“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
Dispur is waiting for a huge Central fund to dress the Kaziranga National Park afresh after it was ravaged in the time of flood. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said on Sunday disclosed it after he made an aerial survey on the national park. He talked to forest and district administration officials and discussed the extent of flood damage.The park authorities have handed over the chief minister a total estimate of the ravaged infrascture of the world heritage site.
Police have captured the main culprit in the sensational molestation case in Guwahati that rattles the entire country. Identified as Amarjyoti Kalita, the suspended employee with Amtron was held from a hotel in Orissa on Sunday 48 hours after the dead lines was set by chief minister Tarun Gogoi. But top police officials are tight lipped of the entire development. He was identified from the video clippings got from the satellite channels that beamed the entire story.
Two more molesters have been arrested during the last 12 hours in connection with the Guwahati incident a day after a police officer with Dispur has been suspended alleging dereliction of duty. According to information, with this, the total number of arrested persons in Monday's molestation incident has gone up to 6.
The duo were identified as Diganta Basumatary and Navajyoti Deka. On the other hand, Sub-inspector Subhan Baruah of Dispur police station has been suspended. The action came after Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi gave direction to the police on Saturday to arrest the culprits within 48 hours.
In a bizarre incident that rattles Koinadhara, a policeman attached to chief minister’s security committed suicide on Saturday. The tragic incident took place at 10 at night on Saturday when 10th APBn jawan Bhaskar Baishya shot himself dead with his own service rifle. He died after sustaining serious injury on his head. The reason of the crime is still not known.
The National Commission for Women delegation on Saturday spotted cigarette burn injuries on her body when they met the molestation victim in Guwahati. Talking to reporters on Saturday, NCW member Alka Lamba said that they came to find some cigarette burn injuries on her body. She further said that they want the licence of the bar to be scrapped. The delegation is scheduled to chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday and share the findings with him.
The victim in the molestation case in Guwahati said that she had gone to the pub to attend the birthday of a friend on Monday night. In her statement before the two member National Commission for Women, she said that she and one of her friends came down to go home where some youths tried to photograph them. When opposed, the unholy incident took place. According to her statement, she struggled for about 45 minutes with the youths in the absence of policemen.
Five days have passed since the molestation incident took place in the heart of the city of Guwahati. Police have identified 12 miscreants but only four have been arrested so far. Other accused including the main one Amarjyoti Kalita are still on the run. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has set 48 hour deadline to nab all the miscreants. But there is no fresh arrest during the last 12 years. According to Nnational Commission for Women, these suggest utter lapse on the part of police. The 2 member NCW delegation held meeting with Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner, senior superintendent of police, DGP Jayanta Narayan Choudhury and the victim girl on Saturday.
The National Commission for Women on Saturday suggested Dispur a special court to ensure speedy trial of the molesters in Guwahati where a teen aged girl was stripped in public in the heart of the city. A NCW delegation comprising Wansuk Syiem and Alka Lamba conducted a thorough probe in the recent incident with help from the Assam State Commission for Women in Guwahati. The two member delegation will submit its report to NCW chairperson Mamata Sharma on Monday next. They would further recommend special fast track court to ensure justice for the victim. NCW will forward its recommendations to the central and state governments.
The Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA ) has appealed to the Government of Assam to initiate a high level impartial probe into the allegation leveled by an activist against a television journalist involved with the incident of molestation of a girl at GS Road of the city on July 9, 2012 evening.
In an emergency meeting held at Guwahati Press Club today, the forum also demanded the State chief minister Tarun Gogoi, also in charge of Home department, to initiate for a collective analysis of all the forage of the incident after forensic test.
The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) ladder Akhil Gogoi had alleged in a press meet yesterday that Gaurav Jyoti Neog of News Live was involved...
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni urged media to deal with the Guwahati molestation case with due sensitivity. Talking to reporters, Soni said that media should make people aware of such incidents, care should be taken not to hurt the feelings of the victims. She said that media should consider the sensitivities of the victims of such incidents.
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