January 31, 2015 : Professor Sudhir Kumar Sopory, the
Honourable Vice Chancelllor of Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi, today handed over the “ERDF Excellence Award –
2014” in a colourful function held at University of Science
and Technology, Meghalaya. Every year ERD Foundation confers
Excellence awards to eminent personalities from all walks of
life in recognition to their outstanding contribution in
various fields which immensely benefited the society at large.
Keeping alive its decade long tradition, this year ERDF
Excellence Award was conferred to eminent personalities of the
state who have achieved excellence in various fields and
contributed immensely to the society. They are - Shri D. N.
Bezboruah, noted journalist & former Editor of the Sentinel
Prof Ashok Kumar Goswami, Language expert & Retired Prof. of
Sanskrit, GU
Dr. Lakshahira Das, renowned Singer, Lyricist & Writer
Prof M. H. Hazarika, former Head of Genetics & Plant Breeding,
Assam Agriculture University
Prof Anil Kumar Goswami, former Principal Cotton College
Dr. Nirupama Mahanta, Social worker
Shri G L Agarwalla, Chairman & MD, G L Publications
Smt. Tayabun Nisha, renowned Sportsperson
Er. Isfaqur Rahman Borborah, Social Worker, Gandhian & former
Engineer of OIL
Dr. U. K. Sharma, former Director, NERIST
Shri Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, eminent journalist and Editor of
Dainik Asom; Col Monoranjan Goswami, Renowned Columnist; Dr DN
Buragohain, Founder Director of IIT, Guwahati & Chancellor of
Nagaland University; Dr. Justice Aftab Hussain Saikia,
Chairperson, Assam Human Rights Commission were also in the
list of Awardees but could not attend the function due to ill
health and preoccupations. Their awards would be handed over
later, it was announced.
The awards were conferred to the senior citizens as a mark of
respect and love from ERDF for their distinguished services to
the community and also to wish them good health and long life
so that they can continue their service to the society. All
the recipients in their acceptance speech said that they were
overwhelmed by the kind gesture bestowed by ERD Foundation.
They also highly appreciated the infrastructure of the
picturesque campus and assured their full cooperation to ERDF
group of Institutions and mission of ERDF in future.
Earlier, welcoming the dignitaries and guests to the function,
Mahbubul Hoque, Chairman ERDF and Chancellor USTM said, “The
tendency in our society is that senior citizens who toiled all
their life to make life better for others are often forgotten
after the prime of their life. To reverse this trend, we have
started giving the Excellence Awards to outstanding senior
citizens of Assam for nearly a decade now. Very soon we are
going to extend this programme in Meghalaya also.”
Prof SK Sopory, Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
New Delhi, who was the chief guest on the occasion and gave
away the awards, lauded the initiative of ERDF and said, “We
have many lessons to learn from this award ceremony. On one
hand, it is an inspiration for the upcoming generation, and on
the other it is a declaration of our gratefulness to the
senior citizens who gave their best time and energy so that we
can live with peace and honour today.”
About ERDF, he said, “Education is the best gift that we can
give to people, and ERDF is just doing that and doing it with
sincerity and excellence. I will certainly look forward to
opportunities in which JNU and ERDF could work together for
common good of our people.”
The meeting was presided over by Shri H. N. Das, Former Chief
Secretary, Govt. of Assam. Shri P. J. Barua, Executive Editor
of The Assam Tribune also addressed the gathering.
The function was attended by a large number of dignitaries
from various walks of life and the high officials of ERDF &
USTM including Dr. R. K. Sharma, Pro VC, Dr. Alaka Desai Sarma,
Dean, Students’ welfare of USTM and Dr. P. C. Mahanta,
Director of Regional Institute of Science & Technology.
In a post lunch programme, Prof SK Sopory, who is a renowned
Biotechnologist of the country, also participated in an
interactive session on the topic “Emerging trends of Higher
Education and Research in the field of Biological Sciences”
with the faculty, research scholars and students of USTM and
Cotton College, Guwahati.
PRO ERDF