Assam Education Minister: Gorkha students must preserve their culture while pursuing success

The 8th United Gorkha Freshmen Social Meet was successfully held on September 22 at the Srimanta Sankardeva International Auditorium, Panjabari, Guwahati. Organized by the All College Gorkha Students' Unit of Guwahati, the event marked a significant occasion to welcome and integrate new students into the academic and cultural fold.

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who attended the event as the Chief Guest spoke about the importance of preserving Gorkha culture while pursuing academic excellence. Addressing the gathering, he highlighted the contributions of the Gorkha community to Assam’s rich heritage and urged the students to play an active role in the state's development.

While speaking exclusively to India Today NE Ranoj Pegu said that Guwahati is a big city where different students from various parts of Assam come to study. 

"There are around 5,000 Gorkha students from different districts. I appreciate the united efforts of the Gorkha Social Meet", Pegu said. 

"Community identity is a fundamental aspect of our identity. We believe in a diverse society, and all of us have multiple identities, but we must not forget our primary identity. I wish and hope that everyone becomes successful and follows the path of success, including Gorkha students.", he added.

Speaking of the Assam government's plan to include Gorkha students in its broader vision of educational reforms, Ranoj Pegu said that the entire Gorkha community falls under the OBC category and 27 percent of special reservations are allocated for the Gorkha community, similar to the reservations for the tea worker community. 

"The sub-categorization of OBC is also on the agenda of the Assam government.", he said. 

Former All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU) President Arjun Chetry said that in Guwahati, our aim and vision is to unite all the students who come from outside. 

"Many students come and engage in both good and bad activities; however, we strive to guide them away from negative influences. We educate them through events such as social meets. This is the eighth social meet we are conducting, and through these events and programs, Gorkha students can better understand the environment of Guwahati. We teach and train them each year.", Chetry said. 

"We aim to address any negative influences students may encounter. Students in class 10 often do not have a mature mindset, so we organize these events to teach them not to indulge in bad habits or get involved with anti-social elements.", he added. 

The event saw enthusiastic participation from students across various colleges in Guwahati. A variety of cultural performances, including traditional Gorkha dances and songs, were showcased.