She has enamoured her fans for over three decades, through the sheer melody of her voice, with her beauty, poise and grace: a persona that evokes the highest degree of reverence. One of the most veteran singers of Asomiya music, she enjoys tremendous popularity throughout the entire expanse of this vibrant state of ours, cutting across all barriers of dialect, community and above all, generations. The trendy youngster hums her numbers with a perfect élan, as does the ardent listener (nee fan) well past his prime. Her immense popularity and success notwithstanding, she comes across as amazingly simple and absolutely unassuming, with a motherly affection in her that enamours yours truly altogether the very first time she meets her; at the same time as all the butterflies in her heart are calmed down and finds herself at ease with this veteran singer, Dr. Anima Choudhury, who is currently serving as the Head of Department of History, Chaygaon College. With an extremely hectic schedule, it was with some difficulty that yours truly managed to secure an appointment. Still at the end of it all, the interview was truly enriching. This humble writer makes a humble attempt to partake of the wisdom and insight she gained in the course of this interaction.
Anima Choudhury grew up with a musical ambience permeating her world. Her father Dandiram Choudhury was a Jail Superintendent and an ardent follower of classical music, and her mother Hemlata Choudhury, a cultured person and in her own words, and proficient in the knowledge of the traditional renditions like 'aainam', 'dihanam', 'biyanam' etc. Speaking of those childhood days, Dr. Choudhury with a far away look in her soft brown eyes and a voice tinted with nostalgia says, ''ours was a big family of seven children, and each one of us was ardently encouraged by our parents, especially our father to either sing or play some musical instrument. The memory of those evenings is still fresh in my mind: when after saying our evening prayers, (a tradition that is dying a sad death) the whole family would gather for musical sessions, with some of us singing to the accompaniment of the tabla and the various musical instruments, played by some or other of my brothers. While my brothers Prabin and Satyen playrd the Tabla and the Violin respectively, my sister Nilima and me used to be the lead singers, accosted often by Prabin and of course My youngest brother Mrinal-who in fact was an all-rounder of sorts. In fact, most of my hit numbers have been either composed and/or put to tune by Mrinal. While my eldest brother Dilip has offered tremendous encouragement to me all through, as also my sister Nilima. Often our neighbours too would join in. In other words, there used to be virtually a 'jalsa' within the family circle every evening. In fact, when I look back on those bygone days, I realize that the musical environment I was brought up in had had such a great impact on my later life/singing (career). Nagaon especially in those days was a hub of culture and cultural activities. Probably that was the reason why Nagaon has over the years produced artists--singers, lyricists, actors, musicians, littérateurs, filmmakers-- of such repute''. From a very young age, she started taking singing lessons under the famous music director Sushil Banerjee. From a fairly young age, as well, she started performing on stage in different parts of Nagaon, and everywhere her performances won her plaudits from all quarters, especially the music aficionados, who saw a great future ahead of the little girl. In this context, mention might be made of the All Assam Music Conference and famous Nehrubali Magh Bihu, in the latter she won best singer award (she was in Class 4 then). Her father's job being a transferable one, the Choudhury family shifted to Guwahati, when she was in the fifth standard. In Guwahati, she went to Hiren Sarmah for vocal lessons for which Parveen Sultana referred her. In the same year, she rendered her first performance in Guwahati, at Paschim Guwahati Bihutoli. Although till class eight she studied at Kaliram Baruah High School, although she gave her Matriculation Examination from Panbazar Girls High School: for her father was transferred again, and she shifted to a hostel. Post-Matriculation, she took admission in the premier institution of the North East, Cotton College. After completing her graduation from Cotton College with History major, she did her Post graduation in History from Gauhati University.. Quite expectantly, she was the best singer both in college (1970-71) as well as in the University (1973). In fact in the University, Anima Choudhury was the first recipient of the 'Brajen Baruah Award' which was instituted soon after the death of the doyen of Asomiya Cinema by the Directorate of Youth Welfare, Gauhati University at the initiative taken by the then Music Secretary of Gauhati University and veteran tablist Suryya Goswami.
Since her childhood, hers was a regular voice in Nagaon Radio, rendering performances first in 'Akonir Mel' and then in 'Chemoniar Chora'. In 1972, while still in College she became an AIR approved artist. Currently she is an A-Grade artist of the AIR and performs regularly on AIR, Doordarshan besides other private T.V.channels. While in the University, she signed a contract with H.M.V. under which she sang Lokageet, as well as Asomiya modern songs. Apart from Radio, she has also sung in Asomiya films like 'Mukuta', (which is incidentally her first film), 'Putola Ghar', 'Prem Jonome Jonome', and 'Mur Moromare'. Apart from films, she has rendered her voice to more than 500 audio cassettes. Some of these include: 'Subaash', 'Asolore Baa', 'Tejimola Saare Ase', 'Pritir Smriti Vol. 1and 2', 'Supohi', 'Ei Bohagote','Madhoi Maloti', 'O Bondhure'(a collection of Goalpariya Lokageet),'Modhuro Muroti'(a collection of Borgeet),'Anima Choudhuryr Biya Naam','Puwa Godhuli', 'Aair Pujar Bedi','Smriti', Anupam', 'Jyotir Gaan' among others. Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi are her all time favourites. In fact ever since her childhood, it was the mellifluous renditions of these doyens that kept her glued to the transistor radio virtually the whole day long: so much so that at times her parents had to rebuke her. However, that never deterred her from listening to her favourite numbers. But then in being so religiously committed to (listening to the radio) did it ever occur to her that someday she too would be heard and applauded in the same manner? ''Well'', replies the magnanimous lady ''I had never envisaged that the audiences would shower on me such love and support, all these years and that I would be able to reach up to this level. But yes while listening to the Radio, I would often think how wonderful it would be if I had a record (you know then we did not have audio cassettes then) of my own. But then for a middle class family like ours, that seemed a distant reality. Although I kept singing on stage, winning prizes and plaudits, that thought was always playing at the corner of my mind...But destiny has been quite benevolent on me, in that very soon, while still in college, in 1970, I got the chance of singing in Brajen Baruah's 'Mukuta' with music by Ramen Baruah......
There is a slight (albeit pleasant) intermission in the interaction, as tea arrives: pleasant because it serves to rejuvenate a mind weighed by continuous doses of Keats, Coleridge, Woolf and Brecht among others. As we sit sipping tea, I broach the topic of her family. With a tinge of pride evident in her voice, she replies that her daughter Aparajita Choudhury, an alumnus of IIT-Kharagpur, after having completed her MS from the United States of America is currently working in New Jersey. Son-in-law Ajit Mohan is a software engineer based in New York. Her son Pritam Choudhury is doing his MCA in BMS College, Bangalore. But does not she ever feel any twinge of regret that, being such an established artist herself, her children did not follow her? Smilingly, she lets out a deep sigh and says, ''Well, it has been their own decision, their own choice, and to impose my thoughts and wishes over their desires would be wrong. Of course, I would have loved it if they or at least one of them took to music seriously, even if alongside their own profession. My daughter Aparajita had a sweet voice, and I vouch for her not merely because she is my daughter but because I saw in her the talent and aptitude for music. But she chose to pursue academics alone. When she announced her decision, I warned her that, to successfully pursue academics, one needed to excel in it: for mediocrity in such cases would never help. By God's grace, to her credit, however she has never disappointed us on that account. Of course, my son, Pritam has, of late evinced keen interest in this field. A regular singer of his college (many of which are incidentally his own compositions--especially English numbers), some time back, when we had been t o Bangalore, he made me listen to two songs, one a Jitul Sonowal number, and an English number. He asked me to recognize the singer. I wondered aloud if it was Jitul. To which, he laughed aloud and told me that it was he himself who had sung those numbers. I was virtually taken aback, but nevertheless it pleased me immensely". Just then the calling bell rings, and her husband Kamal Choudhury, walks in. Himself an alumnus of Assam Engineering College, he is a high official in Industrial Estate. With parents of such calibre, it is but natural that children too would be brilliant in their chosen fields.
The pleasant interlude over, and the tea things taken away, we go back to the much pleasanter interaction. Continuing the discourse from where it had been temporarily suspended, I venture to ask her about the various places she has performed in, over the past 30 years or so. To which she replies thus, ''well, within Assam, I have lost count of the number of functions I have performed in: I can only say that there is practically no district or town of Asom where I have not performed ". Outside Asom, she has performed in various places like Delhi, Kolkata, Tawang, Meghalaya, Cuttack among others. Also, she had sung in Doordarshan Cuttack as a representative of the North East. Besides, during her student days she also went to Punjab and Bihar, representing Asom in cultural exchange programmes, at the invitation of the then governors of Punjab and Bihar Mahendra Mohan Choudhury and Devakanta Baruah respectively.. Speaking of her experience in Bihar, she speaks of the one incident in Patna, when as she began singing a beautiful regional number, the audience started shouting demanding of her to sing a Hindi song. To which she sang the popular number 'Bolere Papihara' (Guddi), which not only silenced the audience, but enthralled it in such a way that henceforth, they listened to her, enamoured, in absolute silence. Apart from these, outside the country she has performed in th e different 'Assam Conventions' held at various parts of USA: Philadelphia (1991), Denver Colorado (2002), Texas Austin (2004) and San Francisco (2006). Apparently, on each occasion, the audiences were so enamoured by her that they kept inviting her repeatedly not one or two but for a record four times. All together, on these four occasions, she has also performed in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Milwaukee, Rode Island, and Boston. In all these places, unlike the ones in the Assam Convention Centres, the audience comprised a heterogeneous mix of people hailing from other parts of India in addition to people of South-East Asian origin and of course Americans: for instance the function in Rode Island (organized by Dr.Dilip Dutta) where the audience almost entirely comprised Americans. Or the Milwaukee programme org anized by an Organization comprising Bengalis living in USA. Or the 'Anima Choudhury Night' organized at Chicago in 2002, where the audience comprised basically people of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, apart from Bengalis and Punjabis.. At these various places, she performed not only Asomiya (traditional and modern) songs, but also ghazals, bhajans, Rabindra Sangeet, Baaul Geet etc. She tells an interesting incident in this regard. While performing in Chicago, some of the Bangladeshi listeners requested her to sing a traditional Bangladeshi folk song that caught her off guard: for she had not prepared for this. It was indeed a tricky situation: she couldn't in any way do without singing the song. Suddenly she remembered that the folk song in question was somewhat similar to the popular Goalpariya Lokageet 'Dang Dori Dang'. So without further ado she began singing the song. And surprisingly, not one in the audience uttered a word of complaint; the Bangladeshi audiences were absolutely satisfied. (Laughingly she adds) "Jokes aside, this also goes on to show how much similarity we share, despite the fact that we are politically different countries''. B esides these, she has also performed a Kamrupi Lokageet in Chicago T.V. besides giving an interview on Chicago Radio. Speaking on those unique experiences she says, ''a day prior to shooting of my programme, the Chicago T.V. people had asked for a script of the song, explaining the meaning of the song (kamrupi lokageet) I was about to sing. It really surprised me when, while performing the Lokageet, they showed pictures and images on the screen behind me pertaining to the song I was rendering. It was truly an amazing experience, for such promptness I had never ever witnessed in my own land. But then, it has to be admitted that the Americans are an inquisitive lot; especially their curiosity and interest in knowing (more) about a foreign culture is highly noteworthy...Likewise during the interview I gave on Chicago radio, I was virtually flooded with queries regarding our culture". Having been to the world's most advanced nation for several times, and having come into contact with so many NRIs(of Asomiya origin), what is her observation on the cultural consciousness (especially amongst the second- and third generation Asomiyas) there? "To be honest", she answers,"it is highly commendable; I can say nothing else. I have had such experiences as parents coming up to me requesting me to listen to renditions of Bisnu Rabha and Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, rendered by their children, who have never ever seen the land of their origin. The inquisitiveness of teenagers who have only heard of India and Asom from their parents is simply and truly touching". With a view to enhancing awareness amongst the youngsters regarding the rich culture of land of their origin, when she went to the perform in the United States in 2002, Dr. Choudhury presented a script on the folk songs of Asom, especially for the benefit of second and third generation Asomiya Americans. In it, she explain ed how music was so intrinsically and innately intertwined with the lives of the people. And how for every small/big occasion in their lives, the Asomiyas had some or other form of folk song to croon and express their feelings and emotions appropriate to the particular occasion: whether aainam, biyanam, dhemelia geet, kamrupi and Goalpariya lokageet, nisukoni geet, bihugeet, zikir, zari and so on. Elaborating on each particular form of folk song, she herself hummed a few lines to give the young Asomiyas (born and brought up in the foreign land) a first hand idea of what those songs were and how they were sung. This endeavour won her much acclaim from all quarters. The young Asomiya-Americans were especially enthralled. For they had never envisaged that the land, thousands of miles away, which their parents fondly recall as Asom had such treasure trove of culture..."But sadly", she sums up with a sigh, "very few of our youngsters here in Asom show any such interest in their culture, let alone posess knowledge about it. In this context however, I will empathically state, that this situation is brought about not as much by the children as it is by the parents themselves. Parents have sort of failed to arouse that interest in their children's minds regarding the culture of their own land".
