Jayanta Baruah Receives Official Guinness World Record Certificate on 127th Death Anniversary of Late Hemchandra Baruah

NE Post, Guwahati: An Email communication on 24th April, 2023 confirmed that Hemkosh’s Braillie Edition is the Guinness World Records holder of ‘LARGEST BILINGUAL BRAILLE DICTIONARY’ and its official certificate presentation ceremony was held at the Birinchi Kumar Baruah (BKB) Auditorium, Gauhati University on 1st May, 2023.

Notably, 1st May is also the 127th death anniversary of ‘Bhaxar Oja’ Late Hemchandra Baruah.

Shri Jayanta Baruah, publisher of Hemkosh and chairman of Pratidin Media Network received the Guinness World Records certificate of ‘LARGEST BILINGUAL BRAILLE DICTIONARY’ from Rishi Nath, official adjudicator for Guinness World Records TM . The certificate was received in august presence of Hon’ble Governor of Assam, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria and several other noted personalities including the VC of Gauhati University, Professor Shri Pratap Jyoti Handique, Shri Pijus Hazarika, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Department, Dr. Bhartendu Pandey, Professor of Department of Sanskrit, Delhi University, Shri Basanta Goswami, amongst other distinguished personalities, academicians, journalists, litterateurs, and socio-cultural organizational leaders. People came in large no.s to witness the historic event.

On the dias, Hon’ble Governor of Assam, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, Gauhati University VC, Professor Shri Pratap Jyoti Handique lauded the efforts of Shri Jayanta Baruah, in flied of language. They congratulated Hemkosh Prakashan, to take Assamese Language and his noble contribution to the world stage.

Jayanta Baruah thanked the entire team of Hemkosh’s braille dictionary. He expressed his gratitude towards Shri Pijus Hazarika, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, also the Commissioner, Manager, and staff of Govt. Braille Press for extending their invaluable support. He also thanked the entire support staff who tirelessly worked for the dictionary and for the tabulation for Guinness World Records, including visually impaired proofreaders.

It is worth mentioning that, world record holder, Hemkosh’s braille edition, is the ‘LARGEST BILINGUAL BRAILLE DICTIONARY’ with 90,640 words printed in than 21 volumes and 6 parts, across 10,279 pages weighing 80.800 Kgs. The braille edition is the adaption of Hemkosh’s 14th Edition’s regular dictionary.

About ‘Hemkosh’: The first Assamese language dictionary, ‘Hemkosh’, was compiled by Late Hemchandra Baruah in the last part of the 19th century, and was published four years later after his demise. The subsequent editions, of the dictionary were published by the next generations of his family, particularly from fourth edition to 14th edition, was compiled and edited by Late Debananda Baruah. 15th edition of ‘Hemkosh’ Dictionary has been complied under the leadership of Mr. Jayanta Baruah, and is under production.

About ‘Hemkosh’ Braille Version: Shri Jayanta Baruah, in a bid to continue the ‘HEMKOSH’ legacy, as the grandson of Late Hemchandra Baruah, conceptualized, and published the Braille edition of ‘Hemkosh’. This edition of ‘Hemkosh’ comprises of with 90,640 words printed in than 21 volumes and 6 parts, across 10,279 pages weighing 80.800 KGs. .

Notably, this Braille version of Hemkosh would be the first full language dictionary in Braille, after Oxford.

Shri Jayanta Baruah has donateed (free of cost), the dictionary copies to all the educational institutions for the visually impaired students, universities, state and central libraries, as well as the national library.

It should be mentioned that ‘Hemkosh’ is the first etymological dictionary of the Assamese language and is bilingual in nature, thus children can benefit in both English and Assamese languages from the dictionary”.

16th September, 2022: It was formally launched at the Vivekananda Kendra, Guwahati in the presence of then Governor of Assam, Professor Jagdish Mukhi and the publisher of Hemkosh Prakashan and chairman of Pratidin Media Nertwork, Shri Jayanta Baruah.

21st September, 2022: Jayanta Baruah officially presented the first copy of Hemkosh Braille Dictionary to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in New Delhi in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal. PM Modi also lauded the initiative on 93rd Mann Ki Baat on 25th September, 2022.

19th December 2022: In an august gather of 3000 guests, Shri Jayanta Baruah and Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji (Former President of India) distributed Hemkosh Braille dictionary to all braille academic institutes of Assam and India, Free of cost.