Silchar: The Silchar Rotaract Club has declared Sribhumi Club of Sonai Road (Silchar) as the winner of this year’s Best Durga Puja Award, recognizing its exceptional balance of pandal design, idol artistry, lighting, and discipline that captivated visitors.

The N.N. Dutta Road Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee bagged the second position, while the Pratham Palli Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee stood third overall.

The results were formally announced at a ceremony attended by Prof. Niranjan Roy, Vice-Chancellor, Gurucharan University, as chief guest. Rotary assistant governor Biswajit Banik and Rotary Club of Silchar president Debashish Shome graced the event as special guests.

In the Traditional Idol category, the Ambicapur Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee (Chowrangi) took first place, followed by Dakshin Bilpar Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee and North East Consumer Sales (Ashirbad Bibaho Bhawan). For Modern Idol, Daylight Club claimed the top spot, while All Medical Sales People’s Puja Committee and Deshbandhu Road Durga Puja Committee secured second and third positions respectively.

The Tarapur Sorbojanin Rice Mill Durga Puja Committee earned first prize for Cleanliness, followed by Tarapur Kalimohan Road Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee and Apollo Club, Meherpur. In Pandal Decoration, Aponjon Durga Puja Committee emerged first, with Bilpar Durgabari Puja Committee and Shyamaprasad Road Durga Puja Committee following.

For Illumination, Nabodaya Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee (Chencoorie Road) claimed first, Mitali Sangha Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee second, and Radhamadhab Road Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee third.

The Ananda Parishad Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee was awarded for Best Discipline, while Itkhola Durga Puja Committee was recognized for preserving Indian culture and heritage. The Subhashnagar College Road Durga Puja Committee won the Eco-Friendly Puja award.

The Paschim Ambicapur Durga Puja Committee (Durga Sankar Pathsala) was honoured for controlling noise pollution despite organizing a large-scale event, receiving a Running Trophy from the Rotaract Club.

The Best Theme Puja went to Tarapur Motor Stand Sorbojonin Durga Puja Committee, and the Best Immersion (Niranjan) prize to the District Commissioner’s Office Sorbojanin Durga Puja Committee, Cachar. Special Rotaract Awards were presented to Teish Palli Nazirpatty and Madhya Malugram Durga Puja committees.

In addition to the running trophies, permanent trophies were given to individual artists for their outstanding craftsmanship – Best Pandal Artist Joy Das (Aponjon), Best Modern Idol Artist Ankan Kangsabanik (Daylight), Best Traditional Idol Artist Ujjal Pramanik (Ambicapur Chowrangi) and Best Lighting Artist Ajit Das (Nabodaya).

Commending their creativity, Prof. Roy and other dignitaries praised the artists and organizers for promoting artistic excellence and cultural pride through Durga Puja.

The ceremony also saw the presence of RCC Rotarian-Rotaractor Sohan Ahmed Swapnil, Rotaract Club president Upama Das, secretary and advocate Momita Malakar, and project chairperson and advocate Sharmila Chakraborty, among others.