“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
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said that the Maoists have close links with all insurgent groups operating in the northeast including the ULFA. Talking to reporters in Delhi, Gogoi said that his government has enough evidence that both the groups have close links. He said, "be it ULFA, be it NSCN-IM or be it PLA, every one has close links with Maoists."
His statement assumes significance a few days after Union home minister had said that he has no evidence to prove CPI-Maoists' links with the Paresh Baruah-led ULFA faction.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to implement the decision to allow foreign investments in the multi-brand retail sector. Talking to reporters in Delhi after meeting Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Gogoi said the FDI in retail sector move would help to bring in foreign investment, technologies and efficiencies. He said, "some states are opposing this, let them oppose. Those states who want, should not be deprived of this decision as it will help in improving agri economy. We hope that the government will take early decision on this”.
NIA got remand of Pallav Borbora for ten days when he was produced before the special court on Wednesday. The court has asked NIA not to allow other agencies to grill the Pallab during its remand. NIA reportedly arrested him on the basis of confessional statements of Indraneel but the top Maoist leader denied Borbora’s link with the Naxalites.
Despite overcast skies, star-gazers and scientists lined up at the venues across Assam on Wednesday morning to get a glimpse of Venus passing over the Sun. Venues in all the districts were teeming with sky gazers from early in the morning to watch the rare celestial event through special telescopes and other scientifically-approved equipment.
The Guwahati planetarium and the Regional Science Centre pulled huge crowds where people were queuing up for their turn at the telescopes set up to ensure hassle-free observation of the celestial event. The sky was normal before 6-30 but overcast skies denied the people of the state from catching a clear glimpse of the 'planet of love' moving over...
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that none of the prominent leaders from the Northeast has any support for PA Sangma in his race for the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday, Gogoi said that Sangma has received hardly any support from any prominent leader from the region. Gogoi said that he has respect for Sangma as a leader but failed to understand his strategy to bid for the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
World Environment day has been observed by People's Friend Foundation at the District Library Auditorium, Guwahati. On this occasion, Enviro Quiz was organized among school students of the state in two categories. A total of 120 teams participated in the quiz from different parts of the state.
Noted quiz master Professor Dilip Kumar Baruah and Rajib Phukan conducted the quiz. Prize Money of around Rs12000/-, Books from Oxford University Press, Guwahati and Gift Hapmers from Parle Agro Ltd were distributed to the eight winning teams in each category.
In the senior category, Don Bosco Panbazar secures top position while in the junior category, Maharshi Vidya Mandir, Silpukhuri wins the...
Assam sees the first wave of flood rendering around 15,000 people homeless because of incessant rains in the last two days. According to officials sources, water levels of major rivers, including Brahmaputra and Barak, are on the rise. In Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, iver 30 villages have been affected by the surging waters of Pisola river. At least 10 villages were hit in Baksa and Udalguri districts. The water levels in most of the major rivers Brahmaputra, Burhidehing, Subansiri, Pagladia and Barak are still rising.
The Planning Commission on Tuesday approved Assam' Plan outlay of Rs 10,500 crore for the current fiscal which is over 16 per cent higher than the outlay for the previous fiscal. The annual Plan for 2012-13 was finalised in New Delhi at a meeting between the Commission's Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi. The state has proposed an outlay of Rs 14,537.33 crore for the current fiscal.
During the meeting, Ahluwalia said that Assam needs to focus on further improving infrastructure and particularly road connectivity. Besides, land erosion also needs priority attention of the state. Briefing the Commission of the development strategy, he said the...
Assam Governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik on Tuesday called upon the people to take a pragmatic approach for striking a balance in ecology and environment rather than merely observing global events. Addressing a gathering of students at the Raj Bhavan in Guwahati on the occasion of the World Environment Day, he urged the people not to treat such occasions merely as a ceremony but take it as a day of reckoning to pledge oneself to plant a tree each for a safer and brighter future. He asked everybody to convince each of their own family members to take the 'green path'.
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