Ankur Bora
Pragyalaya ( also known as Prajnalaya , which means “ the
abode of knowledge” in Sanskrit) is established in the year 2002 by an ex-insurgent. The
institution is truly a labour of love by Jugal
Bhuyan. Late Bhuyan envisioned an institution where children of poor and
uneducated parents get opportunities to learn, grow and flourish in a friendly
environment. The aim and objective of Pragyalaya is
to for the overall personality development of these pupils, teaching them
the rich cultural heritage of Assam along with the regular coursework.
Some
of us, non-residents Assamese from USA , Canada and Europe were also involved in supporting the
institution and witnessed first-hand the innovative schemes of Pragyalaya including organic
fertilizer (vermiculture), fish and poultry
farming, weaving and handlooms. In cooperation with local medical doctors Pragyalaya
used to runs medical camps for the inmates as well for the villagers nearby. There
were workshops on preservation of food and preparation of pickles, jams etc.
with the objective of preparing the students to be future entrepreneur and
becoming financially independent. Jugal
Bhuyan believed that his institution would be a role model and would inspire other youths of Assam to stand on their feet and
become self-sustained. Unfortunately , In the evening of 15th March
2007 , while leading a multi-faith prayer, Bhuyan became unconscious and passed
away. He was not even 40 years old. It was a great loss not only to Prajnalaya but to the Assamese nation as a whole.
Today Pragyalaya is in dire straits with diminishing financial
support. They are hard-pressed to run the hostel and pay to the teachers. We
appeal to the State Government for a contingency plan and revive this
institution. We also seek your support
Ankur Bora , Dallas ,
Texas , USA ankurbora@hotmail.com
A detailed article by
Wahid Saleh
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