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UNITED ASSAM ASSOCIATION OF THE UK ASSAM DAY WEEKEND 28th and 29th August 2010

Eastwood Hall Hotel, Eastwood, Nottingham

The Editor and the President says :There comes a time in every sphere of life when changes are called for, lest life goes stale and gets taken for granted. Added to it was the question of how to make the Assam Day attractive and affordable to the community from the North East of India. Thus you received an invitation that looked different, the format of the weekend has changed and even this newsletter does not look anything like it used to. The initial feedback to it is one of heightened interest but as they say the proof of the pudding is in eating and we are just about to experience the results of such changes.The UAAUK is stepping into a crucial phase with the older generation getting older and ready to handover. But the younger generation has to want to get involved and keep it going. We can only guess how to achieve that but unless we are advised by the younger generation we are not likely to get it right.Thus we arranged for an informal survey of the people who, for one reason or another, have not been able to attend the Assam day Weekend. The response ranged from severe criticism, not all of it justified to the very obvious. We have tried to incorporate bulk of it. Hope you like it.If it still fails to attract a 100% attendance, it will be a cause to worry but please advise us if

Last year’s invited guest artists Pranamee and Jayanta Bhagawati

receiving their ‘Pride of India “ award

Calls for help:1, Ipsita Sarma: A tragic case from Assam where funds were needed for a Kidney Transplant operation for Mrs Sarma who has a 9 month old baby and whose husband was found dead. We raised enough funds and she has now had the operation. A big thank you to all.2, Assam Sahitya Sabha wishes to celebrate its Centenary year in 2011 and has approached us for financial assistance. Please contact the President, if interested.3, Bidyut Phukan from Jorhat approached us to publicise his book ‘A tale from the dales’. To obtain a copy please log onto www.PublishAmerica.com.4, Sekhar Baishya from Assam sought our help to publicise his ‘first’ Assamese Software Dictionary due for release in March 2010.Pleasecontact sekharbaishya@yahoo.com for further details.5, ‘Kamrupa Anusandhana Samiti’ (Assam Research Society) wish to celebrate its Centenary in 2011-2012 and replace its outdated Offices with new ones and seeking financial help. For further details please contact Dr Banikanta Sarma on 009136126052676, V.Laldinpui, from Mizoram and a M Phil student at University of Hyderabad wish us to fill in a questionnaire for her research on ‘Community and Identity of the North eastern Diaspora’. It is posted on our web site, if you are interested.

HM Queen Elizabeth II with Mrs Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President

of India

Office bearers of UAAUK:President : Ranjit K BaruahVice President: Jitendralal BarkakatiGeneral Secretary: Nripen BarkatakiAsst. Gen. Secretary: Leena SharmaTreasurer: Mrs Julie BoraSocial secretary: Dwijen BaruahCommunications Secretary: Jay BarkakatiWebmaster: Jayanta Biswa Sarmah

Members, Executive Committee:Bhupen Dev Sarmah Shyam saikiaNina Goswami Chinnu KishoreLarry Khongweir Probir BrahmaRishi Kakati Julie Sarmah

The new symbol of Indian Rupee

7 yr old Navina Arora, (daughter of Mrs. Loyena Bhuyan & Mr. Vijay Arora),

performed at the MONKSTON GOT TALENT’ 2010 in Milton Keynes. Navina won the 3rd.

prize.

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Achievers:1, Panchali, daughter of Bhupen and Pronoti Dev Sarma obtained MBChB from University of Warwick2, Ian, son of Nripen and Manju Barkataki obtained a Clinical Tutor and Research Fellow post in the Oxford University, Psychology Department and Ryan, his brother obtained a Masters degree from St Martin’s University, London in Industrial Design and created the Holocaust Memorial in front of the Guild Hall, London3 Rish, son of Ranjit and Sunie Baruah qualified as a Student Careers Adviser from Coventry University4, Siddharth, son of Papu and Momi Rajkhowa graduated5, Arun, son of Jodumoni and Bani Bora graduated from Liverpool University6, Ruben, son of Late Drs Biren and Era Saharia, appointed as Consultant in Accident and Emergency Medicine7, Shabana, daughter of Ashraf and Julie Bora obtained her MRCOG8, Miss Enisha Das, qualified as a doctor, getting her MBBS, BSc (Hon) degree from Barts under London University.  She is the elder daughter of Dr Pallab Das and Mrs Nizara Das.9 Miss Samyami Sangeeta Chowdhury, qualified as a doctor, getting her MB ChB degree from Warwick University. She is the daughter of Dr Tarun and Mrs Manjira Chowdhury.10, Miss Kristi Sarma who hails from Guwahati, a student from Aston University received first class degree in engineering .

