High spirit in lower Assam...by Amrith Basumatary and Hima Baishya, India

A Grassroots Comics workshop concluded in Baksha district of Assam. The workshop was jointly organized by World Comics India and Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, Guwahati. The workshop was held from 9th to 12th May 2009 at Tamulpur Anchalik Gram Sahyog (TAGS) Kumarikata , known as the largest NGO to the Northeastern states. The trainers of the workshop were Amrith Basumatary (Chirang Comics Circles) Bongaigaon and Hima Rani Baishya (New Ways, Guwahati).

A total of 55 students of a local chain of school run by Asha Darshan Samiti (Tamulpur) had participated in the workshop. Apart from them teachers and staff, too participated in the workshop. The sessions were so interesting that the founder of Asha Darshan Samiti Ms. Biju Borboruah couldn’t stop herself to draw her own story!

The main objective of the workshop was to sensitize participants on social issues and develop reading habit. A wide range of issues were addressed by the participants in their comics from alcoholism to witch-hunting. It was a unique experience for the students to develop their own comics, most of whom have never got a chance to read any mainstream comics before…

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