Assamese writer-lyricist Gunamoni Bora conferred with Jiten Deka Memorial Award

By Prantik Deka*
The quintessential “Mor shukula ghora” is one of those enduring Assamese compositions that people of all ages continue to enjoy to this day. The peerless performer Jiten Deka, who endeared himself into the hearts of audiences through his soulful renditions, rose from a very humble background to become a major artiste of our times.
Though the singer has bid farewell to the mortal world, the unmatched passion and intensity of his music and lyrics are forever embedded in everyone's hearts. He was often praised by his peers not just for his musical talents but also because he embodied certain warmth and innocence, and generosity.
An engrossing function organised by Srotoswini – a socio-cultural organisation -- was held at the premises of Gauhati Artists’ Guild on January 26, to mark the beloved singer's 71st birthday, coinciding with the country's 75th Republic Day.
The function celebrated the singer's remarkable achievements by conferring the Jiten Deka Memorial Award 2023 to Assam's eminent writer-lyricist Gunamoni Bora, who happens to share the same birth date. Over the years, Bora's songs, rendered by a number of renowned Assamese singers, including Jiten Deka, have been a regular feature of AIR Guwahati's Geetimalika programme.
On the occasion, the special guests and celebrities who graced the occasion, including noted musician JP Das, actor and former Deputy Director General, AIR, Dinesh Das, noted singer Mridula Das, musician and former station director, AIR, Abani Pathak, noted composer Bipul Baruah, among others, celebrated the 80th birthday of Gunamoni Bora with a little cake cutting ceremony.
Popular singer Munindra Saikia paid a glowing tribute to Jiten Deka with a new song 'Ahin Oha Baat', which was released on the occasion. The song written by Jiten Deka and musically scored by Tapan Das, is beautifully rendered by Saikia. The function got going with a chorus performance based on a Jiten Deka composition performed by the members of the 'Meghbarna' group.
Jiten Deka has been an inspiration for many aspiring singers and musicians in the state. The guests spoke about their association with the artiste in addition to his illustrious musical journey.
Most importantly, Deka's compositions brought him wide appreciation among the new generation artistes, which was evident during the function as a number of talented upcoming singers enchanted the audience with their renditions of his evergreen compositions.
They were Munmi Devi, David Singha, Brisha Bharadwaj, Upasana Barman, Sanskrita Malakar, Bijuli Goswami, Pratul Goswami, Madhusmita Rabha, Jiten Deka's youngest son Sudarshan Prabir Deka.
It's heartening to see this illustrious musician being appreciated for his wonderful talents following his passing.
The function was beautifully compered by Hemanta Nath.

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog