Pragyalaya and Jugal Bhuyan

                                                                                                        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 15^th 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

https://www.indiawijzer.nl/tourism_travelling_to_india/northeasternindia/assam/assam_mixedbag/schools_supported_by_us/Pranjalaya_120110.pdf

A river runs through it

                                                                                                             Ankur Bora

Out of a vast interaction between ocean, mountain and land, a great river emerges. Rising from a mountain peak, at a mystical lake in Mount Kailash, he runs nearly two thousand four hundred miles, emerging again and again into a fertile passage of blue hills and green valleys, winding its last miles back to the element which gave it origin, the sea. The river Brahmaputra is the soul of Assam and Assamese as a nation is identified to the river. The local people called the river ‘Burha Luit’ (the ancient river) out of reverence and affection. The influence of Brahmaputra in life and culture of people is deep rooted and Assamese people for generations have talked and sung about Luit expressing how deeply they feel connected to their river.

The great river Brahmaputra fulfills our lives with moments of joy and abundance, stimulates our minds with curiosity and wonder and binds us with a vein of unity and togetherness. Our river is also the perfect antidote to urban living – to reconnect people to nature. A few years ago, a young couple in Guwahati, came out with inspiring ways for community to get down to their riverbank. This young man Suresh Goduka had a vision of a clean litter free river, a beautiful place for people to look at and get close to nature, an event where commoners can enjoy river songs sitting together in a starlit riverbed. Working together with Karabee Mahanta and a host of volunteers, they developed concepts of how it could be accomplished. With great excitement and inspirations, and the headlines of a wild challenge before them, they launched a unique initiative. The festival titled ‘Jeevan Kite and River Festival’ was organized to host a variety of events including a campaign to reduce plastic litter and other pollutants, depiction of the river life  through folklores, paintings and sand arts, kite flying and adventure sports at the riverbank  and a glorification of the mighty river through songs, dance, music and prayers. The festival which has been running annually for the last seven years is a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and this year 2018, we the Assamese diaspora, under the banner of Assam Foundation of North America (AFNA) decided to join hands and participate in this event.    

        

Participants at Jeevan Kite and River Festival 2018

“Louhityare bahal parok Pronipat koro” – In this famous song, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, who loved Assam from the bottom of his heart, bowed his head before the wide banks of Brahmaputra. The song is like a blessing so joyful that even in distant corners of the globe we claim with pride the glorious civilization that we have inherited. And it is our connection to our motherland and to our beloved river that keeps us alive and invigorated. AFNA has been publishing a calendar annually managed by young Assamese spread over the city of Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco and others. The proceeds of the campaign is going directly to multiple programs geared towards schools for underprivileged children, providing scholarship to meritorious college going engineering and medical students from economically poor background, disabled adults and women support groups. The Jeevan kite and river Festival provided a unique platform to these AFNA project partners to come together and share their experience of working in their respective fields.   

Suresh Goduka

We became the stories we listen to. The manifestation of the river Brahmaputra can be felt in movies , music , legends, folklore, prose , poetry , television , newspapers – and those stories we listen to form our lives. The AFNA calendar is a portrait of ordinary men and women, people who have turned their talents, efforts and energies towards the uplifting of others, thereby achieving greatness inherent in every human being. That day, the riverbank of Brahmaputra came alive as representatives of Swawalambi, an organization working for the differently able in rural Assam; Seneh, a shelter home for elderly women; representatives of Rickshaw Bank that provides microfinance support to poor rickshaw pullers; Tapoban and Shishu Sarothi,  organisations working for the differently able; Parijat Academy and Snehalaya, an orphanage in Guwahati and Mission Birubala working in the field of eradication of superstition and witch hunting, were lauded and honored for their services. Each of these individuals taught some infinite wisdom to the rendition of epical song “Bistirno Parore”, its lifting music stayed in everyone’s memory to hum the song repeatedly. Perched on the gigantic river, and not very far from the event venue, stands Umananda, the smallest inhabited river island in the world. The song reverberated to the tiny island, as if the trajectories assumed a new meaning and resonance. The participants dispersed thankful to Suresh Goduka for boasting community cohesion in the process and knowing that it was a true tribute to mighty Brahmaputra along.  

