Celebration of the 10th foundation day of the SBOA Public School at the District Library recently. Picture by Pranab Kumar Nath(top) Priyambada Mohanty-Hejmadi delivering the K.N. Sharma memorial lecture at the zoology department, Gauhati University. Picture by Pranab Kumar Nath

Chemistry Day celebrated

Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, the famous Indian chemist and founder of Indian Chemical Industries, was remembered on the occasion of the Chemistry Day recently celebrated under the aegis of the Biswanath College branch of the Society for Chemical Education, Assam. The function, organised on the occasion of Roy’s 143rd birth anniversary, was chaired by K.D. Baruah, head of the department of chemistry, Biswanath College, and formally inaugurated by P. Hazarika, principal of the college. In his inaugural address, Hazarika discussed the life and works of P.C. Roy in detail and urged the student community to be inspired by the ideals of the great scientist. Baruah discussed the growing importance of chemistry in present times and said the branch would celebrate Chemistry Day annually to create awareness on the Indian scientific heritage among the students and the people.

 

Memorial lecture

The K.N. Sharma memorial lecture was recently organised by the department of zoology, Gauhati University, in its premises. The guest speaker, Padmashree Priyambada Mohanty-Hejmadi, former vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University, delivered a lecture on the topic, From Egg to Leg — The Story of Vitamin A, before a huge gathering of students and faculty members. Earlier, the programme began with a welcome address, felicitation of the guest speaker and tribute to K.N. Sharma. Sharma was the head of the department of zoology, Cotton College, and held the same post in Gauhati University in 1965. He contributed greatly to the academic pursuit of zoology and cytogenetics in particular. He received the National Award for his book Amar Deh and the Asam Sahitya Sabha Award for Kekora Kair Biya. He was also the founder president of the Zoological Society of Assam.

Anti-ragging drive

The dean, faculty of agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, has constituted several anti-ragging committees to prevent ragging of freshers admitted to the BSc (agriculture) degree course. The committees include teachers, hostel wardens and students. The Students’ Society, College of Agriculture, has also taken a positive stand and have come forward to help the administration curb any kind of ragging in and outside the university campus in Jorhat. The university administration is hopeful that with the co-operation of all concerned people it will be possible to uproot ragging completely.

Biocontrol programmes

Assam Agricultural University (AAU), with the support of the department of biotechnology, Union government, and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, has launched several programmes on biocontrol of crop pests, diseases and weeds with focus on field and plantation crops. The university has also developed sufficient infrastructure for evaluating the bioefficacy of various biopesticides. The biopesticide laboratory of AAU was recently recognised as one of the referral laboratories of the country along with four other Indian laboratories from the DBT, ministry of science and technology, Union government, for periodic evaluation and monitoring of different biopesticidal products. Under the leadership of L.K. Hazarika, professor and head, department of entomology, the biopesticide laboratory of AAU has made significant progress in developing new biopesticides, improving formulations, ascertaining virulence with longer shelf life and distributing quality-assured biopesticides to farmers. Apart from scientific expertise, the laboratory has also sufficient equipment to test the quality of various biopesticidal products.

Felicitation function

The literary circle of the Assamese department, Gauhati University, recently organised a felicitation programme to felicitate Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya, professor and Sahitya Academy Award winner. Sailen Bharali attended the function as the distinguished guest. Speaking on the occasion, Bhattacharyya urged the students to concentrate on studies to acquaint themselves with the great philosophies of the world. Kamaluddin Ahmed, Bhaba-prasad Chaliha and Dipti Phukan Patgiri spoke on the life and works of Bhattacharyya.

The newly-installed statue of Don Bosco at Don Bosco School, Damra. Picture by Rukmini Barua Deka

Don Bosco golden jubilee

The management, teachers and students of Don Bosco School, Damra, Goalpara, are gearing up for the last phase of their golden jubilee celebrations to be held in October, 2003. For the grand finale, the school authorities intend to hold a variety of programmes and competitions, including inter-school contests, cultural items and a cleanliness drive around Dudhnoi and Damra. Fr Johnson, headmaster of the school, has undertaken a number of programmes for the uplift of the school. The office has been computerised and the school technologically upgraded. There are also plans to build a school library with a reading room and a reference section as well as upgrade the science laboratory. As part of the celebrations, a statue of Don Bosco has been installed in front of the school building. Fr Johnson hoped that the school would in the coming years produce a community of hard-working, open minded, caring, sharing and loving individuals. Don Bosco, Damra, was established in 1953 by Italian priest Fr. Umberto Colzani.