Wedding Bells:1, Joanna, daughter of Dr Dipak and Mrs Linda Dutta tied the knot with Michael William Collins of Chicago2, Dipti, daughter of Junu and Late Dr Hari Upadhyay married Shireesh Nallanthighal3, Rita, Dr Dinesh and Mrs Bhabani Kakati got engaged to be married to Rushin Shah4, Dr Rondip Roy, son of Amit and Meenu Roy is getting married5, Nina, Jan and Rasna Goswami’s daughter got engaged to be married to James6, Debi, Jinu and Mudabbar Husain Laskar engaged toFiroze Ibrahim from Mumbai7, Bianca, daughter of DC and Rita Barkataki is now engaged to be married

New babies1 Kasper to Cyrus and Alex Saihan grandson to Eric Saihan2Lucas Benjamin, son to Victoria and Simon Devaney, grandson to Kamini and Gabriel Arandhara

PS: we do our best to collect these bits of information all the year round to make it as complete as possible. If anyone has not been included in the above it is unintentional and our apologies.

Britain had temporarily suspended student visa applications from northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh after a sharp rise in numbers for at least a month while it investigated.The BBC said 13,500 from northern India alone were submitted in the last three months of last year, compared with 1,800 in the same period of 2008. There has been recent media reports that unscrupulous businessmen are helping thousands of migrants from India and Pakistan to obtain a place at bogus colleges in Britain.

Nalin Surie, a senior career diplomat, has taken over as the Indian high commissioner to Britain following the retirement of his predecessor Shiv Shankar Mukherjee.

The Archeological Survey of India has joined hands with several International organizations to call for a return of prominent artefacts such as the Kohinoor diamond and Sultanganj Buddha that were taken away during the British Raj.

The famous East India Company that once ruled more than half of the world including India is now owned by Sanjiv Mehta, a Mumbai origin businessman. His next ambition is to reopen the East India Company Store in Mayfair, London.

Mahatma Gandhi’s home in the suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa has been bought by a French Tourism Company who plans to convert it to a Gandhi Museum.

The English language test announced by the British government for all non-European migrants applying to come to Britain to join or marry their settled partner will become compulsory.

The Basle Laboratory of Switzerland has found that the Rhino horns have no medicinal value including aphrodisiac property. Possession of such quality is held at high value in countries like India, Nepal, Japan, Singapore, Arab countries and China.

The appointment of Indian-born investment banker Anshu Jain, 47 as head of Deutsche Bank, Germany ‘s biggest bank, has come under criticism on the ground that he is not able to speak German fluently.

Bushy eyebrows are back in fashion. An increasing number of women are opting for hair transplant surgery to get the bushy-browed look. The likes of Keira Knightley and Emma Watson have brought

back the fad of fuller brows leaving behind once popular pencil thin eyebrows.

In 1971, before Parisian ramps had seen women of colour, before Grace Jones and Naomi Campbell, a

dark, 6’ 1” tall, sari-clad model waited in French designer Pierre Cardin’s salon for eight hours.

Cardin’s assistant called a manager, telling him an Indian princess had come to buy clothes.When Cardin finally met her, she was hired on the

spot. He called her ‘a jolie’ (Anjali), and Anjali Mendes became Cardin’s muse for 12 years. She

Obituary:

1, Tea scientist Sudhir Chandra Boruah 2, Dr RM Bujarbarua3, Patrick Swayze 4, Mrs Manjula Bhuyan5, Dr Bhudhar Roy6, Dr Manish Bhuyan 7, Michael Jackson8, Michael Foot9, Lily Saikia10, Dr Jibon Ch Baruah11, B S Sekhawat former Vice President of India12, Mahananda Mazinder Baruah

Quotable quotes:

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper -Adelle DavisHell has three gates: Lust, anger and greed— Bhagavad GitaThe men who have succeeded are men who have chosen one line and stuck to it— Andrew CarnegieThe Gods too are fond of a joke— AristotleJust living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower— Hans Christian AndersonDo not blame anybody for your mistakes and failures— Bernard BaruchNearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test man’s character, give him power— Abraham LincolnTreat your password like your toothbrush. Don’t let anybody else use it, and get a new one every six month— Clifford StollThirty five is a very attractive age. London society is full of women of the highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years.— Oscar WildeWomen are meant to be loved, not to be understood-Oscar WildeHealth is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship— Lord Buddha

From Assam Day weekend 2009

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ICICI Bank CEO and Managing Director Chanda Kochhar debuted at number 20 behind Congress President Sonia Gandhi who was ranked 13 in the World's 100 Most Powerful Women list compiled by Forbes. German Chancellor Angela Merkel headed the coveted list

