely’ in the country even after 66 years of independence. There are different communities who have been fighting for their own language for years. “India got independence from British 66 years back, but Indians are yet to get the freedom in its absolute term.”
The valedictory session was organized to felicitate the winners of different competitions held on the eve of I–Day. The meritorious students of greater Udharbond area were also felicitated on the occasions. The session was chaired by Club president Surjya Kumar Sarmah. Among other dignitaries present on the occasion included Prof. Ashim Kanti Dey, civil engineering department, NIT, Silchar, Dr Aniruddha Biswas, a well known surgeon, etc.
Speaking on the occasion, Hridayendra Kumar Dey told the students to become honest and altruistic in their life. He also said that people of the country have so far not achieved the freedom for which thousands had laid down their lives.
Pranabananda Das, a senior journalist, who is also the former secretary of TT Club, said that the reason behind celebrating the Independence Day every year is that “on the day we take pledge to work hard with devotion and duty and to serve the interest of the society”. He did encourage the students of Udharbond by referring to different motivational success stories of some of the students of other States who did remarkably well despite all odds and oddities.
On the occasion, Sumit Sinha of Kachakanti Vidya Mandir, who did best in HSLC from Udharbond area, was awarded with ‘Debendra Chakraborty Memorial Merit Award’. Abdul Rehman and Sagarika Deb of DNHS School were awarded with ‘Khirodhranjan Seal Memorial Award’ and ‘Nosha Miya Memorial Award’ for their brilliant results in Higher Secondary Science and Arts streams respectively. Sagarika Deb and Papiya Deb of DNHS School, who got the state highest marks in Bengali, were felicitated with ‘Anurupa Biswas Memorial Award.’ The winners of the open quiz competition and merit test were also awarded at the function.