Understanding Brahmaputra has never been more crucial to our society, as individual citizens, we all need to know how the river works. Assam is a land of rivers and a land of rich wetlands. We can prosper and industries, agriculture, transportation can strive if and when only we know how to use our water resources intelligently. The Brahmaputra campaign by Suresh Goduka aims to inspire people to take pride in our waterways, understand the challenges they face and come together to create a healthy future for our rivers. It is time to fulfill our responsibility to revitalize Brahmaputra before it is too long, our survival as a species depends on it.  

                                                                                                            ankurbora@hotmail.com

         

How green is my valley

                                                                                                          Ankur Bora

“Always pay reverence to your soil. Because the amount of respect you give, you'll get that much respect from your soil.” – Amir Khan, movie Dangal. 

Since time immemorial, human beings are attached to the soil. Climate, rocks and minerals, plants and animals, bees and butterflies and human, all are dependent on soil and our most compelling resource is just the ground beneath our feet. It’s what supports plant growth, the whole of microbial world and it’s what nourishes and feeds the bulk of life. Nothing is more beautiful than cultivating the land and nothing is more alluring than the promise of a bountiful harvest. The soil of Assam is richly fertile and we the Assamese are blessed to live in a land so rich in this life-giving source.

Our planet is overwhelmed by rising human population, decreasing forest cover and large scale soil erosion. Because of the increasing erosion, the fertility of soil has decreased significantly, which in turn, has reduced the productivity of land. A young Assamese, observed this phenomena in his ancestral firm established by his father. Subsequently, he decided to investigate further and began studying carefully all the natural and social aspects related to the soil, climate, flora and fauna. He realized that it was the organic method of farming which could address erosion as well as bring nutrients to the soil. This youngster Neelam Dutta from Biswanath Chariali town, instead of working for a comfortable corporate or government job, thus, chooses farming as a career. He took that leap of faith by opening  an agricultural firm , popularly known as ‘Pabhoi Greens’ and after several tumultuous years of toil and labor, and with his unwavering patience and persistence, established it as an avenue for self- sustainability and nurtured , developed and evolved Pabhoi  as a successful model for livelihood , employment and income generation.     

AssamTribune , Horizon 2nd February 2018

It has been a journey of great difficulty and great joy. Along the way, Neelam has been supported and assisted by many people and foremost among them is Peggy Carswell from Canada. Ms. Carswell, a pioneer in organic movement and a laureate of the Women’s World Summit Foundation, was enamored by Assam and Assamese people and has been visiting  ‘Pabhoi Greens’ again and again. She believed in Neelam’s  mission and has been providing hands-on training and resource materials to him on traditional Vedic farming practices, which emphasizes the need to reuse , reduce and recycle and to be grateful for and appreciative of mother earth. . “The skills and knowledge and specially the training video films prepared by Carswell has played a vital part in my awareness about organic farming” – Neelam recollects her generous support and constant encouragement. He also reveals that free training camps by Ms. Carswell are periodically organized on Pabhoi premises which are attended by farmers from Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.

 Pabhoi Greens has put diversified cropping patterns and innovative methods to induce soil fertility. “Even if one crop fails, the others provide returns. And if one crop absorbs more soil nutrients , the others compensate by fixing nitrogen”  - Neelam explains as the firm cultivates a varieties of rice including indigenous aromatic and gum rice, exotic vegetables like Chinese cabbage , colored capsicum, lettuce, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, ethnic fruits  apart from strawberries and musk melons, mushrooms and a large varieties of seasonal flowers. One of his notable achievements is complete elimination of chemical fertilizers; Neelam boasts of not having sprayed even a drop of pesticide in his fourteen hector land. He has, instead, been protecting his rice plants with a bio-pesticide made from cow urine which has been developed in-house through a very compete team of local youths and farmers.

