Guwahati, 31 August (HS): The Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University, organised a two-day Sanskrit Day Festival under the joint auspices of the Acharya Umakanta Dev Sharma Foundation and the BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute, New Delhi.

The programme began with Saraswati Vandana and a welcome song presented by students of the Sanskrit Department. Research scholar Hiya Shri Rai conducted the event.

Prof. Kameshwar Shukla, Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University, in his welcome address, spoke about the history and tradition of observing World Sanskrit Day and Sanskrit Week on Shravani Purnima.

As part of the festival, state-level Sanskrit Shlokavritti and speech competitions were organised for school, college, university students and research scholars. Winners were felicitated with cash prizes, certificates, traditional uttariyas and mementoes.

The Acharya Umakanta Dev Sharma Foundation conferred the “Vani Vibhuti” honour on Smt. Mrinalini Devi, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad and the “Vaishnava Vaibhava” honour on Dr. Babul Chandra Das, Budha Satradhikar of Barpeta Satra.

Dr. Babul Chandra Das, Smt. Mrinalini Devi, Assam Legislative Assembly Secretary Rajiv Bhattacharyya and Foundation Secretary Jyotirmoy Sharma also addressed the gathering.

The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Jagadish Sharma, Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University.----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash