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Celebration of The Rongali Bihu 2009 in London Campion hall for Champion Bihu The London Bihu Committee (LBC), UK, held its annual Rongali Bihu celebration last Sunday, the 3rd May 2009. The event was held in a new location in Hornchurch, East London and the changeable British weather kindly held up for the occasion. The Committee deliberately chose a larger venue on the back of Rongali London Bihu 2008’s staggering success. The Campion School is of Catholic denomination and the multicultural and inclusive nature of the British Assamese community could not be better summed up than celebrating the reaping of the Brahmaputra-induced harvest in front of Mother Mary herself. The hall itself was decorated with ample xorais, japis gamosas and incongruously hung balloons on the pillars. One keen observer noted the hall wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a temple or a kid’s party! The ladies of the LBC did themselves proud by making a range of home made Assamese jolpan sira-doi-gur (Suravi Lahon), narikol laroo (Krishna Baruah) , ghila pitha (Geeta Borooah), tilor laroo (Neera Borkakoti). These were complimented with a variety of cakes (Ilu Ahmed) and children’s food (Geeta Sikdar) and children’s snacks (Neeta Borkakoti)...all much appreciated by the eager crowd. After an energetic opening speech by Neera Borkakoti, the LBC President, the cultural show featured some of the youngest members of the British Assamese community displaying their dancing talents to such good effect that there was a repeat performance in the second half - back by popular demand! The main guest artist was Prija Goswami from Guwahati, who wooed the crowd with her splendid Satriya and Bihu dances. We then had the usual display of Husori, singing, dancing and musical performance that we have come to expect from the cultural show. The Vote of Thanks was once again this year given by the LBC General Secretary Sanjay Sikdar in his own inimitably laid back style, and as usual he didn’t forget to thank anyone, including the chap who was rolling out the dough for the puris. This year, it is fair to say that London Rongali Bihu broke its own records set last year in terms of attendance and popularity. The hundreds of revellers present enjoyed the time set aside for Bihu dance, and the atmosphere generated by the enthusiasm of the audience meant that the drinks flowed freely. Some people certainly seemed especially thirsty. The finale of the evening was the Bihu Bhoj with tender chicken, spicy okra and melt in the mouth with lamb amongst a plethora of other dishes. The Rasomalai police were also out in full force to prevent the premature consumption of the hall’s favourite dessert and fortunately they did not have to make too many arrests! All in all it is understating things to say we are all looking forward to next year. Rongali Bihu: what do we do? Usually drink, usually dance, usually bhalkoi - khau. Jayanta Borkakoti, Rishi Kakati London 14 POSOOWA May 2009
Bikul Das at Stanford awarded Gates Foundation Grant An Assamese doctor, Bikul Das, has been awarded a prestigious grant under the Gates Foundation’s Global Health Grant to explore the role of stem cells in the management of tubercular infection. Dr Das has received $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations Grant for Innovative Global Health Research. His project is one of 81 grants announced out of over 3,000 applications by the Gates Foundation in the second funding round of the Program, an initiative to help scientists around the world explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve health in developing countries. Dr. Das grew up in Sualkuchi, is a graduate of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and had worked in Assam and Bhutan before moving to Canada for further research. His Ph.D. work involved work on cancer at the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Canada, where he identified a novel signaling pathway of cancer drug resistance and metastasis. Following his Ph.D. training, he was a fellow in the stem cell and developmental biology program of the hospital he focused on isolation of lung cancer stem cells. He recently moved to Stanford University Medical Center to continue with his research. Dr. Das was recently awarded the prestigious Scholarin-training award jointly by the American Association of Cancer Research and the Japanese Cancer Association. Dr. Das has written a popular medical book about the health-benefit aspect of antioxidants. He is also a recipient of Hind Rattan Award given out on Republic Day (India). Dr. Das’s German-born wife Britta Das is the author of the well-received book “Buttertea at Sunrise” about a year she spent in Bhutan. It is a travel memoir about Britta’s journey to the mysterious kingdom of Bhutan, which has been isolated from the rest of the world for many centuries. The book is a sincere account of the experiences of a volunteer physiotherapist at a remote referral hospital. Jugal Kalita, Colorado Springs 15 Continued from page 15.. Once a Cottonian, Always a Cottonian! The old order as we all know yields place to the new. Likewise the old alumni committee should pave the path for the formation of a complete new and fresh committee. The veteran and experienced past office bearers should remain as advisors or patrons for the fresh committee. No matter how good they were, they should give way for the new and fresh people. • • That is where confusion starts. That day we saw a kind of conflict of interest in the process of forming a new committee. I feel that just for the sake of the glorious tradition of Cotton College, unexpected activities should be avoided. The general public and student community as a whole are much more interested in seeing fresh workers on the prestigious committee. • • The whole process ought to have taken place most amicably. My shock and anguish have prompted me to write these lines. Because such degeneration is beyond my wildest expectations. We expect from Cotton College a kind of excellence that is in par with the best on the globe. • • What we can do? The new Alumni Association should liaise with the alumni of Cotton College around the globe. We will try to organize visits from various Universities in UK to our College. Cambridge and Oxford university students and faculty regularly visit Indian universities. • • Last year the VC of Cambridge University, Prof. Alison Richard and a group of people from Cambridge University came to India to meet the Alumni Society of India. St. Xaviers in Kolkata organized their visit to Kolkata. I spoke to Dr. Siddhartha Ghosh the Director for Cambridge-India Partnership Program, who lead this group to Kolkata. I was told they might consider arranging such a visit to Gauhati University in future provided they have the invitation well in advance.• • So I am sure if we all start to do the networking process together we can take further the name of Cotton College and Gauhati University, the two most prestigious educational institutions of entire North-East.• • Rini Kakati•, London•• POSOOWA May 2009
Page 1 and 2: NON-RESIDENT ASSAMESE (NRA) MAGAZIN
Page 3 and 4: You are cordially invited to attend
Page 5 and 6: Padmapani: For my Optionals I have
Page 7 and 8: Sattriya Dance Workshops in France
Page 9 and 10: Rongali Bihu celebration in Bahrain
Page 11 and 12: Rongali Bihu Celebration by Asom Sa
Page 13: NE USA Bihu Celebrates Tradition an
Page 17 and 18: Once a Cottonian, Always a Cottonia
Page 19 and 20: Letters to the Editor Re: Power Cri
Page 21 and 22: Rongali Bihu in Pune The advent of
Page 23 and 24: 23 World champion Archer Jayanta Ta
Page 25 and 26: international player. He belongs to

Vedajyoti Ozah of Houston, Texas, has embarked upon the - Posoowa

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