Yes Mamoni Indira Goswami declined Padmashri which was conferred to her after she already won Jnyanpith in 2000. Generally people winning the Jnyanpith (the highest literary honor in India)awards like Amrita Pritam, Mahadevi Varma, Mahesweta Devi etc have been bestowed higher awards like Padma vibhushan. So most probabaly it was refused on "principle". Regards
Chittaranjan Pathak --- "Alpana B. Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: --------------------------------- Thanks for the information. Very well put. Also, it is great to see the names of these Assamese writers. Is GOA too busy to find any of the reknowned writes that are mentioned here. They have been writing and making the Assamese literature and culture for decades - even people living outside of Assam for decades know about their contribution. How could they've been missed? I have been out of Assam for many many years, but heard of Hare Krishna Deka, Bhaben Barua, et el also being talented literary writers. >winner Mamoni Roysam Goswami is also not a Padma award >winner. If Assam government could nominate Shillong If I remember correctly, Mamoni R. Goswami was awarded 'Padmashri' after she won the 'Gnan-Pith' award, but she declined it for whatever reason. - A. Sarangapani Spring, Texas. USA. --------------------------------- From: chittaranjan pathak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: assam@assamnet.org Subject: [Assam] Padmashri PadmaBhushan etc and Assam Government Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:17:20 -0800 (PST) >Dear All >I am Chittaranjan Pathak, originally from Guwahati and >presently based in Perth, Australia. This is my first >posting to the group. Though-this is a pertinent topic >and requers debate and eventual action. Yes-terrorism >dominates the discussions pertaining to Assam. But >then life must go on other fronts too. >This years only Padmashri winner from Assam is Ms. >Temsula Ao. I never heard the name before. A quick >internet search revealed that she authored a book >called These hills called home-stories from a war >zone. She is a professor in English at NEHU in >Shillong. She is a poet and writes in English. As I >have never gone through Ms. Aos work I am not capable >of commenting whether she deserves a Padmashri for >literature or not. But this years Padmashri places >her with likes of Amitav Ghosh and Vikram Seth who >also have been awarded Padmashri for literature this >year. In Assams context a Padmashri officially >places her in the same category as Dr. Surjya Kumar >Bhuya, Nalini Bala Devi, Ananda Chandra Barua, Atul >Chandra Hazarika, Dr. Maheswar Neog, Rong Bong Terong, >Bhabendra Nath Saikia etc. >And this sets me thinking that all is not well on >nomination front. It is a known fact that many a time >government presents these awards to those luminaries >who are cozy with those in power. And sometimes these >are given in a placatory manner to people belonging to >some communities. Ms Aos nomination from Assam raises >the following questions: >As far as I am aware these awards are nominated by the >government of the nominees state of domicile. Assams >Parveen Sultana was nominated for Padmashri by >Maharashtra government, or Bhupen Hazarika for Padma >Bhushan by Delhi or Mrinal Miri for Padma Bhushan by >Meghalaya or Dr. Robin Banerjee by Assam. Nomination >of Ms. Ao who is working and living in Meghalaya by >Assam government is surprising. This frustratingly >points towards Assam governments lackadaisical >attitude in nominating deserving candidates from the >state for these awards. Otherwise far more known and >popular litterateurs living in Assam like Homen >Borgohain, Hiren Bhattacharya, Nalinidhar >Bhattacharjya, Hiren Gohain would not have remained >officially unrecognized. Had they been from >neighboring West Bengal, they would have got the >Jnyanpeeth and Padma bhushan/bibhushan by now. And >interestingly only Assamese living Jnyanpeeth award >winner Mamoni Roysam Goswami is also not a Padma award >winner. If Assam government could nominate Shillong >based Ms. Ao for Padmashri then they could have also >nominated Delhi based Mamoni Roysom Goswami for Padma >award under literary category. But her recent >hobnobbing with ULFA as a peace intermediary made her >very unlikely government choice and Assam government >can be excused for not doing any thing to officially >confer an award on the authoress as it would have >looked like appeasement at the moment. But what about >people like Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, Jogesh Das, >Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, Hem Barua, Mitradev >Mahanta, Binanda Chandra Barua, Ambika Giri Rai >Choudhury, Bishnuprasad Rabha, Tarunchandra Pamegam, >Phani Sarma, Parbati Prasad Barua, Lila Gogoi, Raghu >Nath Choudhary and numerous others? All these people >were alive and at their creative best when these >awards were being annually conferred starting from >early fifties.In case of Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, >he received the highest literary award "Jnyanpeeth" >from non governmental sector but Assam government did >not even nominate him for Padmashri leave aside Padma >Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan. >Neighboring Manipur always conscientiously nominates >deserving candidates for these state awards. A small >state like Manipur has got 28 Padmashri awardees so >far where as Assam with 10 times more population has >produced only 35 Padmashri award winners. Compare this >with some 120 from WB or some 350 from Delhi!! And >when it comes to higher awards like Padma Bhushan or >Padma Vibhushan, situation is more pathetic. Only >Padma Vibhushan awardees from NE is Bimala Prasad >Chaliha where as WB has got some 25 awardees in this >category. A three times population ratio and more >vibrant art and culture scenario of the neighboring >state also does justify such a dismally low ratio of >1:25. >Intent is not to lament Ms Aos winning of Padmashri >but to point towards Assam Governments total lack of >sincerity in nominating many other deserving >candidates. >Yes many of these people will never clamor for such >official awards and many of us do not attach much >significance to such recognition by Delhi government, >but still collectively for the region it is a matter >of pride and honor when some one is chosen for Padma >awards. Frankly speaking non-Assamese IAS bureaucrats >will not take much trouble in nominating deserving >candidates for these awards. They will succumb to >easier and less time consuming procedure of quick >political nomination. >Can the members of Assamnet who belong to various >resident and non resident Assamese organizations act >as a watch dog or pressure group to put forwards names >of deserving people from the state to be considered >for such state honors? >By the way it is a rare distinction for NEHU- last >year its VC Mrinal Miri was awarded Padma Bhushan and >this year another professor Ms. Ao with Padmashri. >Another distinction-except for Indira Gandhi and Rajiv >Gandhi, Indira Miri and Mrinal Miri could be the only >mother and son duo to win the Padma awards. > >Best regards >Chittaranjan Pathak >Perth Australia > > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________ >Never Miss an Email >Stay connected with Yahoo! Mail on your mobile. 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