[Assam] Book on social leader Ramesh Kouli released at Dhemaji (The Assam Tribune, 01.03.2009)

[Buljit Buragohain]

Book on social leader Ramesh Kouli released at Dhemaji

  GUWAHATI,
Feb 28 – A book on lawyer, social worker and a leader of the masses
Ramesh Mohan Kouli titled, Jananeta Ramesh Mohan Kouli : Karmajiwan Aru
Byaktitta was released on February 15 at the Dhemaji session of the
70th edition of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, a press release said. 

Published
by the reception committee of the sabha, the book edited by Niranjan
Kouli, has over 40 articles and poems in English and Assamese. Some
noteworthy contribution articles are written by the Kouli’s
contemporaries, like Ramani Barman, Pramode Gogoi, Mal Chandra Pegu,
literatteur Homen Borgohain, journalists Anil Baruah, Padma Patar,
scholars Tabu Taid and Durgeswar Doley, among others.

All these
articles reveal different aspects of the late leader’s life. The book
also has a section on the late leader’s role in the Assam Assembly and
a section of photographs.

The following are some highlights of
the late leader’s life which find mention in the book. Born on March 1,
1929, late Kouli was a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly and a
Minister for Flood Control, Welfare of Plains Tribes and Backward
Classes in Golap Borbora’s cabinet. He may be termed as Bhimrao
Ambedkar of Assam because of his efforts to uplift the downtrodden. As
a minister, late Kouli was instrumental in the passage of the landmark
Bill — the Assam Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of
Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act, 1978.

As a leader, late
Kouli’s contribution towards the uplift of the backward people of Assam
is noteworthy. He played an important role along with late Lakhi Dutta
in setting up of the Dibrugarh University. Under his able leadership
several other educational and health institutions were set up, the most
notable among these being science section of DHSK Kanoi College,
Dibrugarh, Dhemaji Civil Hospital, Dhemaji College, Silapathar College
etc.

In Guwahati, due to late Kouli’s efforts and intervention,
residents of Hengrabari, mostly belonging to the tribal communities
were able to continue residing there, despite efforts by the then
government to shift them in order to acquire their land for setting up
an industrial exhibition park.

Another notable contribution of
late Kouli was towards rehabilitation and resettlement of hundreds of
victims of the 1950 earthquake of Sivasagar Dihingmukh area in the
Larua Mouza of Dibrugarh.

Late Kouli, who gave up a promising
career in the Assam Civil Service as a project officer, dedicated his
entire life for the uplift of the backward classes of Assam. As a
leader of the All Assam Tribal Sangha, he took several steps for tribal
welfare. Ramesh Mohan Kouli died in 1991 at the age of 61. His
contributions cannot be forgotten. This book under reference is an
endeavour to chronicle the contribution of this great leader.

 (The Assam Tribune,01.03.2009)



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