Sahitya Akademi awards for Choudhury, Narzary Staff reporter GUWAHATI, Dec 23 – Noted writer Rita Chowdhury has won the Sahitya Akademi award for her highly-acclaimed novel Deu Langkhui or the divine sword set in the backdrop of Tiwa oral history. Another prominent writer who has enriched the Bodo language through his contributions, Bidya Sagar Narzary has also won the prestigious award for his greatly appreciated novel in Bodo language Birgwsrini Thungri. Narzary who is at present the additional director general of Press Information Bureau (PIB) has depicted the valour and sacrifice of a Bodo woman setting his novel in the British period.
An elated Rita Chowdhury said that she was happy on account of the fact that the recognition would greatly help in the development of the Tiwa community still in extreme backward conditions. She said that the award would take the rich oral traditions of the Tiwa community to a large group and contribute towards preservation of the oral traditions. “I am happy that I could do a little bit for this wonderful community,” she said.
Partly history and mostly legends, the plot of this novel is construed in a manner that can easily be demarcated as a departure from traditional one although traditions and reality merge into a complete whole. The entire story is so crafted that it unveils the long-drawn curtain of a hitherto unknown chapter of Tiwa history, a richly-cultured community of Assam, during the middle ages.
This writer born in 1960 has carved out a niche for herself not only in the academic, social and political fields but in the literary world also. She achieved tremendous success as a leader of the historic Assam movement undergoing jail terms in Guwahati and Dibrugarh, at the same time ushering in new trends in jail reforms for female prisoners.
Chowdhury who teaches political science in Cotton College, authored her first novel ‘Abirata Yatra’ while she had to go underground as a leader of the Assam agitation. Her other novels include Thirthabhumi’ (1988), ‘Maha Jibanar Adharshila’ (1993), ‘Nayana Tarali Sujata’ (1996), ‘Papiya Tarar Sadhu’ (1998), ‘Ragmalkosh’ (1999), ‘Jala Padma’ (1999), ‘Hridoy Nirupai’ (2003). Her poem collection includes ‘Sudoor Nakshatra’ (1989), ‘Banariya Batahar Suhuri’ (1996), ‘Alop Pooharar Alop Andharar’ (1997) and ‘Boga Matir Tulakhi’ (1999).
Sahitya Akademi awards for Choudhury, Narzary