“My father Sir Keith Cantlie served in the Indian Civil Service from 1910 till his retirement in 1947. So, in a way I consider myself daughter of Assam, a land of outstanding natural beauty with distant views of the snow and Himalayas”
With her disarming smile simple down to earth and smiling manner the bespectacled Dr. Audrey Cantlie welcomes you with a big smile at her door at Oxford street as if somebody of her own. She has an emotional bond for Assam and the Assamese people.
I still remember the day I met her sometime in September, 1998 at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, London) I introduce myself as an Assamese I could see the sparkle in her eyes: said to me "How many Assamese people are in London? I love to meet them". Dr. Audrey Cantlie was born in Shillong in 1923. She spent her six years in Jorhat where her father was Deputy Commissioner. So, in some ways she consider herself a daughter of Assam.
After taking a degree in Sociology at the London School of Economics, she returned to Assam for fieldwork and carried out a study of a village near Jorhat, which was later published under the title of ‘The Assamese’. It is perhaps the only intensive work done in the plains of Assam and I like to think of it as a small contribution to understanding a unique way of life and, more particularly, the religion founded by Sankardeva.
After working on the staff at the London School of Economics. She moved to the School of Oriental and African Studies where I still teach part-time to the present day.
Few weeks after we have organized the 550th Sankar Jayanti at Wembley when we invited her as our chief guest. The speech she delivered about Sankardev was so informative. Since then Dr. Cantlie always shares every Assamese Community function in London. Her guidance and support is very valuable to me at my work in a women oriented matter.
From studying, Sociology at the London School of Economics and to teach at (School of Oriental and African Studies. Her beautiful past as an Assamese is still in her mind. She wrote “The Assamese” dedicated to the memory of her father Sir Keith Cantlie who served 40 years in the state of Assam. How beautifully she expressed the qualities of Assamese people in this book.
Call her a professor, teacher, academician for rest of our Assamese society in London she is just our “Cantlie baidew”
During her stay at Guwahati, we have organised an interactive session with teachers, academicians, journalists and students at Sudmersen Hall, Cotton College on Wednesday 13 February, 2008 at 4:00pm.
PermalinkSubmitted by Utpal Hazarika on Sun, 16/11/2008 - 01:32
I am from BANI MANDIR, a publication house from Assam since 1949. Many people want to buy this book, but due to the price 99% people cannot effort. If I get the publication right I can reprint the in Indian cheaper price and most of the people can buy and can preserve the book. I tried with the author but could not contact. Can anybody passon this message to the author of the this book.Thanks.
Utpal Hazarika
banimandir@gmail.com
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Gadkari is on a two days visit to Guwahati to review party activities in the northeastern states. His visit assumes significance amid speculation of a few top AGP leaders preparing to join the party on Sunday. On the first day of his visit, Gadkari inaugurated "Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhavan", the office of the party's Assam unit named after the veteran party leader and former prime minister. Gadkari is expected to meet party leaders from all the northeastern states, particularly from the three poll-bound states on Sunday.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stressed coordinated efforts to ensure that Majuli is included in the Unesco's World Heritage Site list. Speaking at a seminar on Majuli's Cultural Landscape - Heritage Value - Future in Guwahati on Saturday, he said that Majuli was the lifeline of Assamese culture and a pride of the state. Its distinct Sankari religion and culture together with its unique geographical location has given Majuli a pride of place not only in the state but also outside. He said that effort must be made to bring the unique riverine island and the seat of Vaishnavite culture to the centre stage by ensuring that it gets Unesco's World Heritage Site tag.
The National Council of Science Museums plans to set up three planetariums in the North East region, including Nagaland, Manipur and at Jorhat in Assam. Addressing a gathering in Mumbai on Saturday, NCSM Director General G S Rautela said that in the last three years the country had six planetariums across the country. He said the projects planned in Nagaland, Manipur and at Jorhat in Assam will be completed next year.
Police have filed a charge-sheet in the court against a doctor for allegedly raping his patient. The charge-sheet under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, has been filed by the officer-in-charge of the Dholai police station on March 13 at the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in the district of Cachar after investigation of a case filed by a minor girl on November 27, 2011.
Union home minister P Chidambaram said that the boundary dispute between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam would be resolved amicably soon. Talking to reporter during his visit to Itanagar on Saturday, he said that the one-man boundary commission constituted by Supreme Court working out modalities for the same. According to him, the one-man committee headed by Justice Tarun Chaterjee was looking after the issue and he is scheduled to convene a meeting with the chief ministers of both the states on June.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Maoists elements operating in Assam have close coordination with other militant outfits in the north east. He said that Paresh Baruah’s recent statement suggests it beyond doubt. He asserted that almost all insurgent groups in the northeast have a nexus with Maoists. He said that the insurgent outfits of the region have a nexus with the Maoists. The chief minister also said that the Maoists were spreading their wings in the state and that they had already established a network in all the upper Assam districts.
A person died onboard Guwahati-bound Ernakulam Express on Friday after undergoing surgery to reduce his weight. The entire incident has resulted in a four-hour halt at Rangiya railway station. The 28-year-old Sanjay Dey, who was returning after undergoing a robotic surgery in Chennai for obesity-related problems, died inside the train following a heart attack at Barpeta Road station.
The power crisis that paralyzes Assam is expected to be partially over from Saturday evening. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the restoration of one of the transmission towers damaged by storm in West Bengal was on. He said, ''One unit of the two damaged towers is likely to be restored and will start functioning by Saturday evening but full restoration will take a few more days.''
The current power crisis in the state has been due to unforeseen natural calamities, he said adding Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi has personally rushed to the spot to oversee restoration work.
On a busy Monday afternoon of 30th April, the people around Latashil field and The High Court were caught by surprise when some young boys and girls approached them with a bottle of “Future Milk”. Priced at Rs. 200 for just 100 ml, this “Future Milk” can do wonders. One sip a day can make you lose weight, have beautiful hair and glowing skin. Topping the list, it also provides all the nutrition required by a human body in a day and even if you skip meals, you will still feel energetic and healthy! Interested? Contact “The Yellow Cab”, a city based group of young people who in their own words “aspire to promote our views using multiple methods like...
An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted Assam on Friday. The quake, which struck at 6.11pm, had its epicentre in Nagaon where some building developed crack. The quake caused panic as people rushed out of their homes. Although there was no report of any major damage so far, some buildings developed cracks and one concrete wall collapsed at Jyotinagar area of Guwahati under the impact of the quake. The jolt was also felt in Meghalaya capital Shillong.
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