A two-day intellectual convergence titled ‘SANMILAN 2020-21’ was organized online by the Centre for Management Studies, Dibrugarh University on 21st and 22nd May 2021. The theme of the sixteenth edition of the event was- “Fitness & Wellness for Managers: The Future of Productivity”. The programme was inaugurated by Prof. L K Nath, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Dibrugarh University in the presence of Shri. Prasanta Borkakoty, Resident Chief Executive, Oil India Limited as the Chief Guest; Prof. Jiten Hazarika, Registrar, Dibrugarh University, other dignitaries, teachers and students. Prof. Nath emphasized on the fitness and wellness of employees of an organization in the productivity and longevity of the organization. He also deliberated on issues that can arise if employees are unfit and its consequences. Earlier, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Assistant Professor & Chief Coordinator of SANMILAN 2020-21, gave a brief about the current edition of SANMILAN and the situation behind conducting the programme online. Prof. Kumud Chandra Goswami, Chairperson, CMSDU thereafter welcomed the guests and said that physical wellness has to be broadened to include emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, environmental, occupational, financial and cultural wellness. Prof. Goswami’s speech was followed by the online rendering of the Dibrugarh University Anthem. The inauguration by Prof. Nath was followed by a keynote address from Shri. Borkakoty. In his address, he referred to the importance of fitness in the context of the COVID pandemic. He said that fitness is not solely going to the gym but any activity that keeps an individual active and provides a positive mind-set. The Souvenir, a magazine commemorating the holding of SANMILAN 2020-21 was released by Prof. Jiten Hazarika. He appreciated the hard work put in to organize the intellectual convergence and bring out The Souvenir, which was edited by Dr. Himadri Barman. The inaugural session ended with concluding remarks from the Chairperson, CMSDU and the vote of thanks from the Chief Coordinator.
The first event of the post-inaugural session was Manthan – the panel discussion on the theme. The experts who participated in the panel discussion were Dr. Ranjit Kumar Baruah, Retired Professor and HOD (Orthopaedics), Assam Medical College & Hospital; Dr. Biraj Hazarika, Senior Manager (Employee Relations), OIL, Duliajan; Dr. Mantu Baro, Assistant Professor (Director i/c), Centre for Studies in Physical Education and Sports, Dibrugarh University; Dr. Tridib Ranjan Sarma, Associate Professor, Dept. of Business Administration, Tezpur University and Dt. Anwesha Dutta Gogoi, Dietician, Aditya Hospitals, Dibrugarh, Assam. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Arshad Hussain, Chief Co-ordinator of Sanmilan 2020-21. The discussion ended with a resolve to come up with an effective and customizable wellness plan for corporates supported by real-time research. The post-lunch session event was Straight Talk which had Mr. Bhargab Dev Choudhuryas the expert. He is an MBA, PGD in Sports Management, M.Ped, NS-NIS (Certificate in Sports Coaching), BCCI (NCA Level A Coach). The expert answered and solved various queries of the audience in this session regarding the theme.
The second day of SANMILAN 2020-21 started with BizMantra – the Business Quiz. The Quiz Masters were Dr. Dudul Das and Mr. Ashutosh Das. Around 150 participants from all over Assam had registered for the quiz. The quiz was won by Probit Jyoti Kalita (Tezpur University) followed by Aswani Kumar Sharma (Gauhati University) and Kingsuk Talukdar (NIT Silchar). In the next event, Empresa – the Business Plan competition, the winners were Puskar Sharma (Assam Institute of Management, Guwahati), Sahid M Ullah (AIM, Guwahati) and Biswajit Mili (Gauhati Commerce College) for their plan – One Stop Solution for Professional Services. The runners-up were Ankur Borah (Gauhati University), Manash Pratim Bharadwaj (GU) and Pankhi Kashyap (Tezpur Medical College and Hospital) for their plan – Health Plus. Empresa was judged by Dr. Rashida Tahira Noorain, Head i/c, School of Management and Entrepreneurship, ARGUCOM.
SANMILAN 2020-21 ended with the concluding session in the evening with songs, dances, speeches and the vote of thanks from Mr. Pransu Raj Kaushik, Assistant Professor, CMSDU. SANMILAN 2020-21 was entirely held online using the Zoom platform. Manthan was streamed live on the SANMILAN Facebook page while Straight Talk, BizMantra and Empresa were streamed live on the YouTube channel of the Centre. In a humanitarian gesture, SANMILAN 2020-21 provided a sum of Rs. 5000/- (Five thousand) only to Prerona Children Home, Dibrugarh who had requested for financial assistance through a report in The Assam Tribune.
SANMILAN 2020-21 was sponsored by a host of business houses – Oil India Limited, Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Digboi Refinery, Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited, Banalata, Bharat Lab, Commercial Equipments House, Furnishing Point, Hornbill Green Tea, KBQube, Manoj Cloth Store, Mantraa, Mohini’s, Mahaveer Publications, Payment Point, Photo Prabhu, Rapido, Royal Jewellers, Snack Rack, SG & Sons and Unique Fitness Centre.