Sri Janardan Pathak
Distinguished Gandhian, social worker and veteran freedom fighter Sri Janardan Pathak has been awarded the ‘Amal Prabha Das honour 2013’ by Social Welfare Department of Assam Government in a solemn function held at majestic Joi Sing Doloi auditorium today in Diphu.
The legendary 94 year-old personality was honoured with a citation, one Assamese traditional wrapping salang, one brass plate Safura and a checque worth rupees 60,000/-. Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council also paid reverence to Sri. Pathak with a time-honoured Karbi jacket and a checque worth rupees 50,000/-. Hill Areas Development Minister of Assam Government Khorsing Engti presented the award on behalf of the government.
“Jana Sevak Janardan” a biography of Sri Janardan Pathak by Pabitra Bora was grandly released in the official award giving ceremony organized by various departments of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
In the function present among others was MP of Hill areas and close friend of Sri Pathak Biren Sing Engti, Chief Executive Member of KAAC Tuli Ram Ronghang, Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong Mukul Gogoi, Executive Members of KAAC and highly placed bureaucrats. An official quote or citation was released jointly by Hemango Prasad Sharma IAS Commissioner and Secretary and Dilip Borthakur Director of Social Welfare Department to mark the occasion.
The Government of Assam, department of Social Welfare is extending this award annually to various outstanding personalities to commemorate prolific social worker and illustrious Gandhi an Lt. Mrs. Amal Prabha Das and Sri Pathak is the recipient of the award for the year 2013.
Sri Janardan Pathak was born in the year 1921 and passed high school from Tihu of Barpata district later he did his intermediate from Balwant Rajput College of Agra in 1943 and completed his graduation in Commerce stream from GRL College of Wordha. During his college days in Wordha he came close to Gandhi and became frequent visitor of Sebagram asylum of Gandhi.
Pathak after returning to Assam dedicated himself for national liberation movement and an ardent follower of Gandhi. On the instruction of Father of the Nation he established a Leprosy eradication centre at Silonijan locality of Karbi Anglong district.
In his later years, he established numerous educational centres through meticulous effort; his contribution towards elimination of social evils like alcohol, ban drugs, prostitution etc is enormous. He married with a Karbi woman and settled in Bokajan subdivision, he is the proud father of five daughters and five sons who are well established in life now but a constant social worker has not retired from life yet, to express in his favourite reference “I have miles to go before I sleep……”