With experience in this field spanning over three decades, what is her take on the present state of affairs of the Asomiya musical scenario and her views on the newer crop of singers dreaming to make it big in this field. Besides what change does she observe in the contemporary musical scenario. To these barrage of queries she thoughtfully replies that change will obviously occur; change and evolution are a part of our existence, for nothing is permanent. Especially today being the age of globalisation, technological advancement has left its mark on all spheres and at all levels of existence. But then while moving forward in its journey towards so-called 'development' the younger generations should not forget their roots, for therein lies their actual identity. Sadly, however the younger people are increasingly distancing themselves from their roots, going after blind imitation of the West. This imitation, nee aping of foreign (Western) culture leaving behind their own culture in doldrums is harming them the most: for the youngsters are the future of our soc iety. Besides today the youngsters as also their parents no longer seem interested in gaining knowledge, for what they pursue is name, fame, money and glamour, and that too instantaneous. Sincerity and dedication, it seems have become passé, for most people today. She informs this writer that there are instances when parents have come up to her to teach their children the rudiments of singing so that they (the children) can perform on stage (!) as soon as possible. It does not matter whether their wards have it in them to be a singer or not. Besides nothing comes easy in life: especially when it comes to singing one needs to fully acquire knowledge of rudiments of the art, and that is possible only through regular practice over years on end. At the same time she adds that today quantity has virtually been eclipsed by quantity in preference and priority. Although the number of ca ssettes and audio cds has multiplied over the last few years, most of them sadly had to bite the dust: and naturally so--for those cassettes lacked the basic prerequisite of quality. This doling out of sub-standard material at times lowers the overall standard of music. However the persons responsible for this, i.e. the makers of such albums are usually oblivious to this: for such people happen to be, more often than not, ones with much money in their wallets but little or no knowledge of music. For such persons making a cassette is often an investment: in which they themselves are the lyricists, tuners, music directors, singers all rolled into one. All this has a negative impact on the musical scene, for if found acceptance amongst the audience, it tends to lower their tastes as well. She belives that to prevent any such degradation it is imperative upon the artists themselves to uphold the rich tradition of our state, for the artists have a social responsibility as well.
A visharad in vocal classical from Bhatkhande Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, she also acquired her PhD degree under the Gauhati University in 1999. Her thesis was 'Temples and Shrines in and around Guwahati:a sociolagical and folkloristic exploration'.
The bell rings again, and on this occasion, it is one of the organizers of the Annual Function of the Jatiya Vidyalaya, Kamakhya Gate, who has come to accost Dr. Choudhury to the School where she is to inaugurate its annual function. The ease with which she has conducted herself so successfully on the professional and personal fronts is truly amazing and awe-inspiring. Her popularity amongst the masses is proved beyond doubt by the simple fact that till date she has been felicitated by numerous socio-cultural organizations both in Assam and abroad; the names of many of which she has lost count of. In fact upon being queried thus, it was with some difficulty that she recalled the name of some of the occasions and organizations she has been felicitated by. This includes, Lifetime Achievement Award in the USA,; Geetimalika Award; besides being felicitated at the Mukul Baruah Xowarani Sandhiya; at the Puroni Dinar Xowaran; or by the Sarthebari Mustibhikhya Bhoral; the Jon Tara Kalakendra, Baihata Chariali; the Moidam Borsojai Lekhika Samaroh; the Manikoot Utsav at Hajo, among numerous others. As I pore over her rich collection of photographs, bearing testimony to her illustrious career, the clouds rumble in the distant horizon. Knowing that I cannot afford to take any more of her time, I beg adieus and taking her leave, hurry off to the Bharalu bus stop. By the time I get onto the bus, it is raining already. But the chill in the air fails to affect me, for wisdom and insight gained during this one-and-a-half hour long enriching interaction with this enamouring persona, warms my heart to put up with all the coldness that abound the world.
[published in 'melange' The Sentinel]
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
From the Scotland of the East
She grew up amidst its pine trees and rain slippery roads. And they left an indelible mark on her.
Reminiscenting those days, when she writes—
“This wind is the language of indecision that winter speaks when it opens its slow mouth to let April in.” (“March”) or when—
“Another winter. The early dark tumbles from leaf to cherry leaf.
Buses go roaring
with their cargoes of wind. The
first orange is sour.
I walk at nightfall Dreaming my icy fingers burn your sleep-warmed cheek.” (“November Haiku”)
We are enthralled. Words as simple as these, evoking rich images and for many, memories—give us a peek into the talent out of which they pour. Poet, novelist, reviewer, essayist—one who weaves tapestries out of words and experiences, she is Anjum Hasan... winner of the Indian Review of Books Award (1994), and ( a prize in )the Outlook Picador Non-fiction Contest (2002), she was also short-listed for The Little Magazine New Writing Award in 2006. Her debut poetry collection “Street on the Hill” published by Sahitya Akademi in 2006was very well-received and her debut novel, “Lunatic in My Head”, published by Penguin India in 2007 too has won plaudits all over. Her to-be-released novel (titled Neti) is on the longlist of 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize; and that in itself is ample evidence of. her talent.
She has contributed to various publications like The Little Magazine, New Quest, Outlook, Jamini, the Hindu Literary Supplement and the Indian Review of Books. Her poems have been published variously in India and abroad in journals like “The Brown Critique”, “The Journal”, “Indian Literature”, “Chandrabhaga”, “Kavya Bharati”, “The Post-Post Modern Review”, “Heat Magazine”, “Komma”, “Critical Quarterly”, “Himal”, “Fulcrum”, “Man’s World”, and in anthologies “Reasons for Belonging: Fourteen Contemporary Indian Poets(Viking Penguin,2002) and the “Anthology of Contemporary Poetry from the Northeast” (NEHU Publications).
Yet, she comes across as amazingly simple, unassuming and a great human being. Recently, your’s truly had the opportunity of spending an interesting and enriching afternoon with this lady who has made all of North East feel proud of her.
Anjum’s parents hailed from Uttar Pradesh. Her father Noorul Hasan was a lecturer of English in the prestigious North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and her mother Santosh Hasan a Hindi teacher at the famous Loreto Convent in Shillong. The eldest of four siblings, Anjum was born in Shillong in 1972. She did her schooling at Loreto Convent and her graduation from St.Mary’s College, Shillong with honours in Philosophy. Afterwards she pursued her Post Graduation from NEHU. However, once PG was over, she decided to move out. She says in this context--“I somehow felt I had outgrown Shillong. I had exhausted possibilites that it could offer. home though it was, I needed exposure that was unavailable here.Besides I also wanted to be independent and be on my own. Therefore I applied for a job in Indian Foundation for Arts, got the job and shifted base to Bangalore. That was ten years back.”
But before we move on to Bangalore,we feel her childhood needs a little more proding into. For wasn’t it this childhood that helped forge the writer in her?
“Very true. I consider myself indeed fortunate to have grown up in Shillong. the literary environment of the pine city helped mould me into what I am today. There were books and books all around at home as far as I can remember. My parents being teachers—fostered a literary/creative environment at home. This I think brewed the creativity within all of us kids.”
Anjum continues, “The library at NEHU was a treasure trove of books—from all over the world. In fact, though situated in one nook of the country, Shillong was highly westernised place—where one had access to the best of everything: the best books, the best of (world) music and the best of education. Its small town charms only added to its beauty. However, it was its awesome landscape that had its deepest imprint on my mind. Especially the NEHU campus back then was so pretty and green—it wasn’t full of so many concrete buildings like today. We used to go for long walks in the countryside.Also, the sort of education we received in school too went a long way in contributing to development of our personalities..”
In reminiscence still, she goes on, “As a child,I was solitary and very shy; I preferred sitting at one corner at home and read a book. Of course, as I grew up , I shed quite some of my shyness . Yet even today I retain that private space within. I am not comfortable facing the arclights all the time And that seems funny actually. For writing is something public... I mean We convey our innermost feelings and experiences through our writings that is read by the multitudes. The writer might not travel, but his/her book travels…”the voice trails off
Teeming with curiosity and ready with my barrage of questions, I put forth my next query-- she must have been writing since her childhood? “Well—yes though I have written poems from a very young age, it was from my college days that I took to poetry seriously. Actually, in the Shillong that I grew up everyone seemed to be writing poetry and some that was really good... Shillong also had a lot of poetry societies and by the time I had completed my Masters I was a regular at poetry sessions reading my poems .In fact, as I realize today, Shillong is an amazingly congenial place to be a writer.”
The transition from small town Shillong to a bustling metropolis like Bangalore must have been quite a change. “Yes--To have grown up in this small (isolated) corner of the country and then suddenly to make a transition into a big city, it was certainly a change of environment. Unlike many people my experience has never been unpleasant. Yet Bangalore can be harsh as well--I’m not denying this. Still, it much more hospitable than most cities in India . and I made some really good friends who never made me feel lonely or abandoned in the big city. Also”, after a slight pause, she continues, “had I not moved out, I suppose I couldn’t have achieved whatever bit I have managed to all these years…in many ways, it was the nostalgia and yearning for Shillong that sowed the germ of my first novel.”
What is India Foundation of Arts all about? and what does her job entail? “IFA is a Non-Governmental Organization devoted entirely to supporting the arts. It funds art projects across the country. In the North East as well it has funded a few projects. Like the Assam Museum project of digitising rare manuscripts scattered in the Vaishnavite Satras all over Assam. Or a performance project in Manipur. I was initially involved with the funding side, that entailed me to travell all over the country and meet a lot of people. That experience benefitted me immensely. Now of course I am involved as the Communications Editor. I have also edited the biannual IFA arts journal ArtsConnect. ”
Isn’t it difficult juggling work and writing? “Well I am fortunate to have understanding employers. They have given me enough space to pursue my writing and my poetry reading sessions et al without impinging upon my work.It’s a dream job really—I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
Novel writing is a fairly new medium for her. How was the experience of making that transition --from poetry to novel writing? Anjum feels it has taught her a lot. “I think there’s a greater continuity between poetry and prose than is usually imagined. Poems are more personal, while in a novel, you have to go beyond you and portray characters with which the reader can relate to. unlike a poem, the canvas of a novel is a much bigger. Further, novel writing entails a discipline while poetry is much more spontaneous.”
Her poems are written in free verse…She agrees. “I like the directness of free verse. Besides, poetry written so enables the poet to address the reader directly. While following a meter (often) brings in certain limitations, I feel. Such poetry written after the nineteenth century sounds artificial to me. At the same time it is also essential to attain a rhythm in ones compositions; the music of language should also be palpable. Through my compositions, I seek to achieve all this .”
What is or has been her greatest inspiration? “Undoubtedly, it’s my love for the English language. Besides, Shillong---with its awesome landscape, its cosmopolitanism, its literary/creative environment---has always inspired me. Above all my family--my parents and my husband Zac are my constant sources of inspiration.”
Her yet-to-be-published novel (titled Neti) (which is a sequel to “Lunatic In My Head” )is in the longlist of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize. How does that feel? “Of course it feels great. the sort of publicity and recognition that an award brings is something that we can never deny. Having said that—let me also add that being on the long list is an honour in itself. for me that is bigger than winning the award even. Whether it is the Man Asian or any of the awards I have won or have been nominated for, it has always been the “being nominated “ or “being on the longlist” part that has excited me the most. Because, honestly speaking I am not very comfortable in excessive media glare and with too much attention. I like to do my work silently and would rather let my work speak.”
‘Neti’ sounds an unusual title for a novel... “Well”, Anjum smiles, “Neti is a Sanskrit word. Put it simply, it means ‘not this’. So, when the character Sophie (from the novel “Lunatic” who is now grown up and goes to Bangalore), finds herself in a certain situation she would say ‘not this’. Throughout the novel, this word recurs like a mantra. there is thus a slightly nihilistic tint to the whole thing; you may call it a search for meaning. Of course, though this is a sequel ‘Neti’ can be read on its own as well. Besides, I am still in talks with publishers. I don’t know if eventually this title will be retained. But as of now— for this novel, ‘Neti’ is my title.”
Interestingly, Anjum’s sister Daisy Hasan too is a writer. Presently based in the University of Cardiff, her debut novel, too is on the long list of the Man Asian Literary Prize. That must feel great? “undoubtedly it does. My parents are absolutely thrilled . At the same time it feels a little funny as well you know—”she smiles again--her eyes a twinkle with delightful simplicity.
Anjum’s husband Zaco’yeah is a writer in his own right. “he writes in Swede.”, she informs, “ and extensively on India. He has recently written a book on Mahatma Gandhi which has been very well received. It is the first book on Gandhi to be written in that language. he is a travel writer as well. And nurtures keen interest in India and its culture. It was this interest in Indian culture that brought us together.”
Anything that she nurtures a fond desire of doing? “I want to do more of travel writing. To travel to new places, get to see its culture , learn about its people and then write all the same can be the ultimate pleasure for a writer. It is one experience that absorbs all my faculties as a writer. My husband is constantly egging me on to travel more and more often and write about those experiences.”
Any message to the budding writers from this region? “Firstly one should read widely. it is only when you read well that you can actually write . At the same time, one should be adventurous while reading. One should also endeavour to expand consciousness of ones self . While writing as well one needs to should step back a bit and view ones work. It is important to develop this perspective . However”, she stresses, “it is very important not to think of yourself as belonging to the marginal regions. Just because you write from a region lesser-traveled and lesser known by people of other parts of the world does not imply that you are inferior or at a disadvantage. People tend to stereotype you--yes; but you got to fight that. At the same time, it is also important that you write for the world at large. Whenever I have written about the North East, I have written not for its people alone, but for the world at large.”
She continues, “Today the media has grown very big and this has contributed immensely to the growth of writing. It is indeed a good time to be a writer today.”
If that be so, then is it possible to take up writing as a full time career? “Not in the initial stages. Later on, when one has established oneself., then that’s different. But I think, in the beginning, one needs to have a job.That has to complement ones creativity however , otherwise it becomes very difficult for the writer.”
When she was such a keen reader of literature, then why did she choose Philosophy in her college? “Firstly, I didn’t feel the need to be a student of English literature; I was not sure if I wanted to approach literature academically. Philosophy on the other hand enriched me immensely. It gave me a whole lot of new perspectives. For me, Philosophy is an excuse to know more about particular aspects of the world.”
Given a chance would she like to come back to Shillong?
“I have moved on. Today Bangalore is my home. I have no thoughts of “coming back” to Shillong in that way. But then again I want to retain my links with this beautiful city which has given me so much. Thankfully, my parents have settled here. So every now and then I can keep coming to Shillong—to North East.”
Before winding up the interview, as the clock ticks away, I put forth the final question in my kitty--Would she someday want to come up with a memoir of the kind of “Istanbul?”
“That will be a dream come true”she lets out a sigh, “Istanbul is such a beautiful work. However, Istanbul is an ancient city with many layers of history. Orhan Pamuk weaves it so exceedingly well---he has really set a benchmark Shillong in contrast is very young. Still...of course..may be..I might come up with something in those lines. Who knows ?No one can foretell the future..after all”
Well definitely we can’t. Yet with this glimpse into the person behind the poetic tapestries and the sweet words that swirl and enchant us, we can surely say that greater things are in store for Anjum Hasan. Here’s wishing the very best and the warmest affection to this sweet lady from the street on the hill.
(published in 'melange' , 'The Sentinel' on November 9th, 2008)
The Essence of Magh Bihu
India is the land of festivals. With its rich tapestry of cultures and festivities, probably no other region justifies this as well as our very own north east. Each season brings in with it some or other festival that spices up the lives of the people in this corner of Incredible India. After being soaked in the festive spirit of the English New Year we hardly have a moment’s rest when Bhogali Bihu arrives -- with promises to drench us in its flavours and delights. Bhogali or Magh Bihu is indeed a festival of fasting and feasting. In many places, people fast on the day before uruka (the first day of Bhogali Bihu). For the next two days—there is a succession of feasting and merry making. The term ‘bhogali’ traces its origin to ‘bhoga’ which means eating/enjoyment. In the Assamese consciousness Bhogali Bihu is associated with the pounding dheki , the buzz of activities in the household, the aroma of fried and baked delicacies, the frequent trips to the bazaar—and most importantly, the community feast on the uruka and the meji or the bhelaghar. Today however most of these experiences linger more in our memories and in the aromas that waft the air...
In those days of our childhood and youth, Bhogali Bihu had meant a flurry of activity in every household. It was a time, when an entire locality would get together to shop, cook, and eat as one family. Bhogali Bihu in fact reminds us at once of the urukar bhoj i.e. the community feast on uruka. The morning after, people would gather around the meji to make offerings of ‘til’ (sesame), rice and other eatables to ‘Agni’-the God of fire. Also, ashes of the burnt mejis would be scattered over the fields; for it was believed to increase the fertility of the soil. These traditions are sadly, dying a slow death.
Although the flurry of activity associated with Bihu is there even today (yet) the contours have changed. With increasing urbanization and consequently, sparse land space, the bhelaghar or the meji are almost passé. Buffalo fights, egg fights and other traditional entertainments are virtually unknown to the new age Asomiya. With a plethora of malls and shopping arcades, and easy availability of most commodities, the dheki and the taat xaal (loom) have but vanished from peoples homes. Bihu today is a season of shopping for the latest designer tees and kurtis. From the pithas to the laddoos to most other delicacies that we offer our guests during Bhogali Bihu come straight from the supermarket next door. Our children, today show greater inclination towards the pastry than the pitha. With the so-called fast life invading our socio-domestic spheres, people are isolated like never before. Though people do get together for a meal beside a warm fire in farmhouses and open fields, (sadly) these often deteriorate into one and another form of alcohol-drenched late-night parties.
In view of all this--Bhogali Bihu today is generally deemed to be a shadow of its past.
Yet-not all is lost in this land of the Red River...
The biggest strength of the Assamese community is that its national festival Bihu is not a religious but an essentially agricultural festival that has the entire Assamese community participating in it—irrespective of religious, ethnic, caste and linguistic identities. On the night of uruka all kinds of barriers are wiped out when men eat out of the same pan. This community feast is in itself a symbol of unity; it stands for the brotherhood and harmony that continual ethnic strife has eroded considerably from the composite Assamese society. On the day of the Bihu, people visit one another’s families offering good wishes and seeking blessings from elders. In our isolated modern lives, such opportunities help us to mend and forge bridges between hearts. The fire of the meji purifies and purges all vices.
Viewed from another perspective, availability of the different pithas, laddoos etc. in the market has enabled the traditional delicacies to sustain in the face of the newer tides in tastes of the people, especially the younger lot. This has also enabled numerous groups and individuals to eke out a living. In a state ravaged by insurgency and where unemployment is rampant, such avenues offer young men and women an opportunity to earn an honest living. The success and popularity of Pre-Bhogali Utsav and other such festivals at the Nedfi-Haat and the Sankardev Kalakshetra among others attests to this.
The famed Bihu dance—is restricted to the bihu VCDs that throng the market at the advent of each Bihu season. Though much of the output is well below par, yet these have at least managed to keep the folk culture of Assam alive and vibrant in the hearts and minds of its people.
An encouraging trend is the celebration of Bihu—especially Magh Bihu and Rongali Bihu by the Non-Resident Assamese in other parts of India a well as abroad. Magh Bihu celebrations in places as diverse as Singapore, Dubai, Qatar and United States of America have become annual affairs.
Thus, in spite of the myriad changes that has come over with the passage of time, Bihu continues to live in our minds and hearts; and in the nooks and crannies of the numerous towns and hamlets beside the Brahmaputra and its tributaries... As the sun turns warmer on our backs, and aromas begin to tickle our taste buds, we brace ourselves to welcome this festival of Food into our lives.
Happy feasting to all!!
(Published in ‘melange’-The Sentinel on 11th January, 2009)
In those days of our childhood and youth, Bhogali Bihu had meant a flurry of activity in every household. It was a time, when an entire locality would get together to shop, cook, and eat as one family. Bhogali Bihu in fact reminds us at once of the urukar bhoj i.e. the community feast on uruka. The morning after, people would gather around the meji to make offerings of ‘til’ (sesame), rice and other eatables to ‘Agni’-the God of fire. Also, ashes of the burnt mejis would be scattered over the fields; for it was believed to increase the fertility of the soil. These traditions are sadly, dying a slow death.
Although the flurry of activity associated with Bihu is there even today (yet) the contours have changed. With increasing urbanization and consequently, sparse land space, the bhelaghar or the meji are almost passé. Buffalo fights, egg fights and other traditional entertainments are virtually unknown to the new age Asomiya. With a plethora of malls and shopping arcades, and easy availability of most commodities, the dheki and the taat xaal (loom) have but vanished from peoples homes. Bihu today is a season of shopping for the latest designer tees and kurtis. From the pithas to the laddoos to most other delicacies that we offer our guests during Bhogali Bihu come straight from the supermarket next door. Our children, today show greater inclination towards the pastry than the pitha. With the so-called fast life invading our socio-domestic spheres, people are isolated like never before. Though people do get together for a meal beside a warm fire in farmhouses and open fields, (sadly) these often deteriorate into one and another form of alcohol-drenched late-night parties.
In view of all this--Bhogali Bihu today is generally deemed to be a shadow of its past.
Yet-not all is lost in this land of the Red River...
The biggest strength of the Assamese community is that its national festival Bihu is not a religious but an essentially agricultural festival that has the entire Assamese community participating in it—irrespective of religious, ethnic, caste and linguistic identities. On the night of uruka all kinds of barriers are wiped out when men eat out of the same pan. This community feast is in itself a symbol of unity; it stands for the brotherhood and harmony that continual ethnic strife has eroded considerably from the composite Assamese society. On the day of the Bihu, people visit one another’s families offering good wishes and seeking blessings from elders. In our isolated modern lives, such opportunities help us to mend and forge bridges between hearts. The fire of the meji purifies and purges all vices.
Viewed from another perspective, availability of the different pithas, laddoos etc. in the market has enabled the traditional delicacies to sustain in the face of the newer tides in tastes of the people, especially the younger lot. This has also enabled numerous groups and individuals to eke out a living. In a state ravaged by insurgency and where unemployment is rampant, such avenues offer young men and women an opportunity to earn an honest living. The success and popularity of Pre-Bhogali Utsav and other such festivals at the Nedfi-Haat and the Sankardev Kalakshetra among others attests to this.
