- S. K. Acharya's Cherished Dream Heads for Reality!
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| Representational Image, Courtesy: moneycontrol.com |
Ever since this bit of news on a cruise from Kolkata to Guwahati via Bangladesh figured in #moneycontrol including several other media outlets thereafter, it only brought back loads of memories of a visionary who was much ahead of his times!
In the 1950s, under the then B P Chalia-led Assam government, young Salil K Acharya had originally mooted the idea of connecting Brahmaputra with rest of the world via Bangladesh for the economic viability of northeast India by making the inland waters navigable for large vessels and opening up of international trade.
Accordingly, he had completed an exhaustive study and prepared a blueprint that was endorsed by the state government, which in turn referred it to the central government for approval. However, during that point of time though the central government felt the project superb, but had to be put in cold storage due to an acute financial crisis.
Until his demise in 1994, he was deeply involved in the
establishment of a Centre for Ethno Social Studies (CESS) in Calcutta. His scope of research under the Applied Economics Division of CESS was 'Problems and Prospects of Mutual Economic Cooperation Between Bangladesh and Eastern and North Eastern States of India'.
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S. K. Acharya with
spouse, Shelley Acharya
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Infact, phrases like 'Look East', 'Act East', etc which has now become quite a buzz, are actually offshoots of his research works as I had seen such similar words in his numerous manuscripts including the original blueprint as well as his frequent verbal usage of the same. Few MPs of that era and people familiar with his work will vouch for this claim.
Just after his demise, a publication house came forward for his papers/manuscripts which were given, but was never returned. How I regret for not having pursued for the return of all his valuable papers. And the absence of Internet and computers during those days, all his hard works could not be digitized or archived though.
Amongst the several media that reported about his demise, some newspapers mentioned briefly about his work that should stand as a testimony to his contribution. An article in The Assam Tribune, dated, 22 November 1994 mentions among others - "He (Prof Salil Krishna Acharya) spent a lot of his time and intellectual energy in the sixties pursuing his project of a Ganga canal which he thought would be the fulcrum of economic development of the North Eastern region including Bangladesh. The project is still talked about in many circles and might materialise one day."
Another report in The Shillong Times, dated, 18 November 1994 states, - "Mr Acharya, who was an intellectual, writer and innovator, was the first to have mooted the idea of joining Brahmaputra and Ganges for solving the eastern region's water management problems. The idea was seriously considered by the centre but financial constraints came in the way."
Towards the end of this article quotes referring to the news clips dating way back to November 1994 has been attached.
Another report in The Shillong Times, dated, 18 November 1994 states, - "Mr Acharya, who was an intellectual, writer and innovator, was the first to have mooted the idea of joining Brahmaputra and Ganges for solving the eastern region's water management problems. The idea was seriously considered by the centre but financial constraints came in the way."
Towards the end of this article quotes referring to the news clips dating way back to November 1994 has been attached.
Today (17 November 2018), twenty four years ago, on this date,17th November 1994, Salil K. Acharya alias, my dad, transcended into the spiritual world, but his spirits are still alive. I am sure he is smiling from above as his cherished dreams of seeing Northeast India figure in the international maritime map is just getting closer to reality.
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| The Shillong Times: 18 November 1994 |
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| The Assam Tribune: 22 November 1994
A video created in memory of S. K. Acharya
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