St. John Bosco's Bicentenary Birth Year Inaugurated in Guwahati By Bivan MukhimGuwahati, Aug. 24. The Bicentenary birth year of Saint John Bosco (1815-2015), was officially inaugurated on August 23rd,2014, at the auditorium of Don Bosco School, Panbazar, Guwahati. Honorable Minister Pradyut Bordoloi, minister of Education, Power and industries, Government of Assam, graced the occasion as president of the function, while Jitesh Khosla, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, was the chief guest.
The Bicentenary Birth year of Saint John Bosco (1815-2015), popularly known as Don Bosco, the 19th century Italian catholic priest, who was a 'friend and educator of youth' was officially inaugurated on August 23, 2014 with a glittering function held at the auditorium of Don Bosco School, Panbazar.
Mr. Pradyut Bordoloi, minister, education, power and industries, Government of Assam, graced the occasion as president of the function, while Jitesh Khosla, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, was the chief guest. The other guests of honour were Prof. Dhruba Jyoti Saikia, Vice Chancellor, Cotton College State University, Fr. VM Thomas, Salesian Provincial, Guwahati Province, Bolin Bordoloi, a 1962 alumnus of Don Bosco School, Guwahati as well as Director, AIDC, Fr. Johnson Parackal, Executive Director, DBI, Kharghuli, Sr. Philomena Mathew, Mother General, MSMHC, Sr. Elizabeth George, Provincial, FMA, host school's principal Fr. Sebastian Kuricheal, among others.
The programme started with a colourful prayer dance item performed by the students of St. Mary's School, Guwahati, followed by the hoisting of the bicentenary flag, lighting of the ceremonial lamp as well as paying floral tributes to Don Bosco by the dignitaries present on the dais. Soon after, Fr. VM Thomas welcomed the distinguished guests and reiterated the phenomenal success of the Don Bosco system of education in producing a society of individuals who are an asset to the overall social fabric.
A beautiful short film produced by Assam Don Bosco University, Azara depicting the yeoman's service rendered by Salesians globally was shown, which was followed by the speeches of Sr. Philomena Mathew and Sr. Elizabeth George. A beautiful dance drama performed by the students of Little Flower School, Hatigaon was the next item. This was followed by the speech of Jitesh Khosla who said: ''The Don Bosco system of education has a universal humanist message and has brought hope and enlightenment to a large number of people.''
Shri Bordoloi in his address quoted Swami Vivekananda's famous speech at Chicago, ''India would rise like a phoenix if education is taken to the doorsteps'' and heaped praise on Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus for his path breaking Grameen Bank model of empowering the rural poor.
The programme ended with a formal vote of thanks by Fr. Johnson Parackal and a hymn to Don Bosco, as everyone stood up in reverence to the great saint of the young.