The famed Bihu dance—is restricted to the bihu VCDs that throng the market at the advent of each Bihu season. Though much of the output is well below par, yet these have at least managed to keep the folk culture of Assam alive and vibrant in the hearts and minds of its people.
An encouraging trend is the celebration of Bihu—especially Magh Bihu and Rongali Bihu by the Non-Resident Assamese in other parts of India a well as abroad. Magh Bihu celebrations in places as diverse as Singapore, Dubai, Qatar and United States of America have become annual affairs.
Thus, in spite of the myriad changes that has come over with the passage of time, Bihu continues to live in our minds and hearts; and in the nooks and crannies of the numerous towns and hamlets beside the Brahmaputra and its tributaries... As the sun turns warmer on our backs, and aromas begin to tickle our taste buds, we brace ourselves to welcome this festival of Food into our lives.
Happy feasting to all!!
(Published in ‘melange’-The Sentinel on 11th January, 2009)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sweeter than honey
She greets you with a sweet smile that touches you instantly. A popular singers of present-day Asomiya music scenario, she is blessed with one of the sweetest voices you will ever hear. Her beautiful rendition of the theme song, ‘Rongmon Rongmon’ of the 33rd National Games, Guwahati has been a chartbuster. As the interaction progresses , you uncover hidden realms of her personality, and you realize that she is not only blessed with a sweet smile and a sweeter voice, but with a persona that is, put it simply, Sweeter than honey.
An achiever both in academics and on the musical front, Sangita Kakati was born in Chaygaon, to Dr. Surendra Narayan Kakati, and Anjali Kakati. Dr. Surendra Narayan Kakati was a government doctor, but since the Chaygaon area had no other doctor for miles around, he gave up the lucrative government job to start private practice, providing yeoman’s service to the people of the area for years.
Regarding her name, Sangita Kakati has an interesting story to tell. She must have been about three-four years then. One day, as she was hopping about, singing something to herself, with all the joviality and innocence of a toddler, her ever-observant mother told her: “majoni, your voice is so sweet, you sing so beautifully...I’ll call/name you Sangita.” And thus probably her destiny was sealed in the seven letters of her name. However, it was through the elegant Xatriya dance that Sangita began her tryst with the world of art and culture. Her guru was Nagen Lahkar. Due to certain unavoidable circumstances when the Xatriya classes were discontinued, her parents decided to enroll her (as well) as a student of Pandit Karuna Shankar Thakuria, under whom her elder sisters Nandini and Ajanta Kakati were already taking their lessons in vocal classical. As a student young Sangita proved to be sincere and hardworking. Pandit Karuna Shankar Thakuria beamed at his young student’s quick and superb progress made possible as much due to her talent as to her dedication and sincerity. Soon enough young Sangita had won a national level ‘Talent Search Scholarship’ under the Ministry of Culture and Human Resource Development, Government of India. At that time, only eight persons could get this scholarship from one state, and that too from the four branches of art: vocal classical, classical dance, painting and instrumental (Tabla). Thus, to get this scholarship was not an easy task. On top of that it was a challenge to retain this scholarship: for, there used to be a reviewing of the progress made by a student after every six months, wherein persons appointed by the Centre would come over to take a test-of-sorts: if a student’s progress wasn’t found to be satisfactory, the scholarship might even be curtailed. This made her doubly serious and sincere towards the art. The fact that she continued receiving this scholarship for eight consecutive years, up to her Higher Secondary level bears testimony to her dedication and sincerity. In the meanwhile, Sangita had shifted base to Guwahati: after having passed Matriculation Exams from Chaygaon High School with a first division and letter marks in General and Advanced Mathematics, she took admission in the Science Stream of Cotton College after. After her HS however, she shifted to the arts stream, for by then she had found her métier in Music (specifically in Singing). In 1989, she graduated from the Gauhati University as a student of English literature with flying colours. After which she shifted her base to Pune and then to Mumbai (then Bombay) where she stayed for a few years before returning to Asom. Yet in that short span of a few years she managed to carve a small yet significant space for herself: significant (not only because of the short time but also) because it was a time when there were no talent hunt shows to catapult one directly into stardom, nor had she any Godfather in the industry; added to the fact that she went from a relatively obscured corner of the country. Yet she managed to get up to where most upcoming singers could reach after prolonged toil of many years. Yet never for once did she let her extra-curricular activities hamper her studies. Throughout her student years, she managed to balance her studies and musical pursuits with perfect élan. While doing her graduation in Cotton College itself she had acquired both her Bachelor of Music (B.Mus) and Master of Music (M.Mus.) degrees from 'Akhil Bharatiya Gandharba Mahavidyalaya Mandal', Mumbai. At the same time, she also took lessons in ‘khayal’ and ‘bhajan’ under Deben Sarmah. In 1986 while still in College, her first audio album ‘Sowansiri’ was released. Produced by her father and the songs tuned by renowned music director and singer J.P.Das, this album was widely appreciated, especially in the musical circles. In addition, it was because of her wonderful rendition in this album that soon she earned her first major break in Nip Baruah’s ‘Aai Mur Janame Janame’, which had music by Anupam Choudhury. This film, where she sang five songs, earned her the Best Playback Singer Award in 1988 from the Eastern Motion Pictures Association (EMPA). A couple of years on, while doing her M.A. in English from Poona University, Sangita participated in various singing competitions and functions, and at all those places, she earned plaudits from all quarters. During those days, she was fortunate to have come into close contact with the likes of Hariharan and santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. Also, from her University days in Pune itself, she had begun recording songs in different Mumbai studios for various production houses of Assam, chief of which was Music Makers, with which she shares a long and memorable association. It was in 1991 that she recorded her first album for Music Makers entitled ‘Niribili Godhuli’, with music by Jitul Sonowal. In that album, which earned record-breaking sales, Sangita sang two songs, one of which was a duet with Udit Narayan. In addition, this album also had renditions by Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu and Sadhna Sargam. The success of this album made Sangita a household name in Assam. It was followed by another hit album ‘Anjana’, where Sangita repeated her sterling performance. Once in Mumbai, she enrolled herself as a student of the reputed St Xaviers College, Mumbai for a diploma in Mass Communication [where the likes of Jahnu Baruah, Tom Alter, famous film director Bikash Desai and Aruna Raje taught]. After passing out from St. Xaviers, she took up a job as a Production Executive in an advertising agency ‘Expert Creations’. In the meanwhile, she took admission into the Kalaveer Academy, the famed music school of the doyens Kalyanji-Anandji. Remembering her days at the Academy, Sangita baideo reminisces: “it was a unique school in that the traditional ‘guru-shishya parampara’ was followed there. We were not simply students; rather we were a family learning the finer nuances of the art of singing, viz. improving pronunciation, learning to lay proper stress on the appropriate word, improving upon our standing notes and so on. In a way, it was a school where we gave finishing touch to our singing abilities under the blessed tutelage of our Gurujis Kalyanji and Anandji, in a homely atmosphere. For instance if they had guests, we girls had to make tea and serve the guests. This way the shackles of formality were broken”. It was at the advice of the famed musical duo, (who apparently saw great promise in this young girl) that Sangita went to learn Urdu under the famous Dr. Taheera Banarasi for two years. At the same time, she also took lessons in vocal classical under renowned singer Dr. Charushila Diwekar. At the same time, she was busy recording songs in different languages like Urdu, Marathi, Oriya and Sanskrit and Asomiya [her Asomiya renditions had become highly popular throughout the state. Of all those albums, baideo especially mentions the album ‘Surere Bhoril Protitu Prohor’, which was produced by Music Makers and had music by the indomitable Bappi Lahiri. Of the other languages, she has fond remembrances of the Oriya album ‘Somokila Badambari’ (music by popular Oriya artist Biju Vyas). This album, where she shared the microphone with Sonu Nigam, Anuradha Paudwal and Manhar Udhas, attained tremendous popularity throughout Orissa]. She had sung in a few jingles as well, besides recording a few songs for the famous production house of Venus. She has also had a few performances on television (Doordarshan and Zee) to her credit apart from functions in different parts of Mumbai, as a student of Kalyanji-Anandji and also through Bappi Lahiri, who had taken a great deal of interest in this budding talent. Speaking of Bappi Da, her face lights up as she reminisces, “I can never forget Bappi Da; he was always encouraging me. At his advice, I started going to Maya Govind for Hindi lessons. Also it was he who gave me a chance to sing in films like ‘Raffoochakkar’ and ‘Agni Prem’. In this regard, I would also like to take Kumar Sanu’s name. He too would always tell me that my entry into this field had been a very good one. He would often say, in his typical Bengali accent, “Sangita, you have a bright future. Your entry into the industry has been good. You just keep singing; I will help you out through my connections as well”. During her stay in Mumbai she had come into close contacts with the likes of Yesudas, Jagjit Singh, Y.S. Moolki besides Abhijit(with whom she has sung a few songs as well)Yet, in spite of all this, when the time arrived for her to take the momentous decision of her future course of action in life she left behind her all the razzmatazz of Mumbai and returned home. But wasn’t it a hard decision to make-leaving all the glitz and glamour of Mumbai, especially in view of the fact that she was inching closer to a really big break in the industry? Does not she ever have any regret as such, especially when she sees some of her contemporaries really making it big... for instance, Babul Supriyo? “Absolutely not” comes the immediate reply, “you see life in Mumbai is extremely tough and expensive. To sustain yourself there you need to have a definite income of your own. And to make it to the big league as soon as you enter the industry is near impossibility, especially in those days when we didn’t have contests in such a grand scale as the Indian Idol or the Sa-Re-Ga-Ma Voice of India Challenge. At that time even if you gave a big hit you needed to keep doing the rounds of the offices of the eminent music directors and filmmakers to remind them constantly that you were so-and-so and you had given so-and-so hit song. Only after such repeated/prolonged attempts you stood a chance of getting a big break. This takes away a big chunk of your time; and often many a talented singer’s voice was spoilt after years of prolonged attempts with success still eluding them. So despite the fact that my entry might have been good, yet I was still far from the highest levels of success which I aimed at, and I didn’t want to take a chance-- whereas I had already created a field for myself here in Asom (although I was Based in Mumbai at that time, my songs were quite popular throughout the state). Also, music is my anweshan—language is not the chief criterion, nor is commercial success a prerequisite for my dedication to music. Besides I have always had a firm attachment to my roots, to the traditions, customs et al of my state”. Taking a deep breath, she sums up, “and thus I was back in the midst of my own people, and returning, I embarked upon a full-fledged career in singing here. And touchwood, the audience, especially my fans have showered such love on me that I feel blessed... I cannot tell you how thankful I am to my fans, whose undying support has been my constant source of motivation all these years. In other words”, she ends with a happy sigh, “I have no regret as such for leaving Mumbai then”.
Just then, the tea things arrive, and there is a slight detour in the conversation/interaction. It gives me a chance to look around the artistically done sitting room. On the four walls there are several paintings, which immediately draws my attention and raises baideo in my estimation: for each of those paintings, as is apparent from the signatures at the bottom, is done by baideo herself.
