“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
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The Gauhati High Court on Thursday rejected journalist Gauravjyoti Neog’s plea he moved to procure anticipatory bail in connection with the molestation case in the city. A division bench of the court of rejected the petition but directed the police to file the case diary by the next week. Neog, a reporter with Newslive is allegedly involved in the entire incident and Bhangagarh police grilled him for five hours on Sunday to extract the truth.
Properties worth one crore have been reduced to ashes when a market caught fire in Moran on Thursday. The incident took place in the wee hours when the fire broke out at a shop because of electric short circuit. Immediately, the fire was spreading to the nearby shops. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot but by then the fire engulfed the entire daily market. Local residents blamed delay in the arrival of the fire tenders which was why, the fire spanned out of control.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday claimed victory for Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential polls. Talking to reporters after casting his vote at the Central Hall of the Assam Assembly in the morning, Gogoi said that the Mukherjee, a veteran political leader deserves the coveted post. Gogoi said that Mukherjee is expected to get the support of more than 111 legislators in the state. He hoped that other opposition parties would also vote for the former finance minister.
Ananda Prakash Tiwary took over as senior superintendent of police replacing Apurba Jiban Baruah who was shunted following the police failure in the recent molestation case.The new senior police superintendent is understood to have taken stock of the law and order situation in the city rocked by a string of uneasy incidents of killings, kidnapping and the molestation incident.
Presidential poll begins in Assam with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi casting his vote on Thursday. Gogoi, is among the 126 members of the legislative assembly along with member of parliament Bhubneswar Kalita who are expected to cast the vote at the Central Hall of the Assam Assembly.
As soon as the question hour ended at 10 in the morning, the legislators are lined up to cast their votes. Pranab Mukherjee is expected to get support from 112 legislators. Altogether 15 legislators are expected to go with PA Sangma. Parliamentary affairs minister Nilomoni Sendeka represents Pranab Mukherjee while PA Sangma is represented by AGP MLA Bhupen Ray. The ballot boxes are scheduled to be sealed...
General Officer Commanding-in- Chief of Eastern Command, Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh called on Assam Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik on Wednesday and apprised him of the flood relief and rescue operation in the state. Accompanied by Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung, General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, he interacted with the troops and reviewed the progress of ongoing projects and the current internal security situation in Assam as well as on the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh.
The chairperson of the National Commission for Women Mamata Sharma on Wednesday suggested a slew of measures to ensure safety and security of women in the state. During his hurricane visit to Guwahati on Wednesday, Sarma asked Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to provide government job for the molestation victim apart from proper counseling and rehabilitation.
Talking to reporters, she said that the Commission asked for better police surveillance with presence of women personnel in the entire state. She said that the Chief Minister has accepted her recommendation. She criticized the role of police in the entire incident saying that police needed 45 minutes to arrived in the spot.The NCW has...
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Normal life in Sivasagar district remained paralyzed during the 12-hour bandh called on Wednesday demanding stern action against Army personnel involved in the molestation case in Demow. The bandh was total. Shops and business establishments remained closed in the entire district. Vehicular traffic off from the roads. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the district. The bandh was called jointly by Mising Students' Union, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad, All Tai Ahom Students' Union and some other outfits demanding immediate action against Army personnel responsible for the alleged molestation of a girl at Demow in Sibsagar district on July 13.
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