Neelam, recently, has taken farming to a whole new level by opening organic seeds production units in Assam and the seven sister states of North East. In close collaboration with Sativa, a Switzerland based firm, Pabhoi Greens has developed the production methods of heirloom seeds of vegetables both indigenous as well as European varieties. “We opened one unit in Nagaland because its cold climate is conducive to growth of those foreign seeds” – talking about his venture Neelam mentions that currently the seeds are available in the market for purchase through retail channels as well as through online storefront. Pabhoi Greens reached another milestone when it successfully raised Bhut Jolokia seedlings (hottest chilly in the world) and supplied to the Defense Research Laboratory, Tezpur and Assam Agricultural University. Neelam is recipient of many national and international awards and fellowships. Quite obviously, the awarding of  India’s best Organic Haladhar Farmer in 2014 by Minister of Agriculture, Government of India placed an invaluable jewel in the crown. He has also been touched and energized by the enthusiasm of general public as Pabhoi Greens is getting more and more number of visitors day by day who come to witness the dairy, nursery , honey bee farming, fish rearing and breeding, and the matchless aura of  a green landscape brighten by the colorful birds, dancing butterflies and the signing  Jhili.   

“The soil of Assam has an unmatched potential for every possible agricultural activity. If Neelam can do it why not others, I think if everybody gives priority in this venture, Assam will be the richest region in India thereby being able to compete with the other parts of the world”- Peggy Carswell pays a glowing account of his deft disciple . Neelam Dutta shows us what can be achieved when we refuse to be defined by stereotypes and aim for the stars.  Not only Assam, but whole of India needs more such youngsters like Neelam and we hope that his story inspires others – both young men and women – to choose agriculture as a profession, get into the business of organic farming and make a name for themselves. 

                                                                                    ankurbora@hotmail.com

Connecting the dots

                                                                                                                                    Ankur Bora

Behind the closed doors of a laboratory building in Humanoid Center for Cognitive Robotics at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, a major experiment was taking place. In the pristine lab a robot named MAHRU was positioned as a researcher began instructing it with a set of commands using hand gestures.  The robot slowly but accurately identified each signal turning left and right, moving forward and backward. The navigation sensors, the arm-vision coordination all worked perfectly and like some gifted children it performed impressive feats. The project was culmination of years of efforts - a brilliant work of a group of dedicated researchers and the computer vision of MAHRU was crafted by a young girl from Assam.

Assam Tribune , Horizon 17th November

Monalisa Mazumdar is originally from Guwahati. Youngest of five children, she was raised in a family where her loving parents put a premium on education and they made sure that their daughters get the same opportunity as their son. As a young girl, she loved tinkering with tools, opening radios and telephones - anything electrical and electronics could feed her curiosity. As she grew up, Monalisa started to gravitate more towards physics. She was dreaming of becoming an astronaut and enrolled for masters in Guwahati University with a major in Astrophysics. At the physics lab, while tracing the paths of the stars, Monalisa, for the first time, learned about an instrument that can perform modeling and simulation. She was enthralled, the concept of a machine that can simulate paths of stars and galaxies was the kind of outside the box thinking that captured her imagination – “I strived to create more simulated programs trying to optimize the algorithms as best as I could. Slowly, the world of computer science opened up to me and I realized that with proper optimized algorithms I could manipulate these fancy machines called computers.”  She was fortunate at that juncture to recognize that her future lay elsewhere. The shift from physics to computer science made perfect sense as a kind of fusion of mathematical mind with creativity and thus Monalisa eventually found her life’s pursuit. In the year 2003, she was rewarded with a scholarship for further research and study at the prestigious Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

It is said that there are no dreams too large, no innovation unimaginable and no frontier beyond our reach. During the early 2000s, South Korea was thriving with the technology revolution that had begun with the growth of electronic firms, microchips makers and computer companies. The Govt. of South Korea invested heavily in creating industrial technological ecosystem, knowledge hubs and KIST was foremost among them where ideas were exchanged and disseminated. KIST taught that the best way to create value in twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. The fusion of computing power with processing power enlightened Monalisa who not only completed her PhD in Computer Vision and Machine Learning but also gained valuable insights into the fields of Hand gesture, Object and Facial recognition. “Our robot MAHRU was solely developed for the purpose of helping the invalid or old aged people. So it is highly essential to recognize the face of the people around. Facial recognition serves the sole purpose of identifying people and maintaining a database of the faces”. At KIST, Monalisa got the notion of machines for human use where computers were embraced and set about transforming them into tools of liberation and power to the people. She went on to work on another project, a robotic path-planning where the mobile robot needed to be able to accurately identify obstacles on its path and avoid them. “Once an obstacle is detected, the robot can plan a path around and to achieve this integration we used machine learning techniques to detect objects in the surroundings”. The project heralded the dawn of a new era for visually impaired, a number of tools were later developed to improve the mobility as well as the safety of blind.       