Tea over,we pick up the discourse up from where it had been suspended temporarily, I venture to ask about her subsequent days in Asomiya music industry, and whether her marriage had been any impediment upon her career. To the later query, she replies at once, “No, No, never. In fact, it has been the unconditional/constant support of my in-laws, especially my husband that has enabled me to continue with my musical pursuits. Especially after Geet and Jhumpa came to our lives, my husband has shouldered equal responsibility of our children, despite the demands of his job”. her husband Rajib Prakash Baruah is an ACS officer, and currently a high-ranking official in the Asom Government.. Shecontinues, “after marriage a wife needs the support of her in-laws, especially her husband.many a talented girl’s career is curtailed owing simply to the lack of support. It is sad that even in the 21st century there are many instances of this...in my case after my marriage I continued my studies as well. I did my B.Ed. from Gauhati University and then M.Ed. from Himachal Pradesh University besides a P.G. Diploma in Advertising and Public Relations from M.S.P.I., New Delhi”.After completing her studies, for eight years she served as a lecturer in the K.R.D. College of Education, Chaygaon. Currently, she is a visiting lecturer of the Institute of Mass Communication and Media, Guwahati and Regional Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication (RIJAM), Guwahati, Asom. All this in addition to a successful career in music. Over the last fifteen years she has rendered her voice into more than eight hundred audio albums, in Asomiya, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Bodo and Karbi languages, apart from Goalpariya Lokageet (although she hasn’t done any album till date, she is interested in working on the same in the future). Some of her abums include--‘Protikhya’, ‘Aparup’, ‘Jahnavi’, ‘Sangita’, ‘Sirojugamiya Geet’. She has also music direction in several Audio and Video albums (for example ‘Jahnavi’ and ‘Sangita’). A ‘B high’ Grade Artist of All India Radio Guwahati and Mumbai, she is a regular artist of Doordarshan Kendra Guwahati, Programme Production Centre, DDK, Guwahati, North-East Television and all other private TV Channels of Assam. As a playback singer she has rendered her voice for several Asomiya films that includes ‘Natun Dinar Babe’ by Nurul Haque, ‘Son Pokhili’ by Nurul Haque and Amar Bordoloi, ‘Eti Koli Duti Paat’ by Nayan Moni Baruah, ‘Prem Protisruti’ by Pokhila Kalita, ‘Seuji Dharani Dhuniya’ by Rajib Bhattacharjee, ‘Jyotiprasad’ by Charu Kamal Hazarika, Nip Baruah’s ‘Meghor Mukhor Rode’ among others. She has also sung in many documentary films, TV serials, Telefilms, VCD films etc. As for stage shows she has performed through the entire expanse of the state. Outside the state, she has performed in Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Shillong, Tripura, Manipur and Dhaka, among others. As regards awards, she informs this writer that apart from the EMPA Award way back in 1988, she has also won the ‘Best Presentation Award’ in the popular Asomiya Musical TV serial ‘Geetimalika’ (that was broadcast in Guwahati Doordarshan) in the year 2000. In 2002 she won the ‘Best Singer Award’ in the Assam Sports and Cultural Festival.
Discussion veers of towards the National Games, where she had sung the theme song ‘Rongmon Rongmon’ and which has turned out to be a chartbuster. In fact Sangita baideo says that this song has become so popular that post- National Games wherever she has gone to perform the audience has always demanded of her to sing the song. The moment she starts humming the song, the audience too starts to sing it. She admits that when she was singing this song she had not the slightest idea that this song would turn out to be so massively popular. As a matter of fact this song was originally a part of the album ‘Swagotom Rashtriyo Krira 2005’ which was brought out to create awareness and generate enthusiasm amongst the people of the state regarding the 33rd edition of the National Games that was supposed to be held in Guwahati in 2005. the songs having were composed by the likes of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, Dr. Mamoni Raysam Goswami and Dr. Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi. She had also performed in the Cultural programmes in the Games Village precints from 7th to 10th February, 2007. In this context Sangita baideo tells an interesting story: “A couple of months before the National Games, one evening, I got a call from Power Minister and Chairman of Reception Committee of the National Games, Mr. Pradyut Bordoloi. He wanted to know if I could within these two months, prepare a group of my own and prepare at least one popular song in each of the twenty-five languages of the 33 participating states. So that those states could be welcomed with a popular number from their own home states. Of course research and the preparations were all my own responsibility. That was undoubtedly a big challenge, for the songs had to be not only popular, but ones which would endear to the participants (for they were all young men and women), but the meaning also needed to be one which would suit the occasion, besides the pronunciation too needed to be correct. And that was a daunting task especially with respect to the Southern Languages, which seem quite identical and tongue-twisting to people who aren’t familiar with the languages. Nonetheless, we managed to compile and learn ourselves (to the utmost perfection possible). I had formed a team of my own in which I included Ajanta Das and my regular accompanying musicians. For the purpose of collecting lists of songs of the different languages, we made extensive use of the internet, I also received unequivocql support from all quarters that I approached—that was the best part about it. When the time arrived to perform before the participants from different states, the response was so overwhelming, that I fail to express them through words: it was simply and truly touching. Those young boys and girls were having the fun of their lives. They would demand me to sing this hit number and that hit number: as though I were an expert on all vernacular languages (laughs). They didn’t even go up to have their meals. They would just sit and enjoy or else dance and jump about, as though it wasn’t a National Games they had come to attend rather some big party. It was truly, an experience of a lifetime. In fact many of the young girls enjoyed it so much that they had some traditional delicacies of their home states brought in (because during those days, there was continually somebody or other coming in from the different states into Asom) and gifted me. It was so touching.... Realising that I cannot take much more of her time, I hurry off to the last few queries I have in mind, and without which this interview would probably be incomplete. Of all of her songs, which happen to be closest to her heart?I enquire. "Well", she replies, "each of my songs are dear to me, but some of those which are closest to my heart include 'Jaay Bahir Sure', 'Nokhe Maati Lekhi', 'Mitha Mitha Moromor', 'Sou Kopou Pahi Sinu Kenekoi', 'Nasoni Botahe', and of course 'Rongmon Rongmon''
After about fifteen years in this field, what is her opinion about the current trend of singers who are seen to be cropping up in multitudes, as also on the present state of affairs in the musical scenario-which has developed into an era of remixes. and what is her advice to budding singers? To this, she simply replies that there can be no substitute to hard work, dedication, what she terms 'saadhona'--and of course a dash of good luck. However, in her opinion, the most important prerequisite for any person to be a singer is to be in possession of talent, which is God-gifted. For sans talent, the others are meaningless. However, the problem today is that people crave for overnight success. To be able to sing properly, a classical base is absolutely essential; for it is the classical base which ensures longevity to the singer, for only constant and rigorous practice enables the singer to maintain the quality of his voice. Neither children nor their parents are concerned with all this: it is often seen that after attending a few days of music classes, parents send their children to perform on stage, often to the accompaniment of Glamorous outfits. In fact glamour has now come to dominate the musical scenario. Through flashy dresses many singers try to draw attention towards themselves. This, she believes doesn't augur well for music. But then this is the state of affairs right now. She is personally not in favour of remixes, for she belives that the exalted heights Lata-ji and Asha-ji has carried cannot possibly be emulated by anyone else, try as they might. Thus, to sing their songs, when their original records are available, is meaningless. On top of that most wannabe singers in the hope of being noticed by singing remixes end up distorting the original songs. She consider, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and Lata Mangeshkar as her favourite singers. She also loves listening to the renditions of the doyens of the world of music, viz. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Runa Laila, Mehdi Hasan, besides the recitals of Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. She also is a big fan of Pakistani artists.
Apart from her professional work she is also involved in several socio-cultural organisations like 'Aradhana'rendering service to people of interior regions as well as under priviledged children. As an artist, she goes regularly to interior regions to entertain the people, and she charges not a farthing for that. In this manner she has performed numerous such shows not only in interior areas but also in Central Jail, amongst invalid children and so on. She has also been intimately involved in Ashadeep and North East Network.
It is already quite late, and what with the ULFA raising day and bomb blasts around, I know that my folks back home would be a worried lot, for hers was my last assignment of the day. But then the interaction with this graceful lady (who is sweetness personified) has been so inspiring that the couple odd hours virtually flew by, as yours truly sit, enraptured by the lady's reminiscences,as she traversed her journey down memory lane, expressed in words which were but sweeter than honey.
An achiever both in academics and on the musical front, Sangita Kakati was born in Chaygaon, to Dr. Surendra Narayan Kakati, and Anjali Kakati. Dr. Surendra Narayan Kakati was a government doctor, but since the Chaygaon area had no other doctor for miles around, he gave up the lucrative government job to start private practice, providing yeoman’s service to the people of the area for years.
Regarding her name, Sangita Kakati has an interesting story to tell. She must have been about three-four years then. One day, as she was hopping about, singing something to herself, with all the joviality and innocence of a toddler, her ever-observant mother told her: “majoni, your voice is so sweet, you sing so beautifully...I’ll call/name you Sangita.” And thus probably her destiny was sealed in the seven letters of her name. However, it was through the elegant Xatriya dance that Sangita began her tryst with the world of art and culture. Her guru was Nagen Lahkar. Due to certain unavoidable circumstances when the Xatriya classes were discontinued, her parents decided to enroll her (as well) as a student of Pandit Karuna Shankar Thakuria, under whom her elder sisters Nandini and Ajanta Kakati were already taking their lessons in vocal classical. As a student young Sangita proved to be sincere and hardworking. Pandit Karuna Shankar Thakuria beamed at his young student’s quick and superb progress made possible as much due to her talent as to her dedication and sincerity. Soon enough young Sangita had won a national level ‘Talent Search Scholarship’ under the Ministry of Culture and Human Resource Development, Government of India. At that time, only eight persons could get this scholarship from one state, and that too from the four branches of art: vocal classical, classical dance, painting and instrumental (Tabla). Thus, to get this scholarship was not an easy task. On top of that it was a challenge to retain this scholarship: for, there used to be a reviewing of the progress made by a student after every six months, wherein persons appointed by the Centre would come over to take a test-of-sorts: if a student’s progress wasn’t found to be satisfactory, the scholarship might even be curtailed. This made her doubly serious and sincere towards the art. The fact that she continued receiving this scholarship for eight consecutive years, up to her Higher Secondary level bears testimony to her dedication and sincerity. In the meanwhile, Sangita had shifted base to Guwahati: after having passed Matriculation Exams from Chaygaon High School with a first division and letter marks in General and Advanced Mathematics, she took admission in the Science Stream of Cotton College after. After her HS however, she shifted to the arts stream, for by then she had found her métier in Music (specifically in Singing). In 1989, she graduated from the Gauhati University as a student of English literature with flying colours. After which she shifted her base to Pune and then to Mumbai (then Bombay) where she stayed for a few years before returning to Asom. Yet in that short span of a few years she managed to carve a small yet significant space for herself: significant (not only because of the short time but also) because it was a time when there were no talent hunt shows to catapult one directly into stardom, nor had she any Godfather in the industry; added to the fact that she went from a relatively obscured corner of the country. Yet she managed to get up to where most upcoming singers could reach after prolonged toil of many years. Yet never for once did she let her extra-curricular activities hamper her studies. Throughout her student years, she managed to balance her studies and musical pursuits with perfect élan. While doing her graduation in Cotton College itself she had acquired both her Bachelor of Music (B.Mus) and Master of Music (M.Mus.) degrees from 'Akhil Bharatiya Gandharba Mahavidyalaya Mandal', Mumbai. At the same time, she also took lessons in ‘khayal’ and ‘bhajan’ under Deben Sarmah. In 1986 while still in College, her first audio album ‘Sowansiri’ was released. Produced by her father and the songs tuned by renowned music director and singer J.P.Das, this album was widely appreciated, especially in the musical circles. In addition, it was because of her wonderful rendition in this album that soon she earned her first major break in Nip Baruah’s ‘Aai Mur Janame Janame’, which had music by Anupam Choudhury. This film, where she sang five songs, earned her the Best Playback Singer Award in 1988 from the Eastern Motion Pictures Association (EMPA). A couple of years on, while doing her M.A. in English from Poona University, Sangita participated in various singing competitions and functions, and at all those places, she earned plaudits from all quarters. During those days, she was fortunate to have come into close contact with the likes of Hariharan and santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. Also, from her University days in Pune itself, she had begun recording songs in different Mumbai studios for various production houses of Assam, chief of which was Music Makers, with which she shares a long and memorable association. It was in 1991 that she recorded her first album for Music Makers entitled ‘Niribili Godhuli’, with music by Jitul Sonowal. In that album, which earned record-breaking sales, Sangita sang two songs, one