NABARD Assam Celebrates 44th Foundation Day, Honours Rural Change-Makers

Guwahati: The Assam Regional Office of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) celebrated its 44th Foundation Day with a grand felicitation ceremony in Guwahati, honouring stalwarts who have pioneered rural transformation in the state. In a moving tribute to grassroots leadership, three iconic figures were felicitated by Assam's Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Padmashri awardee Sarbeswar Basumatary, seed conservationist Mohan Chandra Bora, and Assam Gaurav awardee and Black Rice innovator Upendra Rabha, for their exemplary contributions to sustainable farming and rural development. Qamar Javed, General Manager of NABARD Assam RO, reiterated NABARD’s mission to empower rural communities. “We continue to strengthen institutional frameworks, provide credit support, and enhance rural capacities to build a resilient and inclusive economy,” he stated. The event also recognized top-performing Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), highlighting their vital role in advancing NABARD’s vision of cooperative-led rural growth. Two key publications were launched during the ceremony. ‘Sahakar-se-Samriddhi – Prospering Together: Tales of Assam’, a collection of 14 success stories from PACS, and a digital flipbook of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation campaign, commemorating the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2025. The celebration reflected NABARD’s enduring motto — “Taking Rural India Forward” and its unwavering focus on innovation, empowerment, and institutional synergy in transforming rural Assam.