Baharul Islam advocates for an annual cultural journalism award
A memorial meeting and tribute ceremony was organised at the Guwahati Press Club under the initiative of the Cultural Journalists’ Association of Assam on September 5. The event was held to honour and remember the works, life, philosophy, and contributions to cultural journalism of the noted cultural journalist, writer, screenwriter, and filmmaker Nimananda Das. Organised under the aegis of the Cultural Journalists’ Association of Assam (CJAA), the meeting was presided over by the association’s president, Bitopan Borbora. The speakers at the event fondly reminisced about Das’s long and illustrious career in cultural journalism, his creative journey as an author and filmmaker, his cultural insights, and his enduring vision for Assamese cinema.
At the meeting, noted film directors Sanjib Sabhapandit and Chandra Mudoi, actor-director Baharul Islam, along with Anup Hazarika, Rajen Rajkhowa, Suresh Ranjan Goduka, Biswajit Kalita, Khagen Kalita, Dhananjay Debnath, Mukul Das, and the association’s acting president Mrinal Kumar Borah, delivered speeches reflecting on various memories associated with Nimananda Das, his professional life, and his contributions to the cultural sphere. The gathering was attended by a large number of cultural activists, journalists, filmmakers, and well-wishers, including film director Hiren Bora, Hemanta Kumar Das, actresses Bhagirathi, Meena Ingti, journalists Sibanu Bora, Achyut Kumar Patowary, Amarendra Deka, and producer-distributor Rajesh Kumar More.
Speaking on the occasion, noted actor and filmmaker Baharul Islam lauded the invaluable contributions of journalists like Nimananda Das to the realm of cultural journalism. He requested the Cultural Journalists’ Association of Assam to institute an annual ‘Cultural Journalism Award’ to honour an outstanding journalist each year, while generously offering to personally fund all the expenses for the initiative. Notably, the Cultural Journalists’ Association of Assam was also contemplating the institution of such an award to recognise outstanding contributions to the field of cultural journalism. It was against this backdrop that Baharul Islam spontaneously stepped forward to bear all the necessary expenses for the award, a gesture received with deep gratitude by the Association. The CJAA expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Baharul Islam for his exceptional generosity and enduring commitment to cultural journalism. The Association further stated that it will soon finalise the name of the award, its guidelines, eligibility criteria, selection process, and other technical aspects, with detailed official announcements to follow in due course.
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