Paromita Editor

Assam filmmaker Rima Das has added another international honour to her record, with her latest feature film Not a Hero winning the Best Indie Film Award at the 2026 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The award was announced during the festival, where Not a Hero also marked its Australian premiere. This is the second time Das has received the honour, after previously winning the same award in 2019 for Bulbul Can Sing. Das has maintained a strong association with the Melbourne festival, with all five of her feature films having been screened there. She also contributed as a director to…

Ahead of the 80th Independence Day celebrations, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has strengthened security arrangements across the zone to ensure the safety and security of passengers, trains and railway property. “Heightened vigil is being maintained at its railway stations, on-board trains and across railway premises, with RPF personnel undertaking extensive patrolling and surveillance. Additional attention is being accorded to sensitive and vulnerable locations to prevent any untoward incident and ensure a safe and secure travel environment during the Independence Day period,” NFR chief public relations officer, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma informed. As part of the…

In line with its sustainability agenda and commitment towards achieving its Water Positive objective, Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport (LGBI Airport) in Guwahati has strengthened its focus on rainwater harvesting and utilisation through an integrated water management approach across the airport ecosystem.Guwahati receives approximately 1,800–2,200 mm of rainfall annually, making rainwater one of the airport’s most valuable natural resources. The airport has already received approximately 1,320 mm of rainfall till 9 August 2026, presenting a significant opportunity to transform rainwater from a runoff management challenge into a sustainable source of water. As part of this initiative, LGBI Airport has two…

Deputy Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha and Assam MP, Gaurav Gogoi has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, flagging the significant challenges faced by small businesses in complying with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regulations.Based on the MP’s interaction with small businesses, traders, manufacturers and stakeholders, Gogoi noted the consistent issue faced in following the procedural requirements of GST.The common concerns included keeping pace with the evolving regulations and frequent amendments to GST rules and procedures.“The rules are further not easily accessible in regional languages, forcing the small traders to rely on intermediaries…

archaeological discoveries at the historic Kashashila Shiv Ashram in Assam’s Morigaon district have strengthened evidence of the region’s rich and ancient cultural history. The latest artefacts were uncovered during excavation work for a new structure at the shrine in Hatimuria village. The discoveries include a semi-finished stone sculpture believed to date back to the 7th-8th century, along with terracotta sculptures estimated to belong to the 11th-12th centuries. Dr Utpal Kumar Nath, secretary of the Mayong Village Museum and Research Centre, said the findings further underline the archaeological importance of the site. Nath said the discovery was a significant moment for…

Assam agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika on Wednesday visited various agricultural initiatives in Darrang district and interacted with farmers, women-led Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), fertiliser retailers and district officials to take stock of agricultural activities and review the progress of the Agriculture and Irrigation Departments. The Minister began his visit at Nagarbahi, Mangaldai, where he visited the Siroheuji Women Farmer Producer Company and interacted with enthusiastic women farmers. He launched the mustard oil product “Darangi Golden Drops,” a joint initiative of Siroheuji Women FPC and Darrangi Women FPC, showcasing their efforts towards value addition and production of quality agricultural products. With…

The Assam government on Tuesday launched the ‘Brikshya Bandhu’ initiative, bringing more than 22 lakh students into a statewide plantation campaign aimed at planting over 1.5 crore saplings across the state over four days. Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah formally launched the initiative at the Sri Sri Damodardev International Auditorium at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The plantation drive will continue from August 11 to 14 as part of the Amrit Brikshya Andolan. The campaign has brought together 11,277 educational institutions, with 21,28,495 students already registered. The Forest Department has so far supplied around 1.57 crore saplings to participating…

NorthEast United FC marched into the quarter-finals with a perfect record in the group stages after comfortably defeating FC1 3-1 in their final Group F fixture of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Tuesday. Parthib Gogoi scored in each half, while Alaaeddine Ajaraie added NorthEast United's third goal. Mohmad Ilyas scored the consolation goal for FC1. The Highlanders completed their group-stage campaign with three wins from three matches to finish as Group F winners. FC1, meanwhile, ended their debut Durand Cup campaign with three points from three matches. NorthEast United FC head coach Juan…

Assam Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika on Tuesday chaired two review meetings to assess the availability and distribution of fertilisers in the state and review the progress of the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) for the financial year 2026–27. During the meeting on fertiliser availability, the Minister held detailed discussions with senior officials of the Agriculture Department on measures to ensure adequate and timely availability of fertilisers to farmers across the state. The meeting discussed the existing 12 rake points through which fertilisers are brought into Assam. Hazarika emphasised the need to increase the number of rake…