of which was a duet with Udit Narayan. In addition, this album also had renditions by Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu and Sadhna Sargam. The success of this album made Sangita a household name in Assam. It was followed by another hit album ‘Anjana’, where Sangita repeated her sterling performance. Once in Mumbai, she enrolled herself as a student of the reputed St Xaviers College, Mumbai for a diploma in Mass Communication [where the likes of Jahnu Baruah, Tom Alter, famous film director Bikash Desai and Aruna Raje taught]. After passing out from St. Xaviers, she took up a job as a Production Executive in an advertising agency ‘Expert Creations’. In the meanwhile, she took admission into the Kalaveer Academy, the famed music school of the doyens Kalyanji-Anandji. Remembering her days at the Academy, Sangita baideo reminisces: “it was a unique school in that the traditional ‘guru-shishya parampara’ was followed there. We were not simply students; rather we were a family learning the finer nuances of the art of singing, viz. improving pronunciation, learning to lay proper stress on the appropriate word, improving upon our standing notes and so on. In a way, it was a school where we gave finishing touch to our singing abilities under the blessed tutelage of our Gurujis Kalyanji and Anandji, in a homely atmosphere. For instance if they had guests, we girls had to make tea and serve the guests. This way the shackles of formality were broken”. It was at the advice of the famed musical duo, (who apparently saw great promise in this young girl) that Sangita went to learn Urdu under the famous Dr. Taheera Banarasi for two years. At the same time, she also took lessons in vocal classical under renowned singer Dr. Charushila Diwekar. At the same time, she was busy recording songs in different languages like Urdu, Marathi, Oriya and Sanskrit and Asomiya [her Asomiya renditions had become highly popular throughout the state. Of all those albums, baideo especially mentions the album ‘Surere Bhoril Protitu Prohor’, which was produced by Music Makers and had music by the indomitable Bappi Lahiri. Of the other languages, she has fond remembrances of the Oriya album ‘Somokila Badambari’ (music by popular Oriya artist Biju Vyas). This album, where she shared the microphone with Sonu Nigam, Anuradha Paudwal and Manhar Udhas, attained tremendous popularity throughout Orissa]. She had sung in a few jingles as well, besides recording a few songs for the famous production house of Venus. She has also had a few performances on television (Doordarshan and Zee) to her credit apart from functions in different parts of Mumbai, as a student of Kalyanji-Anandji and also through Bappi Lahiri, who had taken a great deal of interest in this budding talent. Speaking of Bappi Da, her face lights up as she reminisces, “I can never forget Bappi Da; he was always encouraging me. At his advice, I started going to Maya Govind for Hindi lessons. Also it was he who gave me a chance to sing in films like ‘Raffoochakkar’ and ‘Agni Prem’. In this regard, I would also like to take Kumar Sanu’s name. He too would always tell me that my entry into this field had been a very good one. He would often say, in his typical Bengali accent, “Sangita, you have a bright future. Your entry into the industry has been good. You just keep singing; I will help you out through my connections as well”. During her stay in Mumbai she had come into close contacts with the likes of Yesudas, Jagjit Singh, Y.S. Moolki besides Abhijit(with whom she has sung a few songs as well)Yet, in spite of all this, when the time arrived for her to take the momentous decision of her future course of action in life she left behind her all the razzmatazz of Mumbai and returned home. But wasn’t it a hard decision to make-leaving all the glitz and glamour of Mumbai, especially in view of the fact that she was inching closer to a really big break in the industry? Does not she ever have any regret as such, especially when she sees some of her contemporaries really making it big... for instance, Babul Supriyo? “Absolutely not” comes the immediate reply, “you see life in Mumbai is extremely tough and expensive. To sustain yourself there you need to have a definite income of your own. And to make it to the big league as soon as you enter the industry is near impossibility, especially in those days when we didn’t have contests in such a grand scale as the Indian Idol or the Sa-Re-Ga-Ma Voice of India Challenge. At that time even if you gave a big hit you needed to keep doing the rounds of the offices of the eminent music directors and filmmakers to remind them constantly that you were so-and-so and you had given so-and-so hit song. Only after such repeated/prolonged attempts you stood a chance of getting a big break. This takes away a big chunk of your time; and often many a talented singer’s voice was spoilt after years of prolonged attempts with success still eluding them. So despite the fact that my entry might have been good, yet I was still far from the highest levels of success which I aimed at, and I didn’t want to take a chance-- whereas I had already created a field for myself here in Asom (although I was Based in Mumbai at that time, my songs were quite popular throughout the state). Also, music is my anweshan—language is not the chief criterion, nor is commercial success a prerequisite for my dedication to music. Besides I have always had a firm attachment to my roots, to the traditions, customs et al of my state”. Taking a deep breath, she sums up, “and thus I was back in the midst of my own people, and returning, I embarked upon a full-fledged career in singing here. And touchwood, the audience, especially my fans have showered such love on me that I feel blessed... I cannot tell you how thankful I am to my fans, whose undying support has been my constant source of motivation all these years. In other words”, she ends with a happy sigh, “I have no regret as such for leaving Mumbai then”.
Just then, the tea things arrive, and there is a slight detour in the conversation/interaction. It gives me a chance to look around the artistically done sitting room. On the four walls there are several paintings, which immediately draws my attention and raises baideo in my estimation: for each of those paintings, as is apparent from the signatures at the bottom, is done by baideo herself.
Tea over,we pick up the discourse up from where it had been suspended temporarily, I venture to ask about her subsequent days in Asomiya music industry, and whether her marriage had been any impediment upon her career. To the later query, she replies at once, “No, No, never. In fact, it has been the unconditional/constant support of my in-laws, especially my husband that has enabled me to continue with my musical pursuits. Especially after Geet and Jhumpa came to our lives, my husband has shouldered equal responsibility of our children, despite the demands of his job”. her husband Rajib Prakash Baruah is an ACS officer, and currently a high-ranking official in the Asom Government.. Shecontinues, “after marriage a wife needs the support of her in-laws, especially her husband.many a talented girl’s career is curtailed owing simply to the lack of support. It is sad that even in the 21st century there are many instances of this...in my case after my marriage I continued my studies as well. I did my B.Ed. from Gauhati University and then M.Ed. from Himachal Pradesh University besides a P.G. Diploma in Advertising and Public Relations from M.S.P.I., New Delhi”.After completing her studies, for eight years she served as a lecturer in the K.R.D. College of Education, Chaygaon. Currently, she is a visiting lecturer of the Institute of Mass Communication and Media, Guwahati and Regional Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication (RIJAM), Guwahati, Asom. All this in addition to a successful career in music. Over the last fifteen years she has rendered her voice into more than eight hundred audio albums, in Asomiya, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Bodo and Karbi languages, apart from Goalpariya Lokageet (although she hasn’t done any album till date, she is interested in working on the same in the future). Some of her abums include--‘Protikhya’, ‘Aparup’, ‘Jahnavi’, ‘Sangita’, ‘Sirojugamiya Geet’. She has also music direction in several Audio and Video albums (for example ‘Jahnavi’ and ‘Sangita’). A ‘B high’ Grade Artist of All India Radio Guwahati and Mumbai, she is a regular artist of Doordarshan Kendra Guwahati, Programme Production Centre, DDK, Guwahati, North-East Television and all other private TV Channels of Assam. As a playback singer she has rendered her voice for several Asomiya films that includes ‘Natun Dinar Babe’ by Nurul Haque, ‘Son Pokhili’ by Nurul Haque and Amar Bordoloi, ‘Eti Koli Duti Paat’ by Nayan Moni Baruah, ‘Prem Protisruti’ by Pokhila Kalita, ‘Seuji Dharani Dhuniya’ by Rajib Bhattacharjee, ‘Jyotiprasad’ by Charu Kamal Hazarika, Nip Baruah’s ‘Meghor Mukhor Rode’ among others. She has also sung in many documentary films, TV serials, Telefilms, VCD films etc. As for stage shows she has performed through the entire expanse of the state. Outside the state, she has performed in Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Shillong, Tripura, Manipur and Dhaka, among others. As regards awards, she informs this writer that apart from the EMPA Award way back in 1988, she has also won the ‘Best Presentation Award’ in the popular Asomiya Musical TV serial ‘Geetimalika’ (that was broadcast in Guwahati Doordarshan) in the year 2000. In 2002 she won the ‘Best Singer Award’ in the Assam Sports and Cultural Festival.
Discussion veers of towards the National Games, where she had sung the theme song ‘Rongmon Rongmon’ and which has turned out to be a chartbuster. In fact Sangita baideo says that this song has become so popular that post- National Games wherever she has gone to perform the audience has always demanded of her to sing the song. The moment she starts humming the song, the audience too starts to sing it. She admits that when she was singing this song she had not the slightest idea that this song would turn out to be so massively popular. As a matter of fact this song was originally a part of the album ‘Swagotom Rashtriyo Krira 2005’ which was brought out to create awareness and generate enthusiasm amongst the people of the state regarding the 33rd edition of the National Games that was supposed to be held in Guwahati in 2005. the songs having were composed by the likes of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, Dr. Mamoni Raysam Goswami and Dr. Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi. She had also performed in the Cultural programmes in the Games Village precints from 7th to 10th February, 2007. In this context Sangita baideo tells an interesting story: “A couple of months before the National Games, one evening, I got a call from Power Minister and Chairman of Reception Committee of the National Games, Mr. Pradyut Bordoloi. He wanted to know if I could within these two months, prepare a group of my own and prepare at least one popular song in each of the twenty-five languages of the 33 participating states. So that those states could be welcomed with a popular number from their own home states. Of course research and the preparations were all my own responsibility. That was undoubtedly a big challenge, for the songs had to be not only popular, but ones which would endear to the participants (for they were all young men and women), but the meaning also needed to be one which would suit the occasion, besides the pronunciation too needed to be correct. And that was a daunting task especially with respect to the Southern Languages, which seem quite identical and tongue-twisting to people who aren’t familiar with the languages. Nonetheless, we managed to compile and learn ourselves (to the utmost perfection possible). I had formed a team of my own in which I included Ajanta Das and my regular accompanying musicians. For the purpose of collecting lists of songs of the different languages, we made extensive use of the internet, I also received unequivocql support from all quarters that I approached—that was the best part about it. When the time arrived to perform before the participants from different states, the response was so overwhelming, that I fail to express them through words: it was simply and truly touching. Those young boys and girls were having the fun of their lives. They would demand me to sing this hit number and that hit number: as though I were an expert on all vernacular languages (laughs). They didn’t even go up to have their meals. They would just sit and enjoy or else dance and jump about, as though it wasn’t a National Games they had come to attend rather some big party. It was truly, an experience of a lifetime. In fact many of the young girls enjoyed it so much that they had some traditional delicacies of their home states brought in (because during those days, there was continually somebody or other coming in from the different states into Asom) and gifted me. It was so touching.... Realising that I cannot take much more of her time, I hurry off to the last few queries I have in mind, and without which this interview would probably be incomplete. Of all of her songs, which happen to be closest to her heart?I enquire. "Well", she replies, "each of my songs are dear to me, but some of those which are closest to my heart include 'Jaay Bahir Sure', 'Nokhe Maati Lekhi', 'Mitha Mitha Moromor', 'Sou Kopou Pahi Sinu Kenekoi', 'Nasoni Botahe', and of course 'Rongmon Rongmon''
After about fifteen years in this field, what is her opinion about the current trend of singers who are seen to be cropping up in multitudes, as also on the present state of affairs in the musical scenario-which has developed into an era of remixes. and what is her advice to budding singers? To this, she simply replies that there can be no substitute to hard work, dedication, what she terms 'saadhona'--and of course a dash of good luck. However, in her opinion, the most important prerequisite for any person to be a singer is to be in possession of talent, which is God-gifted. For sans talent, the others are meaningless. However, the problem today is that people crave for overnight success. To be able to sing properly, a classical base is absolutely essential; for it is the classical base which ensures longevity to the singer, for only constant and rigorous practice enables the singer to maintain the quality of his voice. Neither children nor their parents are concerned with all this: it is often seen that after attending a few days of music classes, parents send their children to perform on stage, often to the accompaniment of Glamorous outfits. In fact glamour has now come to dominate the musical scenario. Through flashy dresses many singers try to draw attention towards themselves. This, she believes doesn't augur well for music. But then this is the state of affairs right now. She is personally not in favour of remixes, for she belives that the exalted heights Lata-ji and Asha-ji has carried cannot possibly be emulated by anyone else, try as they might. Thus, to sing their songs, when their original records are available, is meaningless. On top of that most wannabe singers in the hope of being noticed by singing remixes end up distorting the original songs. She consider, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and Lata Mangeshkar as her favourite singers. She also loves listening to the renditions of the doyens of the world of music, viz. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Runa Laila, Mehdi Hasan, besides the recitals of Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. She also is a big fan of Pakistani artists.