Monalisa’s father taught her something that remained ingrained in her. “My father strongly believes”, she reflects fondly “that smartness comes not only from education but also when one gets out on their own to face the world and find their way”. Her father’s words have come back to inspire her again and again throughout her life. In 2009, Monalisa along with her husband moved to the United States. Currently she is research engineering at Iris ID Systems, Inc.  At Iris, Monalisa's research focuses on using computer vision and pattern recognition techniques for analyzing biometric traits and developing applications for identity authentication and providing access to high security facilities. The human eye is extremely complex and completely unique: there is a thin, circular structure in the eye, called Iris and like the fingerprints no two eyes have exactly the same iris patterns. Her application scans the eye, processes the image pixels, connects the dots and compares against the hundreds, thousands, or millions stored in its database. Monalisa has successfully published two patents on this subject, the first one outlines a new technology for face detection while the second patent is on detecting contact lenses in the eye.  

Monalisa Mazumdar quit her secure job at the Guwahati University to move to KIST, South Korea. A fateful decision as it was this institute that kept her on the cutting edge of computer research and enabled her to do what she believes is great work. Perhaps, our choices determine the path our life takes. It is easier and safer to say no, but if we say yes, each opportunity brings more acquaintances and open doors to even bigger opportunities.                                                                                                                                                                         ankurbora@hotmail.com   

Comments

Thanks a lot to read the untold story on Monalisa Mazumdar Connecting the dots....................
these nice articles and providing insight to such persons gives us more opportunities for young people like us. I m Pabitra i was in Nagaon Town
                                                                   Pabitra Barkakati
Thanks , Keep these gems coming
                                                                Shantikam Hazarika, Guwahati
Monalisa , Congratulations!
You should also be acknowledged for doing our AFNA logo, as well as the next one soon!
                                                              Binoy K. Bordoloi , USA
Thanks for sharing! Wonderful article about a great friend of ours, we are so proud of! We wish all success to Monalisa on her cutting edge research. Can't thank her enough for designing the new logo of AFNA that we have been using for the past 3 years or so!
                                                               Krishanu Kaushik , USA
Kudos for bringing these nice articles and providing insight to such talented folks. Monalisa,,good to read about your journey and best wishes for the future. Yes, I always fondly remember your work on AFNA's logo, a scientist with an artistic touch!
                                                               Pallav Saikia , USA

Welcoming Sri Sri

                                                                                                             Ankur Bora

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Guwahati

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar epitomizes the values of peace, love and compassion. A revered humanitarian and the founder of Art of Living ( AOL) foundation , Sri Sri  has touched and changed millions of lives. An ambassador of peace, he plays a key role in conflict resolution, spreading his vision of non-violence at public forums and gatherings worldwide. Today, Yoga and spirituality become a new sensation in India, and it is spreading all over the world. There has been an enormous increase in Yoga-related studies which is bringing the profound depth of the inner teachings of Yoga into focus. Sri Sri  is credited with bringing the essence of spirituality to the forefront.

In the West and even in India, people are most familiar with physical postures of Yoga. But yoga is more than a sophisticated system of exercises. It is a physical practice towards a spiritual goal. One of the essential practices of Yoga is Pranayama (breath control). Pranayama is a practice of breathing techniques that involve exercises that have the potential to noticeably affect not only the physical, physiological, and neural energies, but also the psychological and cerebral activities, such as memory and creativity. It is said that the practice of pranayama ushers a steady mind and awakens the body with increased life energy. Sri Sri has designed simple and accessible programs that offer tools and techniques to realize this higher state of Yoga. The teachers and volunteers of AOL are spreading the expanded awareness from the limited view of Yoga as a posture to the broader and deeper understanding of Yoga as a whole system of health and self -awareness. As Yoga has become increasingly popular as a form of exercise and stress management, a lot of people are now eager to explore its potential for spiritual growth, personal healing and living a life of more joy, enthusiasm, resiliency and purpose.

AOL foundation which was founded in 1981, today operates in 152 countries with 26,000 yoga instructors serving as volunteers. The scope of the foundation is far-reaching, from women’s empowerment programs in India to specialized treatment for cancer patients and prison inmates in the US. Currently, the foundation enjoys special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. AOL was also at the forefront of first ever International Day of Yoga celebrated on June 21th. On that day , Sri Sri gave a lecture on the benefits of yoga and was leading a demonstration by several hundred people at the UN and, through a video link, thousands on Times Square, in the city of New York.

