Minutes of Meeting of the 1st Anniversary celebration of MN Memorial Library

Minutes of Meeting of the 1^st Anniversary celebration of MN Memorial Library, Agia, Goalpara

Theme: The stories behind a few successes (কেইটিমান সফলতাৰ আঁৰৰ কাহিনী)

Venue: School Auditorium, JN Memorial HS School, Agia

Date: 23^rd May, 2010

Organized by: MNM Trust (www.mnmtrust.org)

 

 

1. Welcome address by Hiran Prova Devi, Managing Trustee

a. The journey of MN Memorial Library in the last year

b. Current status of MN Memorial Library

c. Other Activities of MNM Trust

d. Welcoming the audiences and the guest speakers

2. The thought behind today’s theme--- explained by Manjit Nath. It was followed by invitation of the speaker into the dais by giving a small intro

a. The need of positive message in the society.

b. Success does not come in a day; it’s a journey through many struggles and frustrations.

c. The six speakers have suffered a lot before people start calling them ‘successful’.

 

3. Guest Speech 1 :Practising Literature in a place like Goalpara and going to All India level recognition—a thoughtful journey described by Mr Atanu Bhattacharya, Famous story-writer

a. Literature   and writers of undivided Goalpara are very backward 

b. Goalpara has the oldest Post-Office of North East India and second oldest municipality in Assam

c. Started his career by writing poems and short stories.

d. Wanted to be a short story writer; But felt his initial stories are not that standard in comparison to established writers

e. Temporarily stopped writing stories and concentrated on poems, got established as a poet among people.

f. But basic urge to write short story again got stronger …. Started writing stories in 1999

g. Spoke about the origin of short story

h. He used to draw inspiration from  famous story writers like Mopasa, Anton Chekhov, Silabhadra,  Saed Abdul Malik etc.

i. Now a days many people  in every corner of Assam writes story without  any respect to that art

j. People must study a lot first and then attempt writing.

 

4. Guest Speech 2: Journey from a small village in Chaygaon to Nottingham University, UK and then back to Guwahati- Mr Karuna Kalita, Lecturer, IIT Guwahati with his story

 

a. Applause for the initiative taken by MNM Trust 

b. How he first met Buljit and Manjit and what he learns from these two.

c. There  are so many scopes for a researcher in a developing nation , but less scope in developed nation

d. His root originated in a small village in Chaygaon of kamrup, four sibling, father being a village farmer.

e. A family was full of teachers inspired him for teaching profession

f. He set a goal for himself and nurtures it and that gives him inspiration; We need inspiration to reach to the goal

g. A few lines of Nottingham life, and contrast with India life

h. About “Gaon Chalo” program- he wants students of universities should go to villages and stay there for some days (about a week or so) and personally see what the problems our villagers are facing actually and what they need. These students then take back these experiences to their own professional fields and try some innovative solutions; students should be motivated to work for these problems and need of village people.

i. Three questions were asked from public:

Q1: Other than patriotism , what drives him to come back to India?

A: The place where we are born, we got a duty  and responsibilities  for it; moreover  he is a very homely guy and love to be with my family . The happiness of living in native place matters to much to him.

Q2: His daily schedule as a farmer’s son during school days?

A: That is a big strength and not much different or extra-ordinary from others.

Q3: Does his aims behind going to UK gets fulfilled?

A: Our priorities should not only be money , there are other sides also, and we should be able to distinguish  them.

 

5. Guest Speech3: Launch of a youth magazine with own pocket money, an unwanted break in between, then the struggle to revive it and finally successful- Mr Suresh Ranjan Gaduka, Editor-JEEVAN with his journey:

 

a. Success is not a story of struggle , but the ability to keep the struggle going is also a success. 

b. Emphasis the MN Memorial Library is itself a big success story for others.

c. First as a student of Cotton College, edited “Cottonian” ; since then he has been thinking of a youth magazine.

d. Spoke about the birth story of Jeevan, how invested his own money, about his friend in Delhi who recently committed suicide and how the Delhi to homeward journey that gave birth to Jeevan.

e. All negative aspect(of our society , environment, politics , education everything ) attracts news and publicity . Positive things does not find place in the newspaper.

f. Getting success in and outside Assam from some backward areas is also a positive thing-like working in Microsoft from Agia.

g. Talked about revolution … starting a home library in a place like Agia is also sort of a revolution. Revolution does not only mean coming out to street and give slogan.

h. We have a very short life. To do some good work we should not wait for five years; we should start it today.

i. Spoke about “Jeevan Initiative” and its motto -উত্তৰণ আৰু উদযাপন |

 

