Sl. Contents

Page

No. No.

CHAPTER - II

BACKGROUND AND FORMATION OF

ASSAM PRADESHIK MAHILA SAMITY

2.1 Status of Assamese Women in 19th Century and in the 15-23

beginning of 20th Century

2.2 Background and Formation 23-34

2.3 The All Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity 34-38

2.4 Objectives 38-41

2.5 The Organizational Structure of the Assam Pradeshik 41-43

Mahila Samity in Assam

2.5.1 Primary Member and Primary Mahila Samity 43-44

2.5.2 District Mahila Samity 45-47

2.5.3 The Provincial Working Committee 47-50

2.5.4 Finance 50-55

CHAPTER - II

BACKGROUND AND FORMATION OF ASSAM

PRADESHIK MAHILA SAMITY

CHAPTER-II

This chapter describes the status of Assamese women in the 19th century

and in the beginning of 20th century, circumstances leading to the formation of

Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity and discusses its objectives, organizational

structure and the aspects relating to its income.

2.1 Status of Assamese women in 19th century and in the beginning of

20th century :

A picture of the position and status of Assamese women in society before

1926 is necessary to understand the social environment under which the women

of Assam organized themselves. The nineteenth century proved to be a total

transformation for the province of Assam. The collapse of Ahom monarchy and

the beginning of colonial rule had changed the whole scenario of Assam. In 1826

Assam came under the British control. With the advent of the British, Assam

came into close and effective contact with the rest of India. A number of changes

were made in the economic and the social structure of society and some substantial

progress was achieved in eliminating inequalities between men and women in

education, employment and social rights. But due to the lack of organized

movement or organized public opinion, misconceptions and age long beliefs

continued to persist in Assamese society. In pre-colonial Assamese society,

caste prejudices were not as rigid as in other parts of the country. But age old

16

beliefs and customs prescribed dual standards of power and status for the male

and female. Women were assigned a subordinate status. Among the higher castes,

particularly among the Brahmins and Kayasthas, widows were expected to lead

a severe life and their remarriage was strictly prohibited. Widowhood was

considered to be the greatest misfortune for a woman. Of course, widow remarriage

was prevalent among the lower class people. But a remarried widow was not

considered equal in respect and status with that of a woman married for the first

time.1 Child marriage was a widely prevalent system during the early part of

nineteenth century in Assamese society. The Hindu Law book Manu Samhita

prescribed the marriageable age for girls as twelve or even eight. Manu greatly

influenced the Assamese society and gradually early marriage became an

established custom in society, particularly among the higher castes. “Kulinism,

Sati or self immolation of widow and infanticide were unknown in Assam as

elsewhere in the country, but Assamese women had also to suffer from the evils

of widowhood, child marriage and polygamy.”2 Among the Brahmin and Kayastha

families, the female child was married off long before puberty, but among the

non Brahmin communities child marriage was not common. In the wake of the

Burmese invasion into Assam (1817-23), the position of women deteriorated.

The Burmese oppressed Assamese people in every possible way. Life in general

became totally insecure. People were robbed and looted and villages and temples

burnt. Untold atrocities were committed on women and even children. Many

thousands of Assamese people including women were carried away by the

1. Dipti Sharma, Role of the Women of Assam in the Freedom Movement during the period

1921-47 with special reference to Brahmaputra Valley, G.U. Thesis, 1987, p-8.

2. H.K. Barpujari, (ed.) The comprehensive History of Assam. vol.-V, 2004 pp-202-203.

17

Burmese as slaves and were insulted in every possible way. Under such barbarous

and inhuman conduct, Assamese women lost everything. She lost her identity

and freedom. In such a state of insecurity the Assamese Hindus gave their

daughters in marriage at an early age and at times to married persons to protect

their daughters from the humiliation of the invaders. Gradually these measures

turned into social customs like early marriage and polygamy and gradual

development of such social customs certainly lowered the position of women.

Gait observes that the oppression of the Burmese were unbearable and no one

could be sure of his life.3

Thus the foreign invasions of early nineteenth century

greatly affected the status of Assamese women and pushed them to a subordinated

position in society. Yet despite their subservient status, the rural women of Assam

were remarkably free in regard to movement and outdoor activities.4

With the establishment of British rule in this region marked changes occurred.

With the induction of large number of clerks from Bengal in the administration,

Bengali culture permeated into the Assamese society thereby bringing on certain

practices which were unknown in the pre-British Assamese society. For instance,

the Purdah in the form of orani or veil was introduced among upper class families.

