Nov. 30: The prestigious Aideu Handique memorial award will be conferred upon septuagenarian actress Anupama Bhattacharjya at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in the city on December 17.
The award is being conferred by the Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh Samiti and to be conferred each year to a woman who epitomises the ideals of Aideu Handique, who played the main role in the first Assamese film Joymoti. The day, December 17, is also Aideu Handique Memorial Day.
The 77-year old awardee started her career with Siraj, directed by Phani Sarma and Bishnu Rabha. She acted in 12 films so far, some of which are Biplobi, Nimila Anko and Natun Prithibi, among others.
Reacting to the announcement, the veteran actress said, ?It would have been better if had bagged the prize when I was working?. She, however, thanked the organisers for honouring her.
The award consists of a citation, a shawl, a sarai and Rs 10,000 in cash and will be given away by chief minister Tarun Gogoi in the presence of handloom and textile minister Hemo Prova Saikia. Sangeet Natak Akademi award winner Arun Sharma and actress Nilima Das will also grace the occasion. The newly-elected president of Asam Sahitya Sabha, Kanaksen Deka, will release a biography of renowned women artistes of the Assamese film industry at the function.
The function will be presided over by chairperson of Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh, Sheela Borthakur.
The Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh Samiti is a women?s literary organisation which started in 1974 and now has 200 branches all over Assam, in Calcutta, Shillong and Dimapur. The samiti owes its origin to the freedom movement. Prior to this, the social status of Assamese women had degraded due to various socio-political and economic reasons. The freedom struggle once again reinforced the role of women in social and political transformation.
The samiti provides the platform to unite and emancipate the women of Assam through creative pursuits, especially literature. ?It has become a common forum for sharing the feelings and ideas of the northeastern women,? says Borthakur, presently the chairperson of the samiti.
