The students of Gauhati University at the inter-college youth festival on their campus on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

April 28: Yet to recover from the ravages of the storm that wrecked its campus earlier this month, Gauhati University found itself in ankle-deep water in several places after heavy rain on Sunday night.

But braving all odds, the premier institution of higher education mingled in a riot of colours today to celebrate the inauguration of the five-day inter-college youth festival.

Over 50 colleges have enrolled in the festival and the number is expected to go up.

The general secretary of Post-graduate Students’ Union, Moon Bora, said the main ground in front of Birinchi Kumar Barua auditorium where the inauguration of the youth festival was scheduled to take place, was found to be waterlogged this morning.

She said the students were willing to win over this difficult circumstances.

“Majority of the students woke up early in the morning and started draining the rainwater by applying various methods. Some of them used buckets to drain the water out. Stone dust and sand was also laid on the ground. Efforts were successful and within the next five hours the ground was made suitable for inauguration,” Bora said.

Inaugurating the festival, vice-chancellor Amarjyoti Choudhury could not stop showering praise on students’ efforts to overcome the uncertainties of weather to finally host the youth festival.

He said similar efforts must be made by students to overcome the difficulties and challenges that they encounter in their day-to-day lives. “Life is not a bed of roses and there is no short cut to success. We have to struggle and work hard to reach our destination. I hope that the youth festival will enthuse youths to overcome all odds to excel in their chosen careers,” Choudhury said.

After the inauguration, students of more than 50 colleges and Gauhati University took out a procession on the national highway that passes through the university.

Students wore colourful and ethnic outfits and performed Sattriya, Bihu and the Bodo dances. Through their dance and songs, they highlighted the rural and traditional lifestyle of Assam.

Bora said various kinds of events and competitions would be organised during the festival to showcase their talents.

He said there would be a seminar on May 2 to discuss the various career options where experts would give necessary guidelines to the students. “The theme of the festival is affirmation, unity, progress and peace. Peace is the need of the hour for Assam to march forward,” he said.