"Harinarayan Duttabarua was a symbol of hard work, study, and dedicated industry," said Dr. Pradip Jyoti Mahanta in the HNDB Memorial Lecture.

BONGAIGAON TIMES : GUWAHATI: 27 FEBRUARY 2024: 

"Harinarayan Dutta Barua's contribution to education, literature, and the publishing industry elevated the intellectual and social life of Assam," stated Dr. Pradip Jyoti Mahanta during the 4th Hari Narayan Dutta Baruah Memorial Lecture held at the Harinarayan Dutta Barua Central Library Hall of Assam down town University today.

Dr. Mahanta, a former professor at Tezpur University, highlighted Dutta Barua's unimaginable contribution to the collection, editing, and publication of Vaishnavait literature in Assam. This year's memorial lecture was titled 'The Influence of Religious Books on the Social Life of Assam and the Contribution of Harinarayan DuttaBaruah.'

The library, named after HariNarayan DuttaBaruah, is the largest institution of its kind. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the library last year.

The event commenced with the recitation of Ghosha by popular singer Sharat Rag. Dr. Mahanta, President of Assam Sahitya Sabha Dr. Suryakant Hazarika, Dr. Paramananda Majumdar, Vishwa Dutta, Jyotindra Narayan Dutta Barua (the youngest son of Harinarayan Dutta Barua), and others participated in the ceremonial lamp lighting. The main event featured a Borgeet performance by university students trained by renowned Borgeet artist Anant Oja. Dr. Suryakanta Hazarika, the Chief Guest, explained Harinarayan Dutta Barua's contribution to the printing and publishing world of Assam, emphasizing the publication of Chitrabhagavat. Following the speech, Dr. Hazarika and Dr. Eva Hazarika, on behalf of the SH Educational Foundation, donated several valuable books, including an illustrated Kirtan Ghosha, to the library, which were handed over to the University Chancellor, Dr. Narendra Nath Dutta.

The meeting, anchored by Dr. Rubi Goswami, was attended by renowned writers Dr. Paramananda Majumder, Swapnanil Baruah, photographer Samir Chowdhury, and various members of the Harinarayan Dutta Barua family. The program concluded with a Satriya dance performed by university students, followed by the screening of two research documentaries on cultural and ethnological issues produced by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University. While primarily serving university students, the library will also be accessible to outside researchers, with various book discussions already held in the adjoining meeting room. Notably, popular writer Durjay Dutta has recently been engaging with students in such meetings.