GUWAHATI: The Government of Assam conferred its highest civilian awards—Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurabh, and Assam Gaurav at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on April 3.
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Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, presented the prestigious awards to distinguished individuals for their outstanding contributions across various sectors.
The honours were awarded to 21 individuals, as well as an exemplary village and an organisation, in recognition of their achievements in fields such as defence, education, science and technology, arts and culture, sports, public service, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and wildlife conservation.
Assam Baibhav Award
The highest honour, Assam Baibhav, was presented to Lieutenant General (Retired) Rana Pratap Kalita for his exemplary service in the defence sector. Kalita, a distinguished officer, made history as the first person from Assam and the Northeast to serve as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command.
Assam Saurabh Awardees
The Assam Saurabh award was conferred upon several individuals for their contributions in various fields:
Education: Subramanian Ramadorai
Science & Technology: Bappi Paul, Purabi Saikia
Arts & Culture: Dwipen Baruah, Hemanta Dutta
Sports: Uma Chetry
Assam Gaurav Awardees
The Assam Gaurav award was presented to individuals and organizations excelling in public service, agriculture, handicrafts, sports, and environmental conservation:
Wildlife Conservation: Phuleswari Dutta
Sports: Meenakshi Das, Parthib Sundar Gogoi
Handicrafts: Dhirendra Nath Paul, Haridas Das
Public Service: Binong Teron
Aquaculture: Nazrul Haque
Agriculture & Allied Sectors: Biswajit Borah
Dairy Farming: Bharat Chandra Kalita
Arts & Culture: Barlangfa Narzary, Ramchandra Sashoni
Startups & MSMEs: Upamanyu Borkakoty, David Pratim Gogoi
Eco-Tourism: Choran Ahem
Wildlife Conservation: Barekuri village, Hati Bondhu organisation
Chief Minister also extended his heartfelt congratulations to all recipients and lauded their dedication towards the progress and welfare of Assam. The ceremony also featured a cultural programme.
The event was attended by several Cabinet Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, Director General of Police Harmeet Singh, and other dignitaries.