The Northeast has been struggling with communal strife, ethnic conflicts and separatist movements for several decades. While the condition is acute in this region, the world as a whole has been getting incrementally less peaceful. We stand divided by man-made concepts of separation. The root cause of any conflict is fear and mistrust, the open strife among different group steams from the fear of losing one's identity. Sri Sri teaches that when someone is able to broaden his awareness and realizes that he is also part of the human race, his fear disappears. Sharing His core believes, Sri Sri reveals, “The differences among the followers of different faiths are marginal and it is the common points that have fundamental significance.” It is a profound and unifying message. Our religion practices, rituals and traditions may be different but the underlying spiritual values are same. Spirituality is the common thread and all paths lead to the same truth. The teaching of Yoga is that every-one of us are part of the whole; no matter what our beliefs, we were born together into humanity.

Sri Sri  with FARC leaders

This enduring message of peace, love and compassion is profoundly transforming the lives of millions all over the world. In the month of June 2015 , a peace accord was signed between the Leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Government. The truce, announced on June 29, 2015 in Havana, was initiated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, after he had a series of meetings with Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos and FARC. The insurgent group had been fighting a 50 year-old guerilla war against the state. Tens of thousands of Colombians had died caught in the crossfires of violence. The truce, as such, is a monumental effort on part of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. In a statement, FARC commander Ivan Marquez said he was happy to meet the Indian guru: “Spiritual wisdom, much need in the talks, was missing. We will work for peace and justice for all the people of Colombia.” The Colombia Government , in turn , has conferred Sri Sri with Colombia's highest civilian award for his contribution to peace.

India is home to unparalleled tradition of spirituality.  In spiritual matters India is always the teacher to the mankind. Through the ancient tradition of Yoga, philosophy of Vedanta and the Classics of Indian Spirituality i.e. Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, India has been promoting interfaith harmony, peace and universal spiritual brotherhood. Nowhere else in the world one can find such profound and deep spirituality; India has won the hearts of people all over the world since time immemorial. Swami Vivekananda took part at the maiden World Parliament of religion, Chicago in 1893, as a representative of Hinduism. But his message was so universal that Vivekananda became the representative of all religions of the world. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar imbibed this spiritual vision of Vivekananda – to consider everybody as his own, dear and near and as sisters and brothers.

We are glad to know that Sri Sri  is attending peace conference at the invitation of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia. It is a remarkable positive development and we sincerely hope that this will usher a lasting peace in the region. While discussing ways of achieving sustainable peace in Colombia, Sri Sri made a poignant observation, "In this conflict, everyone should be considered as victims. And inside every culprit, there is a victim crying for help." Let’s there be a peace and reconciliation in Assam, let’s heal the wound of sufferers, lets the long lost son unite with the weeping mother.

In the World Parliament of religion, while others addressed the gathering as “Ladies and Gentlemen” Vivekananda addressed them as “Sisters and Brothers.” Thus, Swamiji won the hearts of millions of people. If the mare expression of the words Sisters and Brothers can create such an impact, what can be the effect if we all accept each other as sisters and brothers? While welcoming Sri Sri to Assam and North East, let’s hope that his message of goodness, kindness, and love spreads and unites all. If a human being thinks in term of goodwill for all, there can be no conflict, no strife at all. When we associate goodness with our lives, nurture it, there is no reason why we should disown or run down one another. Let’s the spirit of human solidarity and kinship grow, let’s foster greater friendship, respect and understanding among all and let’s contribute toward a more peaceful world.

                                                                        ankurbora@hotmail.com

Paathshaala

                                                                                                           Ankur Bora

Nagaon uchch maadhyamik vidyalaya is one of the oldest schools in Assam established on November 17^th in the year 1865 by the then British Government. It was from here that fondest memories of my school and my teachers began to take shape. It was 1980 and I was admitted to grade five. Our classroom was situated in a plain thatched house separate from the main building. There was a huge banyan tree and in a clear day, we would go out and stand under the grand old tree reciting loud the Morning Prayer. Some of my teachers were phenomenal – they played a vital role enriching our nascent mind into the vista of science, chasm of geography, axioms of geometry and the mosaic of the world literature. They taught us discipline, punctuality, neatness, hard work – qualities which still sustain many of us.

