Cotton bid to end militancy

Alumni association’s meet on March 29 to give shape to plan

Guwahati, March 25 : From balladeer Bhupen Hazarika to principal scientist in India’s moon mission Jitendranath Goswami, Cotton College has produced some of the most ignited minds in the country. Today, the alumni of the century-old college announced an ambitious plan, Millennium Development Issues, to play a key role in bringing about socio-political solution to the region’s insurgency problem and overall economic development. Anil Kumar Goswami, president of the Cotton College Alumni Association said talented Cottonians in different fields, who could really contribute towards development of the region, would join hands for the purpose. The association will constitute chapters across the country as well as abroad to unite ex-Cottonians for the endeavour. The local chapters of the alumni association have already been constituted in Shillong, Jorhat, Duliajan, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar.  “Recently we visited the worst insurgency-hit states like Manipur and Nagaland and discussed with various groups to solve the problems. A meeting of the association, scheduled to be held on March 29, will give a concrete shape to the plan. Most of the successful politicians from the region are products of the college and thus they could really make a difference if brought together,” Goswami said. Kamalesh Choudhury, the vice-president of the alumni association, said the association would go for a massive drive to contact past Cottonians and make them registered members of the association.  “I suggest that the college charge alumni fees from all present Cottonians and keep their proper and complete address. Such a practice will help present generation of Cottonians to become members soon after they leave the college,” Choudhury said. Indra Kumar Bhattacharyya, the principal of Cotton College and a member of the association, said the college has a glorious history and the future should be equally bright. “Jitendranath Goswami, who visited the college last year and interacted with present students, said Assam was full of talent and he would come forward to help those who aspired to be associated with India’s space research project. He promised to help the college in introducing a diploma course in the field of space research under the Indian Space Research Organisation. This is an example how the alumni could help in bringing about changes in the present scenario,” a member of the association said.