Guwahati: Champa Bora, 83, a freedom fighter and an ardent follower of the Gandhian philosophy from Azara, will receive the Kanaklata Barua Award on the occasion of the 16th annual Jatiya Chetana Divas scheduled to be observed by the Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh on September 20 at Lakhi Ram Baruah Sadan here.

The Jatiya Chetana Divas is observed in memory of martyr Kanaklata Baruah by the Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh, a women's literary organisation of Assam established in 1974.

The 16th annual Jatiya Chetana Divas will be supported by the Kamrup Zila Lekhika Samaroh.

At a news conference here on Wednesday, Kamrup Zila Lekhika Samaroh president Nilima Borah said, "The main objective of this day is to pay tribute to all those women freedom fighters from Assam, who sacrificed their lives for the betterment of Assamese society. And this time, we are also going to honour a versatile personality - Champa Bora - with the Kanaklata Baruah Award, which was started eight years back."

"Jatiya Chetana Divas is about arousing the feelings of unity for the community's development, which is lacking in the younger generation of today. Community development is every woman's responsibility and was proved by many women freedom fighters from Assam, who took part in India's independence and in the development of the Assamese community," Kamrup Zila Lekhika Samaroh working president Nandita Chaliha said.

Chaliha said around 150 dignitaries, including Paramananda Rajbongshi of Asam Sahitya Sabha, Hitesh Deka of Krishnakanta Handique State Open University and many such dignitaries are most likely to be present on the occasion.

The Kanaklata Baruah Award will be presented by the family of Rekha Phukan.

The award consists of a cash prize, clothes and a pack of books published by the Samiti.

Bora, who retired as a supervisor of the state social welfare department, has been in the forefront of many women's rights movement in Assam and has worked relentlessly for the uplift of women in the state.