Three books focusing on literature, history and the cultural heritage of Assam and the Northeast were jointly launched at the Williamson Magor Auditorium of the Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture at Uzanbazar here on Saturday.
The books launched were A Quiet Romance: Rabindranath Tagore and Assam, authored by Prof Usha Ranjan Bhattacharya and translated into English by Haimanti Mitra; The Tale of the Kapili, translated by Joyita Das and R.A. Acharya; and In Search of the Ahom Kingdom, authored and translated by Amitabha Ray and Debashree Mukherjee.
Academic and translator Dr Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee participated in a conversation with the authors and translators during the programme. The discussions covered literature, history, culture and the diverse heritage of Assam and the Northeast.
A Quiet Romance: Rabindranath Tagore and Assam, published by Neogi Publisher, New Delhi, explores the historical, literary and cultural relationship between Rabindranath Tagore and Assam. The book highlights Tagore’s association with Assam and examines various aspects of the historical and cultural links between the poet and the state.
The book was also formally released at Rabindranath Thakur Vishwavidyalaya in Hojai on Thday in the presence of eminent academics and literary personalities, including former Regional Secretary of the Sahitya Akademi Dr Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee, former Vice-Chancellor of Assam University Prof Tapodhir Bhattacharjee and Chief Operating Officer of Neogi Publisher, New Delhi, Trisha Dey Neogi.
Speakers at the Hojai programme observed that the publication of a book specifically exploring Tagore’s relationship with Assam at an institution named after the Nobel laureate was particularly significant. They said the initiative provided an important intellectual platform to revisit the historical and cultural relationship between Tagore and Assam.
Dr Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee said the publication marked an important chapter in the history of Rabindranath Thakur Vishwavidyalaya. He highlighted the symbolic and intellectual significance of bringing together Tagore, Assam and an institution bearing his name through scholarly work.
Prof Tapodhir Bhattacharjee described the publication as a significant and meaningful event in the present context. He emphasised the cultural and intellectual importance of bringing Tagore’s relationship with Assam back into contemporary academic discourse through research.
The speakers also appreciated the initiative of the Vice-Chancellor of Rabindranath Thakur Vishwavidyalaya, Prof Dr Manabendra Dutta Choudhury. They said such initiatives could strengthen the university’s cultural and intellectual character and contribute to deeper ties between Assam and the broader Indian cultural tradition.
The Guwahati programme similarly went beyond a conventional book-launch ceremony, providing a platform for discussions on literature, history, culture and the rich heritage of the Northeast. The participation of authors, translators, academics and literary enthusiasts brought together diverse perspectives and highlighted the importance of making the region’s history and cultural traditions accessible to a wider readership through translation and scholarship.
