Pandu College hosts the 3rd Pranab Kumar Das Memorial Annual Lecture

 

Guwahati, March 23, 2026: The Department of English of Pandu College successfully organized the 3^rd Pranab Kumar Das Memorial Annual Lecture Programme on Monday which was attended by distinguished guests, faculty members and students from various departments of the college.

This event was presided over by the Vice Principal Dr. Chandana Sinha Roy under the leadership of Dr. Mridul Das, Head of the Department of English, Pandu College. The programme was sponsored by Dr. Anup Kumar Das and Ms Pallabi Konwar to commemorate the memory of the late distinguished young scholar who was a close friend of Dr. Das. The Organizing Committee is comprised of Miss Ashmita Chakraborty, Mr. Rupam Bhujel, Dr. Anindita Hazarika and Miss Dayeeta Patikar who ensured the smooth functioning of the event.

The highlight of the event was the lecture on the topic “Echoes of Yandabo: Literature, Memory and Imagining a Nation.” delivered by Dr. Sandipan Pathok, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Pandu College. In his lecture, Dr. Pathok provided a historical overview of the Burmese Invasions of Assam and the circumstances leading to the Treaty of Yandabo. He argued that although the treaty did not legally authorize the British East India Company to rule Assam, colonial narratives justified annexation by invoking the memory of Burmese invasions.

He further explained that the replacement of Assamese as the official language in 1836 marked the beginning of Assamese nationalism, which was further strengthened by the formation of the Chief Commissioner’s Province of Assam in 1874. Dr. Pathok highlighted how the introduction of colonial education brought new ideas such as liberalism, equality and progress. He noted that literary developments, including novels and vernacular print media, played a vital role in constructing Assamese identity, eventually merging with the broader Indian freedom movement. He concluded by asserting that the Treaty of Yandabo remains a landmark not only in political history of Assam but also as a transformative moment in Assamese identity and literature.

The annual lecture, now in its third consecutive year, is organized as a tribute to the late Pranab Kumar Das. Remembered as a brilliant scholar, Pranab Kumar Das hailed from Dhing, Nagaon. Despite financial hardships, he excelled academically, securing the 10^th position in HSLC with highest marks in Social Studies and Bengali. He completed his graduation from Nowgong College (now Nagaon University) and pursued his Master’s in English from Tezpur University. He later qualified the UGC NET examination twice and worked as an Assistant Professor at Shivaji College, University of Delhi until his untimely demise. Since 2024, the Department of English has been organizing this lecture series in his memory to encourage the young scholars and promote socio-literary discourse. The previous lectures of the series were delivered by Dr. Ankita Dubey, Assistant Professor, Lakshmibai College, University of Delhi and by Dr. Kalpana Bora, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Cotton University.