Apart from her professional work she is also involved in several socio-cultural organisations like 'Aradhana'rendering service to people of interior regions as well as under priviledged children. As an artist, she goes regularly to interior regions to entertain the people, and she charges not a farthing for that. In this manner she has performed numerous such shows not only in interior areas but also in Central Jail, amongst invalid children and so on. She has also been intimately involved in Ashadeep and North East Network.
It is already quite late, and what with the ULFA raising day and bomb blasts around, I know that my folks back home would be a worried lot, for hers was my last assignment of the day. But then the interaction with this graceful lady (who is sweetness personified) has been so inspiring that the couple odd hours virtually flew by, as yours truly sit, enraptured by the lady's reminiscences,as she traversed her journey down memory lane, expressed in words which were but sweeter than honey.
Interesting Insights
The cherub of a hundred birds welcome you as you step into the lush green campus, popularly known as IAS officers' colony… in the City's Jayanagar area. For half a moment, I forget myself. For it is not everyday that you get to enjoy such delightful voices, the concrete jungle that the City is fast transforming into. Yet, reminds an inner voice, it is not everyday that you get the opportunity to interview a top-notch officer in the administration. So I hasten to my destination; this time, yours truly's ramblings take her to Mr. Rajiv Bora, Commissioner, Home Department, Government of Asom.
The son of Tea Executive Tarun Chandra Bora and Rajlaxmi Bora, Mr. Bora's early years were spent in the beautiful tea gardens. Surrounded by the lush green of the tea bushes, swaying to the beats of the maadol, life in those days was a simple affair. However, lack of proper educational facilities in the tea garden areas saw him packed off to a boarding school St. Andrews at Darjeeling after which, he was shifted over to Mao College, Ajmer from where he completed his schooling. Shifting base to the National Capital, Mr. Bora did his B.A. in Economics from Sri Ram College of Commerce followed up by a Masters in the same discipline from the Delhi School of Economics. After completing his Masters, he worked as a research Assistant in the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. For 6 months, he also taught at the Sri Ram College of Commerce, his alma mater. However, interest in the Services soon led him to the IAS Entrance Examinations. In 1985, he cracked through the tough IAS Entrance Exams, in the very first attempt, securing eighth rank in the All-India level.
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It was his zeal to serve his roots that had inspired Mr. Rajiv Bora to take up the Services as a career. Having spent the greater part of the formative phase of his life outside the state, Mr. Bora now wanted to return to Assam and render his services to his home state. It is however significant that with such a brilliant academic career behind him he could have easily got a job in any top-notch organization in India, or even abroad .Yet he chose to serve his country, and that too his home state, which albeit one of the most beautiful has also been one plagued by maladies of a myriad hues... .IAS for Mr. Rajiv Bora is thus much more than just a job: it is a fulfillment of a dream, a commitment towards his vibrant state, and its diverse peoples… He joined the Services in 1985 and his first posting was at Hailakandi as the Sub-Divisional Officer (S.D.O.), Civil. Since then , he has served in various capacities: from being Deputy Secretary, Finance to Secretary, Industries Department to being Deputy Commissioner of the districts of Darrang and Barpeta to Secretary, Finance to Commissioner Finance and then to (the present) Commissioner, Home Department, it has been an interesting twenty-two years in service. Of the many diverse experiences during this period, some of the most memorable include-- his stint as the Secretary, Finance during the Financial Crisis of the late Nineties (1998-2000). The Financial Crisis had been one of the worst economic crises the state has ever faced. "Still" Mr. Bora says, "We not only managed to tide over the crises but also succeeded in gathering financial support from the Asian Development Bank", in which he had played a crucial role. Mr.Bora was also involved in the Fiscal Reforms Programme besides assuming the post of Chairman of the Second State Finance Commission. Other memorable experiences include his stints as Deputy Commissioner in the districts of Darrang and Barpeta. The former was at the height of the counter-insurgency operations: Darrang along with Nalbari was the very hotbed of insurgency. Presence of several insurgent outfits, especially in those regions made matters only worse... Casualties were on the rise and hardly a week went by without a major occurrence. "We could hardly catch a wink during those days", Mr.Bora remisces, "yet we managed to eventually bring the situation under considerable control". The other experience was as the DC in Barpeta, where the administration was able to contain the after-effects of the ill-fated Babri Masjid demolition (in 1992). Demography of the district had made it highly vulnerable to the divisive forces. There were reports of damage to religious places of worship at various places. It was a tentative situation-- a slight spark could set off a massive fire-- and the administration was on tenterhooks. However, he sums up with satisfaction; the administration was successful in containing the turmoil and in preventing outbreak of any major trouble. "Of course", he adds "this would not have been possible but for active cooperation from members of the different sections of the society, especially the two religious communities".
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In between, Mr. Bora also completed his MS in Finance under ANM University, Texas, USA. This was in 1996-97, and it was funded by a World Bank Fellowship. A few years later, he was awarded a Masters in Political Science and another in International and Area Studies under the University of California, Berkeley. Speaking about his experiences in the United States, Mr.Bora says, "Actually, being a part of the American educational system in particular and the American way of life in general
has been a revelation in many ways. Their integrity, zeal for life, independence of spirit, straight forwardness, their inquisitiveness and above all their professionalism--it is incredible. Their education system is especially wonderful; it lays emphasis on practical over theoretical knowledge and encourages students to be self-dependent, thereby laying solid foundations in the students (the future of any society)". "Besides", he continues, "There is a tremendous amount of research taking place in the Universities there, and the sheer range of topics of research is overwhelming. You will not believe it but there is research going on the Bodo language in the Department of Linguistics in the University of California, Berkeley, not to speak of other kinds of research on different aspects of Assamese culture and other cultures of the North East. In many cases, people researching here need to go over to Berkeley or contact the people out there to collect requisite information/resource material". Among other things, the American spirit of charity and their tremendous respect for other cultures are also remarkable. Besides, unlike the popular assumption, the Americans are a very family-/community -oriented lot, he adds.
Elaborating on the American educational system, Mr. Bora says thus--"Education in America is an enjoyable experience. The rote system of learning that is the norm in India is practically unheard of out there. Besides, classroom teaching there is more about discussions/interaction rather than the teacher lecturing and the students taking down notes. At all levels, students are encouraged to challenge the established body of knowledge--it might include works of the greatest masters in the discipline. In a nutshell, education is research-oriented: students do all the research work and the teacher is simply the facilitator. Another significant feature of the American education system is the virtual absence of textbooks". To which Mrs. Jonali Bora, his better half adds that right from the primary level, students are encouraged to form their own opinions through observation, understanding and analysis; parents are not expected to help their wards in their homework. Mrs. Bora, who had worked as a Teaching Assistant in ANM University, Texas for sometime(before they had to return to India) says that the marking system there is the opposite of what we have here. Instead of starting from 0 and adding marks with each question, the markings start from 100 and the teacher deducts marks accordingly, so that the student is made aware of his flaws/shortcomings. Thus, there is no scope for any arbitrariness in the marking scheme.
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There is a slight detour in the conversation as tea arrives…discussion veers towards his family. Herself an alumnus from Cotton College, Mrs. Jonali Bora is a lecturer of English at the City's K.R.B. College. Speaking about his wife, Mr. Rajiv Bora says that she has been more of a friend in the truest sense--providing rock-solid support to him at each and every step. (This warm camaraderie was apparent even during the interview)Mr. and Mrs. Bora are proud parents to young Aditya, a fifth grader in Delhi Public School and little Aparna who studies in Excel Kindergarten. Not surprisingly, Aditya too dreams of being an IAS officer like his father when he grows up, rendering (selfless) service towards his state.
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Tea over, we return to the discussion. On being queried about the vexed insurgency problem (which has been probably the biggest obstacle in the way of Assam's development along with floods), Mr. Bora in his slow steady manner speaks thus-- "Ours is a heterogeneous society, unlike most other countries of the world. This heterogeneity is itself a big challenge to the nation's integrity. Over this, external influences like lack of infrastructure, geographical isolation (of the North East from the rest of the country), difficult terrain, the high propensity of floods, lack of proper/adequate employment opportunities contribute towards the slackened pace of development which generate a general sentiment of deprivation amongst the people...(which is but natural)". Along with this, there has also been the problem of political marginalization/identity crisis of certain sections of society, which has added to the disgruntlement already brewing in the people. In fact, Mr. Bora opines, it is because different sections consider themselves marginalized that they take to various means to voice their protest, armed conflict being one of them--which aims especially at achieving certain political ends... Yet, Mr.Bora is optimistic that a day will definitely come, when all these youths would come back to the mainstream and put an end to this orgy of violence. "For", he says, "we are in a transitory phase. Once economic upliftment sets in, these aggrieved people will be satisfied, and will cease to have complaints against the State. In such a case, the insurgent outfits too will be isolated from mainstream of the particular community's consciousness--thereby losing their stronghold over the masses". That will make it easier for the State to tackle the matter. Violence can never be a solution to any problem--rather it creates newer problems. . Tourism and horticulture are areas where there is tremendous scope for development. With expanding economy, the demand and scope for youths being misguided is reduced drastically. He adds that things have started to look up a bit in recent times. The government has formulated various policies in this regard. Packages for different sections of society (especially the economically backward/weaker ones) have been allotted. Besides talks are on with various insurgent outfits, with several of them declaring ceasefire in recent times which is a very healthy development. Besides the civil society has a very important part to play in this: the different communities should be able to reconcile their differences through discussion. Also there should be an alliance between civil society n the State since they go together: one cannot solve the problem sans the other. This is true not only for insurgency, but for all round development of the society.
* * *
Compared to other parts of the country, Assam has produced far lesser number of IAS officers despite there being no dearth of talent. Especially in the last 15years or so, the scene has been particularly dismal. Queried by this writer, Mr. Bora opines that the educational scenario today lacks any kind of competitive environment, which is so essential for deriving the best out of a student. There seems a general complacency, which, he believes does not augur well for the educational scenario. Besides people, still prefer the (more) popular options like Medical and Engineering. With the IT boom, a host of other employment opportunities has flooded the market in recent times. All this has contributed to a chunk of the students veering in directions other than the ones leading to the IAS. Also, Mr.Bora feels that most people here treat the IAS to be some kind of a gamble. Therefore, the kind of (half-hearted) preparation that goes in does not bring them success. The education system (especially the syllabus) too, he believes is not geared towards the IAS Entrance Examinations; quite unlike states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where the syllabi is IAS-oriented. In addition, students here do not have the right kind of guidance nor do they know how to go about. Still Mr. Bora does not believe that interest towards IAS has shown signs of lessening among the student fraternity...
