Shillong, march 06: The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, Regional Office, Shillong has organized a three-day Photo Exhibition & Outreach Activity to celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava at NIT Meghalaya, Shillong.
The exhibition showcases the freedom struggle of India through a series of photo exhibits. Director i/c, NIT Meghalaya, Prof. Ayon Bhattacharjee, who inaugurated the photo exhibition today, appreciated the efforts of CBC Shillong for organizing the multimedia exhibition and urged students to visit the exhibition.
He said that the photo exhibition on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by CBC provides an opportunity to go back to the era of Indian freedom struggle and live those times. Amrit Mahotsav is the celebration of India’s matchless achievement in a short span of 75 years.
The purpose is also to make people aware about our rich history and heritage, he added. He also appealed to all the participants to uphold and work towards the dreams that our Freedom Fighters envisioned for this country and to follow the core values that inspired the freedom movement.
Praising the brave hearts of Meghalaya – U Tirot Singh, U Kiang Nangbah and Pa Togan Sangma, Prof Atanu Banerjee, Dean i/c Students Welfare & Academics, NIT Meghalaya, Shillong said that through the photo panels displayed in this exhibition, we can learn about the unsung heroes of the Northeast whose contribution for the Independent India had been immense.
He expressed his belief that this kind of exhibition will go a long way in educating the people, and the students in particular, about the supreme sacrifice made by our Freedom Fighters for the cause of the motherland.
Dr Moushumi Dey, Faculty Member, History Dept Women’s College, Shillong spoke in detail on the “Ladies Freedom Fighters: Unsung Heroes of Meghalaya”.
She with pride narrated the valor showed by a few of the women freedom fighters from the Northeast among the many, viz, Ka Phan Nonglait of Meghalaya, Manorama Banerjee of Tripura, Rani Gaidinliu of Manipur, Helen Lepcha of Sikkim and Kanaklata Baruah of Assam
She said, “The contributions of the women freedom fighters are equal to that of the men with whom they lent their support shoulder to shoulder. It is high time that we as true Indians, rightfully recognize and honour all the unsung brave hearts and real assets of our freedom struggle, whose sacrifices and efforts culminated towards the ultimate goal of attaining freedom from the British yoke”.
She said that there is a need to educate the younger generations about the lives of these forgotten historical figures. “This is crucial in order to make them understand the true history and to fill them with a sense of pride and patriotism towards their people and community. This will also instill in them the courage and confidence to fight against forces that attempt to weaken their identity”, she added.
She exclaimed that most history textbooks have little to no reference to the history, culture or traditions of this region. This needs to be changed, which can be done with the active involvement of the people of the region and educate the rest of the country about the contributions made by the freedom-fighters, intellectuals, artists and sportspersons from the North-East towards the building of a modern India, she added.
Shri Sudipta Kar, Field Publicity Officer gave an overview of the functioning, structure and working of CBC in the region. Speaking about the exhibition, Shri Kar said that it is an effort to familiarize people with the objectives and vision behind Amrit Mahotsav and how people can be a part of the campaign.He also briefed the audience about various outreach activities that will be organized for the dissemination of information to the grassroots.
The photo exhibition is part of the various outreach activities being organized by CBC, Shillong during this year as part of the 75th year of Independence.The Exhibition is open to the public till 9th March, 2023 during which people may visit the exhibition. Quiz, speech competition and drawing competitions are lined up during these days.