Late Rohit Chandra Bezbaruah 

Rohit Chandra Bezbaruah was my first teacher, a multifaceted man whom we respected a great deal. In those days, we didn’t have enough teachers. Some of the teachers taught multiple subjects and moved from one class to another without rest during the whole day. I recall, Bezbaruah sir, working himself to the bone to ensure that all the subjects in the curriculum were covered. He had magic in his words and held us spellbound. He made even arid subject like history absolutely scintillating. His voice boomed during history lessons as he regaled us with the stories of the great freedom fighters of India. Some of us became eloquent with a good command and knowledge of these subjects and later won many prizes during interschool debates and quiz competitions.

Bezbaruah sir made great sacrifice which we came to know much later. Every day morning, he would ride his bicycle from his village to our town, attend the school and return back home. Throughout the long period, he waded through flooded road in the rainy season and endured the scorching heat in summer to implant knowledge in us. Of all the life lessons that Sir taught me, I remember the one that shaped my life the most – One day we were taken to the banyan tree as Bezbaruah narrated the story of Arjuna.  “Son, what all do you see?” – While everyone else failed, Arjuna stated without hesitation, “I see the eye of the fish.” It is a simple parable that revels profound truth, our sir explained, “Look only at the eye of the fish, each time, every time”    

Late Pranab Barua 

Kallol Chritrangana, the only art school in our town, ushered me into a new world made wonderful and enthralling by its founder Pranab Baruah. Barua sir was a teacher, not so much in what he taught, but in how he lived his life and looked at the world. The image that shaped me most as an ardent art lover was the memory of Pranab Barua in his studio. The studio at his house, a paradise like abode by Kolong paar, had been a constant source of curiosity for me. I recall, every other day after school, I would go to watch as he with pencils and then with touch of brushes created those magical portraits.  Barua sir taught us never to be afraid to do something different, have courage and follow our heart.

Late Madhab Chandra Bora 

Jorhat Engineering College, Computer Science department was established in the year 1987 under the guidance of Dr. Madhab Chandra Bora and we were the second batch of Engineering. I loved computer and the prospects of Information Technology was alluring. However, after admission I realized that the department was in a primitive stage, there were few teachers, computers were scarce, even the basic textbooks were not available. I thought I was stuck. It was Bora sir who stood tall before us and inspired the much needed confidence in us. One day he asked the questions that still seem to me so simple and profound. “What is it you love?” he asked. And then, “Where is the most adventurous place you could do it?”  It was a moment of awakening, a lightbulb that revealed a truth that stayed with me for a lifetime; I eventually, got through that place, indeed, the most adventurous in the planet.

Microsoft, Redmond, United States:  It had been a grueling interview lasting several rounds and I was specially flown to the Microsoft headquarter for the final. I was greeted by the head of the interview panel, a senior manager of Japanese origin who ushered me to his office. I was making satisfactory progress until I encountered the question, “Why should Microsoft hire you?” I was startled by the fiery energy of the query as if the hiring decision would be made on my response. It was at this juncture that I remembered the little story of Arjuna and the Fish Eye. “My teacher taught me attention, dedication, determination” I began to answer with equal intensity. The panel members nodded approvingly, the Japanese manager thanked me for the simple wisdom I had shared, as if a lesson from one ancient culture had struck a deeply resonant chord with a person from another ancient culture.

As I began driving back home triumphant, my heart filled with the joyous sound and the brave words of Bezbaruah sir - Look only at the eye of the fish, each time, every time. The vast, deep and blue sky seemed to nod in unison - to the life lesson at my paathshaala.

                                                                                                            ankurbora@hotmail.com

Masterclass

                                                                                                      Ankur Bora

Rangam Rajkhowa began his journey from Guwahati where he finished his schooling from Cotton Collegiate School. He followed his passion for engineering and did his graduation in textile technology in 1995, a subject considered as outlier during that time.  After securing all India 2nd Rank in Graduate Apptitude Test in Engineering in Textile Rangam completed  a Master’s degree on Fibre Science and Technology at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. After working for a few years in industry, teaching and research institutions in India, he decided to move to an African country which turned out to best thing in his career.

AssamTribune , Horizon 18th August 2017

There are some moments in life that are like pivots around which your existence turns and for Rangam it was his five years stint in Ethiopia. Unlike many others back home in India, for whom a government or a corporate job was the only attractive proposition, Rangam had an outrageous idea and he took that leap of faith to follow his calling. In the year 2000, Rangam arrived in Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia to work as a teaching staff. At Bahir Dar, on the shore of magnificent Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, he designed, over a long period of five years, an undergraduate program in textile engineering, worked assiduously to prepare the blueprint of a textile research institute and taught as an Assistant Professor at the local university. “Despite having few serious problems, I found my experience quite amazing and also quite opposite to the common perception of an African country. I went there for 2 years but ended up staying for more than 5 years. For the first time I had chance to work with people from different parts of the world including volunteers from the western world. Opportunities to work with people with diverse backgrounds and cultures and learning new skills were immensely useful”.  Going to Ethiopia was a watershed moment in his career, Rangam was able to challenge and break down the walls of conformity and stereotypes; the know-how provided him a lot of confidence as  he was rewarded with a fellowship to work at Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).

At AWI and subsequently in various research institutes in Australia,  Rangam got the opportunity to develop new products like combining Australian merino wool and Eri silk from Assam,  developing fabrication and characterization of biomaterial film from Muga silk  and application of silk in medical implants. The main focus point in his research was a through and well-rounded study of structures of fibres. “Silk is made of various amino acids; the composition and way they are connected in a fibre are different in different silk. Understanding such aspects can provide new insights. We found that Eri silk can absorb certain ions much more than other while Muga has strong UV absorbing properties. Hence these fibres may be used for novel applications” – Rangam explains.

The realm of Textile Engineering and research offers real-world, industry-applicable experience. The researchers perform hands-on experiments with the latest technology in the field whilst collaborating across disciplines including with industry leaders. There has been growing awareness about the serious environment impacts of textile materials. Denim, leading apparel worldwide, is also known to cause widespread pollution as old denim products are dumped in landfills and the dye run-off is discharged in water. Rangam and his team, recently, developed a unique process that produces ultrafine particles from used denim, thus efficiently recycling post-consumer denim products and use the recycled materials in coloured powder form to create new denim. The concept ‘Denim-dyed denim’ was an entry in the ‘Global Change Award 2015’ a competition in which in which the winners get monetary support to take their innovation to industry. The team was one of five winners, out of a total of 2885 entries from 130 countries, to share the prize of $150,000.

 The quest for knowledge has shaped our present world and we must be tireless if we hope to improve our lives and humanity. The connection available between the College of textiles and the industry is endless and Dr. Rangam Rajkhowa has come a long way to make the most of it. In his PhD thesis in 2009 at Deakin University, Rangam dwelt on the topic of repairing hard tissue defects and proposed developing medical equipment from natural fibres such as silk and wool. Traditional knowledge systems from Assam given its vast wealth of natural fibers formed a central part of his research thrust. Over the next decade, Rangam continued to follow the trajectory, assessing different silk fibres sourced from India, eventually pioneering a new method to treat raptured eardrum.

An eardrum, a thin membrane that separates the ear canal and the middle ear, when ruptured, is called a perforated eardrum, which can lead to complications such as middle ear infections and hearing loss. Up to 330 million people worldwide suffer chronic eardrum perforation and the usual treatment is a specialised surgery requiring lengthy and repeated procedure. The alternative being developed by Dr. Rangam Rajkhowa involves using fine silk membranes. The researchers are using the natural proteins from silk fibres to produce the artificial eardrum. The product called ClearDrum, looks like a contact lens, super-thin, strong, flexible, and biodegradable and can be implanted in a simple outpatient procedure. Rangam and the team have recently received a National Health and Medical Research Council development grant and hope to start conducting clinical trials in humans in Australia in 2018.

‘‘It is very satisfying that my journey continues to be one that benefits people,’’ – The odyssey of Rangam Rajkhowa, from his school days in his home state of Assam to Bahir Dar and then to Deakin, has shown that geographical limitations are never a hindrance to flow of ideas and paths to success. Let’s his story stimulate, motivate and guide the new generation; let’s our students go beyond the comfort zone, solve problems of the real world in their classroom and let it be a masterclass.                                                              ankurbora@hotmail.com