6. Guest Speech4 : From the time when one need to struggle to convince Axomiyas that there will be a car any time available for you if you just dial 108 , and today how it images itself as Sanjibani- Mr Mofid Rahman,

a. Started his lecture by clapping for the people behind MN Memorial Home Library. 

b. 108 services not yet fully ‘successful’, still a long way to go…

c. Middle class background gives challenges (প্রত্যাহ্বান ) and প্রত্যাহ্বান gives inspiration

d. Previously worked in Hyderabad in a KPO company and feels very strongly about the differences between Andhra Pradesh and Assam

e. Once met Narayana Murthy of Infosys. He told everyone knows that Assam is backward. But by only saying this every time we are bringing no fortune to Assam. If a change does not happen, Assam will remain the same backward. And that change will have to be pioneered by the youth. Avery inspiring and thoughtful which Mofid thinks changed his life and decision for coming back to Assam

f. Spoke about the first proposal for 108 service in Assam, how did he got involved , first training at Hyderabad, strange impression by other states people etc

g. Slowly work started, Electronic database of Assam is very little- worked very rigorously to make it done first time. Technical work also started one by one

h. Got so many challenges from Government offices, at first they were not even ready to give appointment to 108 guys. Also, the traditional welcome of any government office.

i. But things got changed gradually, same people above slowly started coming to them with proposals.

j. Had to work day and night, sometimes continuously for two days without sleeping.

k. প্রত্যাহ্বান will always come in life and we should have perseverance and never say die attitude.

l. Solutions for problems may be hard to find, might not be possible in a single time, but on 10^th attempt you will crack that.

m. Used the word প্রত্যাহ্বান minimum 40 times.

 

7. Guest Speech5 : The struggle, failure and success stories behind Assam Govt's recent decision to setup an engineering college in the district of Dhemaji- Mr Buljit Buragohain, PhD scholar, IIT Guwahati with his experience

a. Made a support base through internet, member of various Assam and NE centric group. 

b. Importance of technical education

c. Keeps the paper cut of all positive news and events, circulates them among people, even bought a scanner for the same purpose.

d. Met Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati and talked with him regarding the requirement of Engg college at Dhemaji

e. Had a strong connection with local media at Dhemaji who helped Buljit enormously to build a consensus for an Engg college demand.

f. How two times he got bad news from Assam Govt for the decision.

g. Closely worked with MLA from Dhemaji

h. Finally, a long waited decision by Govt of Assam.

i. Spoke about XOMIDHAN.ORG, and how students can be benefited by this.

j. Spoke a bit about XOBDO.ORG.

 

8. Guest Speech5 : Dr Siddhinath Sharma, the man behind the struggle to get Goalpara Engineering College sharing his journey and struggle

a. Originally from Darang district, came to Goalpara for job and now a proper Goalporiya. 

b. The profession of teaching is choice made by himself and very proud of that

c. Two failure stories before beginning the Engg college story----- tried to bring good educational institutes to Goalpara twice before in 92-93 and 97-98.Both times he failed to achieve the feat due to political and other issues

d. Lesson learnt from the first two failures—Don’t go through political roads.

e. Third attempt to bring Engg College, though avoided hard core political root, ensured the support from bureaucracy

f. Met local MLA and told about the plan and requested for no political overshadow

g. Time passed on and works from various quarters advanced; By Jan 2008, Goalpara was ready for hosting an Engineering College

h. Government procedures also advanced. Communications to Guwahati increased and Goalpara is just 2.5 hours of journey from Guwahati in a roads like outside India

i. Many shameful experiences- had to convince so many people, even some people from Goalpara itself wanted to pull this proposal back

j. Not an individual effort, mentioned the name of a few other people, including Dulal Ghosh, current MLA from Goalpara-East.

 

9. Manjit concluded by thanking all guest speakers and then handing over the stage to Mr Joychandra Nath, principal, Agia JNMHS School to conduct the panel discussion session.

10. Joychandra Nath mainly targeted students in his short speech, and as declared this session to be limited to only a few selected people due to want of time.

11. Mr Dilip Sharma, famous Artist and journalist shared his views on this initiative and need to positivity in society.

12. Mahesh Chandra Nath Retired Chief Engineer, Goalpara district talked about his experience attending last year’s inauguration ceremony and today’s one.

13. Bikramjit Nath, Settlor, MNM Trust, conducted the prize distribution ceremony for library readers. He mentioned MNM Library gives away three kind of prizes:

1. Highest book reader in every 4-month duration
2. Fastest century makers in reading books
3. The reader with highest number of referrals

14. Prizes were given away to 5 library readers.

15. Vote of thanks by Manjit Nath

16. Conclusion by Hiran Prova Devi.