Guwahati: It was a glorious evening to honour 12 achievers from different fields who have made Assam proud.
The third edition of Indian Oil presents The Telegraph Axom Shrestho awards, powered by Life Insurance Corporation of India and supported by Assam Tourism, on Wednesday honoured Javed Parvesh (tourism), Nipon Goswami (film), Krishna Roy (theatre), Lakshahira Das (literature), Kishori Mohan Pathak (education), Tayabun Nisha (sports), Pulak Banerjee (song and music), Jatin Goswami (dance), Pulak Gogoi (art and culture), B.P. Saraf of Matri Mandir (social work), Jahnabi Phookan (entrepreneurship) and Payal Chadha (fashion).
Executive director of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Dipankar Ray, delivered the welcome address and presented the first five awards.
Accepting the Assam Tourism The Telegraph Axom Shrestho Award, Parvesh said, "I am grateful to The Telegraph and Assam Tourism for this award. Cycle tourism, which involves storytelling, has been a big hit in Majuli."
Nipon Goswami, who has acted in over 100 films and television serials in a career spanning more than 50 years, said, "I will let the audience decide what is my best role."
Founder of Abahon Theatre, Roy said, "Among my plays, I like Bhabendra Nath Saikia's Dinobondhu the most." Musician Banerjee said, "Recognition and inspiration is necessary in any field, be it sports, music or literature."
Jatin Goswami said, "Dancing is what I have known throughout my life and it is what I have always done. I don't think I am an Axom Shrestho."
"Such kind of recognition encourages us. I only knew art and I kept doing it. I am surprised that I have been considered worthy of an award," said Gogoi.
B.P. Saraf said, "My elder brother named Matri Mandir so that orphaned children don't feel motherless."
Ashish Phookan, who started Jungle Travels India Ltd with his wife Jahnabi, hoped to take Assam's tourism sector to new heights.
Officials of partner organisations LIC, IOC and Assam Tourism along with PWD minister Parimal Suklabaidya, IT minister Keshab Mahanta, ATDC chairman Jayanta Malla Baruah and chief managing director Prag News Sanjive Narain, among others, gave away the awards.
