Govt taking steps to let the world know about the heroics of Lachit & his associates

In a major achievement of showing its tributes to Bir Lachit Barphukan, Chief Minister Dr.Himanta Biswa Sarma received the Guinness World Records’ Certificate for the “Largest Online Photo Album of Handwritten Notes” on Bir Lachit Barphukan, as the Guinness World Records Adjudicator Swapnil Dangarikar handed over the honour to the Chief Minister at a function held at Janata Bhawan here on Thursday.

It may be noted that for paying tributes to Bir Lachit Barphukan on his 400^th birth anniversary, the Cabinet meeting of the Government of Assam held at Bongaigaon decided to celebrate the 400^th Birth Anniversary of Bir Lachit Barphukan with a year-long celebrations. Accordingly former President of India Ram Nath Kovind launched the year-long celebrations of 400^th birth anniversary of Mahabir Lachit on 25 February, 2022 in Guwahati. Thereafter, as a part of the celebrations, Chief Minister  Dr. Sarma launched a web portal/ App on 26 October, 2022 enabling the students across the globe to upload their tributes in the form of handwritten notes. As a result, 45,34,818 entries were uploaded and finally 42,94,350 were taken for final assessment.

Guinness World Records accorded this coveted feat on the basis of 42,94,350 entries to Government of Assam as the record holder for the largest online photo album of handwritten notes. The essays were written in 23 languages with Assamese being the top of the languages with 35,90,918 entries followed by English with 4,05,617 entries. The 23 languages in which handwritten notes were made are Assamese, English, Bengali, Bodo, Hindi, Manipuri, Hmar, Karbi, Nepali, Santali, Sanskrit, Arabic, Dimasa, Persian, Urdu, Tai, Bishnupriya, Lamsakhang, Telugu, Tripura, Korean, Punjabi and Rabha.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma termed it historic for Assam and its people as the state has made an emphatic entry into Guinness World Records for creating the largest online photo album of handwritten notes on Legendry Lachit Barphukan. He thanked the students across the country and outside for their contribution and spontaneously participating in paying their odes to Lachit Barphukan on the occasion of the General’s 400 birth anniversary.  

He said that the celebrations of the 400^th birth anniversary of Bir Lachit Barphukan had turned into a national event in which the dignitaries like Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and Union Finance Minister took part. Stating that association of the constitutional posts like President and Prime Minister with the programme enhanced the dignity and importance of the event, the Chief Minister added. Dr. Sarma said that the speech delivered by the Prime Minister in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi touched the hearts of everybody.

Dr. Sarma said that several facts associated with Saraighat Battle remained untold as a result, the people of the country do not have much idea about several personalities involved in the battle. He said that as a result of celebrations of the 400^th birth anniversary of Bir Lachit in New Delhi, people of other states got very curious about Lachit Barphukan. The Chief Minister also said that State government has already initiated actions for a memorial of Alaboi Battle and preservation and refurbishing of the samadhikshetra of Lachit Barphukan so that Bir Lachit and his patriotic soldiers can be put on a wider platform for the global community to know about them. He also said that the installation of 150 feet Lachit Barphukan’s statue will be completed within a year. He said that the river front beautification project being undertaken at the site of the old police commissionerate office at Pan Bazar will have a memorial of Saraighat Battle and factual evidence will be given stating the names of the Ahom heroes participated in that battle. Moreover, State government has also taken initiatives for enlisting the famous Bagrumba Dance and Sattriya dance in the Guinness World Records.

Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha who gave the welcome address in the programme was also attended among others by Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta, Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, Handloom Minister U.G. Brahma, Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, Tea Tribe Welfare Minister Sanjay Kisan, Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Bora, MP Bhubaneswar Kalita, MP and CM’s Political Advisor Pabitra Margherita, MLAs Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Manab Deka, Kaushik Rai, senior government officers, editors and senior journalists, cultural personalities and host of others were present on the occasion.