Sankaradeva’s ideals relevant today: Sonia

By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, June 13 – Srimanta Sankaradeva, the founder of the neo-Vaishnavite movement of Assam, epitomised the great tradition of this part of the country in the fields of knowledge and culture. His teachings have become more relevant these days. This was the observation made by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi here today while presenting the Srimanta Sankaradeva Awards for 2005 and 2006 to noted journalist BG Verghese and noted Sankara scholar Prof Kesavananda Dev Goswami. She said that the great Vaishnava saint of the State worked for unity of the mankind. There is a need to spread the ideals of this great saint all over the country to isolate the forces of division and separatism, which are trying to eat into the vitals of the country, she said.The award consisted of a cheque of Rs 3 lakh, a gold medal, a citation, a silken gamocha, a muga cheleng chadar and a sarai. Accepting the award, Verghese said that the foremost thing for Assam today was flood moderation. This requires some vital steps also in Arunachal Pradesh, he said.He also suggested a special economic zone involving Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with the Central Government collaborating with them, along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border as an initiative for economic uplift of the two states. To combat the problem of cross border influx, the noted journalist suggested ‘non-territorial electoral constituencies’ in the State.Prof Dev Goswami in his acceptance speech pleaded for Government support to the efforts at projecting Sankaradeva and spreading his messages for restoration of peace in the strife-torn State.Addressing the function, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi described Sankaradeva as a great son of the country. His ideals can help develop India in to a strong country, said Gogoi. Cultural Affairs Minister Gautam Bora and Chief Secretary P C Sarma also addressed the function.The State Government instituted the Srimanta Sankaradeva Award in 1986 to honour persons of eminence in the fields of journalism, arts, culture and literature in the name of Srimanta Sankaradeva. The underlying aim of the award is to give recognition to those who have dedicated themselves for making a new society free from class differences and religious intolerance and for establishing universal human values, said an official publication. With the presentation of the awards to BG Verghese and Prof Dev Goswami today, 23 persons of eminence have been honoured with the award so far. Source: assam tribune