“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
BJP on Saturday sharpened attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a day after Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi blamed the Centre for delayed action to curb the violence. The party also accused the ruling Congress of being responsible for the ethnic violence. Talking to reporters, BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain demanded a reply from Manmohan Singh that Tarun Gogoi, who is their Chief Minister, has accused the Centre of not sending timely help and forces.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh announced a huge 300 crore package to pacify the boiling BTAD areas on his hurricane visit to Kokrajhar on Saturday.Addressing a press conference in Kokrajhar he said that the affected people would be given Rs 100 crore to be rehabilitated. Another Rs 100 crore rupees would be for providing the houses under the Indira Aawas Yojana for those rendered homeless in the clash. Dr Singh said that apart from these BTAD would get a huge 100 crore rupees for development schemes. Dr Singh who visited two relief camps said that the family members of the deceased ones would be compensated with 2 lakh rupees.
A “Goodwill Mission” headed by Thaneswar Malakar,DC,Udalguri visited various villages of Bhergaon sub-division including the house of Nabla Boro (35) son of Kulen Boro of Khagrabari Nalbari village on July 26. Nabla Boro, a CRPF jawan serving under 151 BN CRPF at Jammu had been brutally killed by miscreants at Srirampur railway station on July 23 while he was returning to the place of his posting after spending a moths leave at home. On behalf of the district administration, DC Malakar offered deep condolence to the family members of the victim. He also offered financial assistance to the family. Other distinguished members of the mission were- Nilakanta Gayari, president...
Amid tight security, prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are on a stock-taking visit to Kokrajhar on Saturday. During the 4-hour long visit, the duo would take stock of the situation. They are also scheduled to visit to relief camps in Kokrajhar. At 12.30 noon they would review the situation with chief minister Tarun Gogoi, governor JB Patnike along with army, police and civil heavyweights in Barjhar. Dr Singh is expected to announce a special package for the victims before wrapping up the visit.Earlier, they landed at the LGB international airport at 10.30 am to be received by chief minister and governor and straightly left for Kokrajhar by a helicopter.
Kokrajhar virtually turns into a security fotress just before the stock-taking visit of prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday. Army, police and para military forces are on round-the-clock vigil in Kokrajhar to disperse the miscreants waiting to strike during the high profile visit. The situation in Kokrajhar is by and large normal. There is hardly any report of major incident during the last 12 hours. The district authorities have relaxed curfew in Kokrajhar from early in the morning.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are all set to visit in Kokrajhar on Saturday. The duo are scheduled to arrived in the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Barjhar at 10-30 in the morning. Accompanied by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Dr Singh and Gandhi will straightly leave for Kokrajhar to take stock of the situation. Apart from reviewing the situation, they are expected to visit a few relief camps to oversee relief works. Home Minister P Chidambaram will visit Kokrajhar and adjoining districts on Monday.
Caught in a barrage of controversy, Congress set up a 10-member coordination committee to look into the Kokrajhar violence. The panel has a few critics of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who are unhappy with the chief minister’s role. Earlier on Thursday evening, a team of Muslim MPs, including Congressmen, met Home Minister P Chidambaram and said they had lost faith in the Gogoi government.
In yet another major embarrassment, a minor boy and a 60-year-old man died in two different relief camps in Bilasipara on Friday. The district administration is yet to ascertain the cause. The relief camps set up for the refugees are overcrowded. A section of camp inmates alleged insufficient food, drinking water and medicines.
Central paramilitary forces are fanning in the violence-hit Kokrajhar, Chirang and other adjoining areas to rein in the strings of clashes that claimed at least 60 people during the last 6 days. Of the 65 paramilitary companies ordered, 53 companies have reached Assam so far to bring the situation under control. But the focus is concentrated on relief and rescue a day ahead of the prime minister’s visit.
A day before prime minister’s visit, the Centre on Friday rushed two teams of doctors and nurses to Kokrajhar and Chirang to boost efforts to provide relief and medical help to the refugees. In a video conference with Assam Chief Secretary Naba Kumar Das, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth reviewed the relief and medical arrangements for the victims.
According to official sources, two teams of physician, gynaecologist, paediatrician, public health specialists, resident doctors and nurses have arrived in the violence hit areas on Friday night. Nearly two lakh people have taken shelter in 250 relief camps in the five riot-hit districts of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Baksa and Dhubri.
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