On the kind of preparation that goes into cracking these prestigious examinations, Mr. Bora has this to say--firstly, the student must decide beforehand(in fact much earlier) that they want to appear the IAS Examinations--and prepare themselves accordingly. At the same time, the student needs to be careful in choosing the Optional subjects; he/she should know which subjects suit him/her the most. In addition, most students make the mistake of skipping some topics during preparations. Since there is no shortcut to success, it is imperative upon the student to cover the entire syllabus. Also, group discussions (by forming Study Groups with like-minded people) are of immense help--for it clarifies the student's conceptions and broadens his horizons of knowledge. Such study groups helps one develops a sense of confidence. As for coaching institutes (which is so much in vogue today), he does not believe that coaching is compulsory. If one has clear conceptions and confidence in oneself, one can probably do without coaching. (It is worth mentioning that Mr. Bora had cracked the exams without coaching).Also an IAS aspirant needs to have a strong base of General Knowledge for that one needs to be well-read. What matters ultimately is hard work and a strong and clear conception of the basics, wide range of knowledge and confidence in ones ability.
The chill wintry air pricks you hard as you step out of the warmth of the Bora household. The birds have long fallen silent. However, I can hear a voice chirruping delightfully within --enriched that it is with a wonderful evening of interesting insights.
Stuti Goswami
The son of Tea Executive Tarun Chandra Bora and Rajlaxmi Bora, Mr. Bora's early years were spent in the beautiful tea gardens. Surrounded by the lush green of the tea bushes, swaying to the beats of the maadol, life in those days was a simple affair. However, lack of proper educational facilities in the tea garden areas saw him packed off to a boarding school St. Andrews at Darjeeling after which, he was shifted over to Mao College, Ajmer from where he completed his schooling. Shifting base to the National Capital, Mr. Bora did his B.A. in Economics from Sri Ram College of Commerce followed up by a Masters in the same discipline from the Delhi School of Economics. After completing his Masters, he worked as a research Assistant in the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. For 6 months, he also taught at the Sri Ram College of Commerce, his alma mater. However, interest in the Services soon led him to the IAS Entrance Examinations. In 1985, he cracked through the tough IAS Entrance Exams, in the very first attempt, securing eighth rank in the All-India level.
* * *
It was his zeal to serve his roots that had inspired Mr. Rajiv Bora to take up the Services as a career. Having spent the greater part of the formative phase of his life outside the state, Mr. Bora now wanted to return to Assam and render his services to his home state. It is however significant that with such a brilliant academic career behind him he could have easily got a job in any top-notch organization in India, or even abroad .Yet he chose to serve his country, and that too his home state, which albeit one of the most beautiful has also been one plagued by maladies of a myriad hues... .IAS for Mr. Rajiv Bora is thus much more than just a job: it is a fulfillment of a dream, a commitment towards his vibrant state, and its diverse peoples… He joined the Services in 1985 and his first posting was at Hailakandi as the Sub-Divisional Officer (S.D.O.), Civil. Since then , he has served in various capacities: from being Deputy Secretary, Finance to Secretary, Industries Department to being Deputy Commissioner of the districts of Darrang and Barpeta to Secretary, Finance to Commissioner Finance and then to (the present) Commissioner, Home Department, it has been an interesting twenty-two years in service. Of the many diverse experiences during this period, some of the most memorable include-- his stint as the Secretary, Finance during the Financial Crisis of the late Nineties (1998-2000). The Financial Crisis had been one of the worst economic crises the state has ever faced. "Still" Mr. Bora says, "We not only managed to tide over the crises but also succeeded in gathering financial support from the Asian Development Bank", in which he had played a crucial role. Mr.Bora was also involved in the Fiscal Reforms Programme besides assuming the post of Chairman of the Second State Finance Commission. Other memorable experiences include his stints as Deputy Commissioner in the districts of Darrang and Barpeta. The former was at the height of the counter-insurgency operations: Darrang along with Nalbari was the very hotbed of insurgency. Presence of several insurgent outfits, especially in those regions made matters only worse... Casualties were on the rise and hardly a week went by without a major occurrence. "We could hardly catch a wink during those days", Mr.Bora remisces, "yet we managed to eventually bring the situation under considerable control". The other experience was as the DC in Barpeta, where the administration was able to contain the after-effects of the ill-fated Babri Masjid demolition (in 1992). Demography of the district had made it highly vulnerable to the divisive forces. There were reports of damage to religious places of worship at various places. It was a tentative situation-- a slight spark could set off a massive fire-- and the administration was on tenterhooks. However, he sums up with satisfaction; the administration was successful in containing the turmoil and in preventing outbreak of any major trouble. "Of course", he adds "this would not have been possible but for active cooperation from members of the different sections of the society, especially the two religious communities".
* * *
In between, Mr. Bora also completed his MS in Finance under ANM University, Texas, USA. This was in 1996-97, and it was funded by a World Bank Fellowship. A few years later, he was awarded a Masters in Political Science and another in International and Area Studies under the University of California, Berkeley. Speaking about his experiences in the United States, Mr.Bora says, "Actually, being a part of the American educational system in particular and the American way of life in general
has been a revelation in many ways. Their integrity, zeal for life, independence of spirit, straight forwardness, their inquisitiveness and above all their professionalism--it is incredible. Their education system is especially wonderful; it lays emphasis on practical over theoretical knowledge and encourages students to be self-dependent, thereby laying solid foundations in the students (the future of any society)". "Besides", he continues, "There is a tremendous amount of research taking place in the Universities there, and the sheer range of topics of research is overwhelming. You will not believe it but there is research going on the Bodo language in the Department of Linguistics in the University of California, Berkeley, not to speak of other kinds of research on different aspects of Assamese culture and other cultures of the North East. In many cases, people researching here need to go over to Berkeley or contact the people out there to collect requisite information/resource material". Among other things, the American spirit of charity and their tremendous respect for other cultures are also remarkable. Besides, unlike the popular assumption, the Americans are a very family-/community -oriented lot, he adds.
Elaborating on the American educational system, Mr. Bora says thus--"Education in America is an enjoyable experience. The rote system of learning that is the norm in India is practically unheard of out there. Besides, classroom teaching there is more about discussions/interaction rather than the teacher lecturing and the students taking down notes. At all levels, students are encouraged to challenge the established body of knowledge--it might include works of the greatest masters in the discipline. In a nutshell, education is research-oriented: students do all the research work and the teacher is simply the facilitator. Another significant feature of the American education system is the virtual absence of textbooks". To which Mrs. Jonali Bora, his better half adds that right from the primary level, students are encouraged to form their own opinions through observation, understanding and analysis; parents are not expected to help their wards in their homework. Mrs. Bora, who had worked as a Teaching Assistant in ANM University, Texas for sometime(before they had to return to India) says that the marking system there is the opposite of what we have here. Instead of starting from 0 and adding marks with each question, the markings start from 100 and the teacher deducts marks accordingly, so that the student is made aware of his flaws/shortcomings. Thus, there is no scope for any arbitrariness in the marking scheme.
* * *
There is a slight detour in the conversation as tea arrives…discussion veers towards his family. Herself an alumnus from Cotton College, Mrs. Jonali Bora is a lecturer of English at the City's K.R.B. College. Speaking about his wife, Mr. Rajiv Bora says that she has been more of a friend in the truest sense--providing rock-solid support to him at each and every step. (This warm camaraderie was apparent even during the interview)Mr. and Mrs. Bora are proud parents to young Aditya, a fifth grader in Delhi Public School and little Aparna who studies in Excel Kindergarten. Not surprisingly, Aditya too dreams of being an IAS officer like his father when he grows up, rendering (selfless) service towards his state.
* * *
Tea over, we return to the discussion. On being queried about the vexed insurgency problem (which has been probably the biggest obstacle in the way of Assam's development along with floods), Mr. Bora in his slow steady manner speaks thus-- "Ours is a heterogeneous society, unlike most other countries of the world. This heterogeneity is itself a big challenge to the nation's integrity. Over this, external influences like lack of infrastructure, geographical isolation (of the North East from the rest of the country), difficult terrain, the high propensity of floods, lack of proper/adequate employment opportunities contribute towards the slackened pace of development which generate a general sentiment of deprivation amongst the people...(which is but natural)". Along with this, there has also been the problem of political marginalization/identity crisis of certain sections of society, which has added to the disgruntlement already brewing in the people. In fact, Mr. Bora opines, it is because different sections consider themselves marginalized that they take to various means to voice their protest, armed conflict being one of them--which aims especially at achieving certain political ends... Yet, Mr.Bora is optimistic that a day will definitely come, when all these youths would come back to the mainstream and put an end to this orgy of violence. "For", he says, "we are in a transitory phase. Once economic upliftment sets in, these aggrieved people will be satisfied, and will cease to have complaints against the State. In such a case, the insurgent outfits too will be isolated from mainstream of the particular community's consciousness--thereby losing their stronghold over the masses". That will make it easier for the State to tackle the matter. Violence can never be a solution to any problem--rather it creates newer problems. . Tourism and horticulture are areas where there is tremendous scope for development. With expanding economy, the demand and scope for youths being misguided is reduced drastically. He adds that things have started to look up a bit in recent times. The government has formulated various policies in this regard. Packages for different sections of society (especially the economically backward/weaker ones) have been allotted. Besides talks are on with various insurgent outfits, with several of them declaring ceasefire in recent times which is a very healthy development. Besides the civil society has a very important part to play in this: the different communities should be able to reconcile their differences through discussion. Also there should be an alliance between civil society n the State since they go together: one cannot solve the problem sans the other. This is true not only for insurgency, but for all round development of the society.
* * *
Compared to other parts of the country, Assam has produced far lesser number of IAS officers despite there being no dearth of talent. Especially in the last 15years or so, the scene has been particularly dismal. Queried by this writer, Mr. Bora opines that the educational scenario today lacks any kind of competitive environment, which is so essential for deriving the best out of a student. There seems a general complacency, which, he believes does not augur well for the educational scenario. Besides people, still prefer the (more) popular options like Medical and Engineering. With the IT boom, a host of other employment opportunities has flooded the market in recent times. All this has contributed to a chunk of the students veering in directions other than the ones leading to the IAS. Also, Mr.Bora feels that most people here treat the IAS to be some kind of a gamble. Therefore, the kind of (half-hearted) preparation that goes in does not bring them success. The education system (especially the syllabus) too, he believes is not geared towards the IAS Entrance Examinations; quite unlike states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where the syllabi is IAS-oriented. In addition, students here do not have the right kind of guidance nor do they know how to go about. Still Mr. Bora does not believe that interest towards IAS has shown signs of lessening among the student fraternity...
On the kind of preparation that goes into cracking these prestigious examinations, Mr. Bora has this to say--firstly, the student must decide beforehand(in fact much earlier) that they want to appear the IAS Examinations--and prepare themselves accordingly. At the same time, the student needs to be careful in choosing the Optional subjects; he/she should know which subjects suit him/her the most. In addition, most students make the mistake of skipping some topics during preparations. Since there is no shortcut to success, it is imperative upon the student to cover the entire syllabus. Also, group discussions (by forming Study Groups with like-minded people) are of immense help--for it clarifies the student's conceptions and broadens his horizons of knowledge. Such study groups helps one develops a sense of confidence. As for coaching institutes (which is so much in vogue today), he does not believe that coaching is compulsory. If one has clear conceptions and confidence in oneself, one can probably do without coaching. (It is worth mentioning that Mr. Bora had cracked the exams without coaching).Also an IAS aspirant needs to have a strong base of General Knowledge for that one needs to be well-read. What matters ultimately is hard work and a strong and clear conception of the basics, wide range of knowledge and confidence in ones ability.
The chill wintry air pricks you hard as you step out of the warmth of the Bora household. The birds have long fallen silent. However, I can hear a voice chirruping delightfully within --enriched that it is with a wonderful evening of interesting insights.
Stuti Goswami
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