Assam ranked 25th in the literacy list of India, and second in illiteracy

Terror trail in India since 2005Oct 29, 2005: Sixty-six people were killed in three bomb blasts in New Delhi.March 7, 2006: Fifteen people were killed in three blasts in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi.July 11, 2006: Over 180 people were killed in bombings in seven local trains in Mumbai.Sep 8, 2006: At least 32 people were killed in Malegaon town in Maharashtra.Feb 19, 2007: At least 66 people were killed when two bombs exploded on the Samjhauta Express train between India and Pakistan.May 18, 2007: Eleven people were killed when a bomb exploded during Friday prayers at Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad.Aug 25, 2007: Forty people were killed when explosions rocked an amusement park and an eatery in Hyderabad.May 13, 2008: Over 60 people were killed when seven bombs ripped through the tourist city of Jaipur.July 25, 2008: One woman was killed and nearly two dozen injured when coordinated small bomb blasts hit Bangalore.July 26, 2008: Forty-five people were killed and over 150 injured when 16 small bombs exploded in Ahmedabad in Gujarat.Sep 13, 2008: At least 25 people were killed when five bombs exploded in crowded markets and streets in Delhi.Oct 30, 2008: Guwahati, the main city of Assam, was rocked by 11 bomb blasts triggered in quick succession killing nearly 70 people and wounding over 300 people.Nov 26-29, 2008: Ten Pakistani terrorists sailed into Mumbai and laid a terror siege on the financial capital of India, killing 166 people and injuring 244.Feb 13, 2010: Nine people were killed and

A research group working to bring out a dictionary in Assamese has discovered the copy of a book published in 1864 which is believed to be the first Anglo-Assamese lexicon. The book brief– Vocabulary in English & Assamese with Rudimentary Exercises was originally written by Harriet B L Cutter in 1841 and was later revised by Susan R Ward in 1867, who along with her husband were the co-editors of Orunodoi.The Orunodoi is Assam’s first Assamese periodical brought out by American missionaries. Both the books were printed at the American Baptist Mission press in Sivasagar. The Assam Jatiya Prakash is also trying to bring out an encyclopaedia named– Asomiya Jatiya Abhidhan.

The Patanjali healing treatment of famous yoga guru and Ayurvedic exponent Swami Ramdev is now available in North Lakhimpur

India is proposing new visa rules whereby no tourist will be able to stay in India longer than 90 days at a time on a tourist visa. He/she could return only after a two-month ‘time out’ before returning. A tourist visa would now cease to be one that gives a tourist the right to residency. A lot of tourists and Indian expatriates are expected to be affected.

Out of the 14,856 foreigners detected in the State during 2001-2010, 199 were deported, while 11,869 are absconding, said Assam Accord Implementation Minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman. Dr Barman said four of the 36 Foreigners’ Tribunals in the State were  not functioning. “Altogether, 2,89,690 cases had been pending in the 32  Foreigners’ Tribunals in the State till February, 2010,” said the minister.

Jayanta B Sarma is one of the authors of the paper published in the Lancet that proclaimed NDM 1 as the new bacteria from India and Pakistan to cause concerns in UK hospitals.

More from Assam Day

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Little known facts about Dr Bhupen Hazarika: born in Sadiya, Assam. A child prodigy, he wrote and sang his first song at the age of 10, Worked for the second Assamese talkie, 'Indramalati' at 12. He completed his Intermediate Arts from Cotton College in 1942, and went on to Benaras Hindu University to complete his B.A. in 1944 and his M.A. in Political Science in 1946. He earned a Ph.D. from Columbia University, New York, USA in 1954, He lent his musical talent toHindi films Rudaali (1993), Mil Gayee Manzil Mujhe (1996), Saaz (1997), Darmiyaan (1997), Gajagamini (1998), Daman (2000), Kyon (2003) He had produced a 52 episodes tele-serial titled Dawn for telecast on Star TV. He has also produced another 18 part documentary

entitled Glimpses of the Misty East on the socio economic and cultural progress in North Eastern India from 1947 to 1997.He won the President’s National Award for the best filmmaker thrice in 1960, 1964 and 1967. Also received the National Award as best music composer in 1977 for the Assamese film Chameli Memsaab. He was awarded the Padamshree in the same year. In 1992, he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement in

cinema. In 2001, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Bhushan.

