Three personalities were awarded by the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Centre (SNGCC) during its 20th annual celebration and 169th birth anniversary of philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru.
The event was held at the Oneness Center in Jingkieng here today.
Project Manager of the Foundation for Ecological Security, Meghalaya, Sutanuka Deb was conferred with the Sree Narayana Guru Social Work/Service Award for her dedicated outreach to the rural communities attending to public health, disaster management, training and preparing grassroot workers, working in the areas of women and children empowerment.
Principal of Gorkha Secondary School, Upper Shillong, Ujjal Kumar Rai was awarded for Education/Literary for his design and implementation of a novel unit of study focused on teaching therapeutic reasoning in the context of ever-changing education scenarios to a multicultural community of students from economic backgrounds, guiding them in sporting activities and inter-school dramatics thereby ensuring the holistic development of his students.
Founder & Proprietor, Pine Hills Creamery, Meghalaya’s first cheese making business focusing on artisanal and natural cheese, Melvin Manners got the Entrepreneurship Award.
National Law University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Indrajit Dube attended the function as the chief guest. During his speech praised the SNGCC in preserving Guru’s wisdom and teachings. He recalled the principle of ahimsa (non-harming others) and the universal and unitive outlook on life as expressed in Guru Narayana’s motto ‘One Caste’ (or race), ‘One Religion’ (or faith), ‘One God’ (or supreme goal).
Basan of Nongkseh, Nathaniel Thangkhiew spoke about the Syiemship and recalled the works of a civil servant and writer from Sylhet, Syed Murtaza Ali, about the earliest Jaintiapur Kingdom covering present day Jaintia Hills and Bangladesh. He referred to a copperplate inscription of Raja Badagosayi – who was the Raja of Jaintiapur in 1770.
Thangkhiew also mentioned the importance of land in the local tribal milieu and the prevalence of Hinduism over the Jaiñtia Kingdom establishing the historical roots and indigenous local faiths.
SNGCC President, ES Mawlong also spoke on the occasion. The celebration was marked by a cultural programme presented by the students of Sengbhalang Secondary School, Laitlum.
