The election of eminent litterateur Rang Bang Terang as president of Asam Sahitya Sabha has come as a whiff of fresh air not just to the beleaguered Sabha but to the entire State as well. Hailing from the Karbi community and serving the cause of Assamese literature for several decades, Terang exemplifies best the composite, multi-cultural Assamese ethos. At a time when narrow sectarianism threatens to erode the State's multi-cultural social fabric and the Sabha is finding itself mired in murky politics and controversies, Terangs election as Sabha president with an overwhelming mandate could well mark a watershed in its history. The clear mandate for Terang testifies to the fact that notwithstanding the recent undesirable developments concerning the Sabha, the majority is in favour of cleansing the State's biggest socio-cultural organisation and restoring its credibility.
Terangs election to the coveted post also entrusts a lot of responsibilities on him, and it is largely expected that he would prove equal to the arduous task. Known for his simplicity, integrity and intellectual acumen, Terang commands as much respect as a litterateur as being a bridge between the hills and the plains. With the Sabha at the crossroads and facing waning credibility, Terang happens to be the ideal man to lead it at this critical juncture. As an organisation that was once close to the hearts of all sections of the people, the Sabha has to work unrelentingly to strengthen the bond of amity and camaraderie among not just the diverse communities of the State but of the North-East as a whole. Promoting the languages and literatures of the different communities of the region would be critical to reassuring the Sabha's status as an all-encompassing people's entity. As Terang himself announced immediately after assuming the president's post, his priority would be to carry forward the rich legacy of the Sabha as a binding force for the people of the seven sisters of the North-East. The Sabha can play a stellar role in dispelling the growing sense of distrust and suspicion among different communities. Of equal importance is to cleanse the Sabha of the murky politics that had been going on at the behest of a few unscrupulous elements. While the Sabha can take the lead in resolving many a contentious issue plaguing the State, all this would be possible only when it can shed its falling public image.