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Jeetumoni Kalita, aged 11 won the Dance India Dance L’il Masters reality show on Zee TV.Thousands of people waited for his arrival at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. Jeetu was adjudged the winner of “Dance India Dance L’il Masters” at the grand finale in Pune on August 7.He got a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 300,000.Jeetu is the son of Joyram Kalita and Nalini Kalita of Sualkuchi

Gibson, the Great Dane that measured 7 feet 1 inch when standing on its hind legs, from California, was recorded as world’s tallest dog by Guiness Book of Records, recently died of Bone Cancer

Between 2001 and June 2010 in Assam militants killed 1,549 civilians and 205 security personnel. In the armed encounters between the security forces and the militants of ULFA, NDFB, KLNLF etc, 1,703 militants were killed during this period. In incidents of encounter between the security forces and the militants, 26 civilians were killed. During this period, 2,043 ULFA cadres, 899 NDFB cadres and 102 KLNLF cadres surrendered before the Government and 10,242 members of various militant outfits were arrested. In reply to a question the House was told that six militant outfits are active in the State at present. These organisations include-ULFA, NDFB, All Adivasi National Liberation Army (ANLA), Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) (HPCD), Muslim United Liberation Tiger of Assam (MULTA) and Harkat-ul-Mujahidin (HUM). Now, activities of seven new organisations Liberation Democratic Council of Mising Land (LDCM), United Tribal Liberation Front (UTLF), United Tribal Revolutionary Army (UTRA), Dimasa National Liberation Front (DNLF), Gorkha Liberation Army (GLA), Hills Tiger Force (HTF) and Santhal Tiger Force (STF) have come to light, said the Minister

Did you know that n 1895-96, the British Provincial Government of Composite Assam constructed the Cherra Companyganj State Railways (CCSR.). The ‘Drum’ was in fact a Tramway of 2’ – 6” gauge. CCSR was a feeder line to transport passengers and goods between Cherrapunjee to Sylhet (Bangladesh). The rail road never met its target income, went into disrepair and finally got dismantled in the earthquake of 1897. Pieces of rail tracks are still used as light posts and damaged railway bridges can still be seen in the villages.

In a list of 500 top paid American Chief Executives PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi is placed 93rd, Surya N Mohapatra of Quest Diagnostics is placed 96th and Adobe Systems chief Shantanu Narainen is placed at 425th. All are born in India.

Tocklai Experimental Station (TES), Jorhat an epitome of good research in the tea sector in India as well as in the world, has celebrated its centenary on May 3, 2010.

A fascinating ethnic brew that brings the cultures of China, India and Muslim Malaysia all together, the city charms the visitor with its fashion emporiums of Orchard Rd, its antique shops in Chinatown and the amazing city parks that you’re able to wander about. But as some would say “there’s no good without evil”, Singapore has its weird part, or at least someone living in the United States would seem to think so regarding some of their laws.

1. It is against the law and a public caning offense to not flush the toilet after using it.

2. You Litter You Pay-Big Time.

3. Chewing gum sales forbidden

4. Don’t walk around your house naked.

5. No hugging without permission.

6. No poking adverse comments at religion.

7. Crooks go to jail.

8. Connecting on unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots means hacking

That’s Singapore, the “fine” city, with good, and bad

The Merlion, Singapore

US President Barack Obama has nominated Jhumpa Lahiri, Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian-American fiction writer, along with five others to his Committee on Arts and Humanities for 2010

Mek Wok Kundor, aged 107 married her 22nd husband Mohamed Noor Che Musa in 2005 but separated from him in 2009 after he was admitted to a drug rehabilitation Unit. Now she hopes to marry again for the 23rd time to avoid being abandoned by Musa

A mother Egret feeding her little one on a tree top somewhere in Assam

Noted Herbalist Gunaram Khanikar claims that plants and herbs like Gulanch, Amlokhi, Ashwagandha, Turmeric etc can both prevent and cure Swine Flu.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Atul Khare, a former Indian Foreign Service officer, as Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations

UK’s biggest bank HSBC which has 50 branches and 150 ATMs in India has recently opened a branch in the North East of Infdia, namely in Guwahati. The expectation is that increasing financial prospect in the region will lead to expansion of its market share.

Harvard Business School has appointed Indian-origin Nitin Nohria as its 10th Dean, making him the first member from the community to occupy the post in the prestigious institution's 102-year old history. Nohria, the Richard P Chapman Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School (HBS), has taken up his new role on July 1, President Drew Faust declared.

Hollywood Studios are keen to continue to work in the Bollywood in order to establish a strong foothold despite financial flops of a number of joint ventures such as Chandni Chowk to China, Sawaariya etc.

62 year old Guwahati University secured 26th place in the top 50 universities in India.

Californian Jordan Romero became the youngest person to climb Mount Everest