In upper class families, girls from the age of 10-11, were kept within the four

walls of the home. Moreover, if women had to go out somewhere, apart from

using their veils, they were supposed to be shielded by the big Japies, so that

none could see them.5

3. Edward Gait, A History of Assam. Reprint 2010, pp-236-237.

4. Jeuti Barooah, Single woman in Assamese Hindu Society, 1993, p-42.

5. Nalinibala Devi, Eri Aha Dinbor. 1976, p-12.

18

Before the advent of the British, women’s education was not encouraged in

Assam. Women were denied all facilities of education and whatever education

they received was received at home. “Formal education was not considered

relevant for girls.”6 William Robinson commenting on the status of women in

the nineteenth century Assam observed that females are not included within the

pale of education, every ray of mental improvement is kept from the sex. As they

are always confined to domestic duties, and excluded from the society of the

other sex, the people see no necessity for their education. A woman’s duties are

comprised in ‘pleasing her husband and cherishing her children.7 The idea of

imparting education to women emerged only after the advent of the British. Earlier

it was held that since women did not have to earn their livelihood, there was no

need of education for them. Such ideas lowered the status of women and

consequently the opportunity for her education. In the nineteenth century,

industrialization created many changes which was also reflected in the trends of

education. But even then in Assam women’s education was sadly neglected. “Even

advocates of female education abhorred the very idea of girls becoming doctors

and lawyers.8 Women’s education was considered as a great danger to the position

of man in society and it was viewed that women should only have knowledge of

domestic duties. A section of conservative men in Assam vehemently condemned

female education. Bolinarayan Bora (1852-1927) a bachelor in Engineering from

Kripar Hill College of England, stated that the Man (Burmese) oppressed the

Assamese people, but education of women would produce a greater disaster than

6. Jeuti Barooah, op. cit, p-37.

7. William Robinson, A Descriptive Account of Assam. Reprint 1975, p-277.

8. H.K. Barpujari, (ed.) The Comprehensive History of Assam. vol.-V, 2004, p-202.

19

the oppression of Burmese in Assam. He believed that domestic work should be

the main concern of woman’s life and that if they become educated it would

foster in them an aversion to domestic works and disrespect to traditional culture.9

Young litterateur of Nowgong, Ratneswar Mahanta (1864-1893), expressed his

strong feelings against women’s education and pointed out that women’s

emancipation as forwarded by some is nothing but egoism and arrogance. Another

contemporary litterateur, Lambodar Bora (1860-1892), opined that educated

women would become effeminate and act more like men. They would then even

think of divorcing their husbands.10

Even the elderly ladies of Assamese society

held similar views. In fact, in the early years of British rule the Assamese people

did not think that it was necessary to educate girls.

Formal education for girls started only after the advent of Christian

Missionaries in Assam. Although the Christian Missionaries came to Assam with

a view to preaching, they undertook some welfare activities as well. They may

be considered as the pioneers of formal education for women in Assam. “The

Christian Missionaries like Mrs. Brown Cutler, Robinson and Barkar had initiated

schools for girls. The first girls school was opened at Sibsagar in 1840 and then

Nowgong and Gauhati consequently. However, many young girls of orthodox

background had lost their privilege of attending schools and their social barrier

had stood as obstacles to their freedom and progress.”11

Due to the practice of

child marriage, most girls were withdrawn from school at an early age. Of course,

9. Priyam Goswami, Keynote Address in Shirin Banu (ed.) Status of Women in Colonial Assam.

2010, p-5.

10. Nanda Talukdar, (ed.) Lambodar Bora Rachanavali. 1983, p-62.

11. N.N. Acharya, A Brief History of Assam. 1987, p-258.

20

towards latter part of nineteenth century some attention to female education began

to be paid under the leadership of a few enlightened persons of Assam. They

encouraged female education in articles published in popular magazines like

Orunodoi, Assam Bandhu (1885), Mou (1886) and newspapers like Assamese

News (1880). Amongst the few educated persons Haliram Dhekial Phukan and

his son Anandaram Dhekial Phukan advocated the emancipation of women

through education. Moreover, the problem of widow remarriage and the evil

practice of early marriage attracted the attention of the educated youth of nineteenth

century and early twentieth century Assam. Gunabhiram Barua, Hemchandra

Barua and Lakhsminath Bezbaruah advocated widow remarriage, abolition of

child marriages and female education through their writings. Gunabhiram Baruah

(1834-1894) wrote articles in Orunodoi on women’s issues and advocated the

need for female education. He married Bishnupriya, the widow of Parasu Barua,

a friend of Anandaram Dhekial Phukan in 1870.12

He also gave his daughter,

Swarnalata, in marriage after the death of her husband. Gunabhiram Barua by

marrying a widow tried to popularise widow remarriage and to promote women’s

education. Hemchandra Barua (1835-1896), another progressive writer, advocated

women’s education in his writings in Orunodoi. He was also a strong advocate

of widow remarriage and he “refused to marry a second time after the death of

her wife in protest against the prevalent social injustice to women in the Hindu

Society.”13

The efforts of these Assamese intellectuals succeeded to a limited

extent only. Their efforts could not touch the heart of common masses and the

12. Dipti Sharma, Role of the Women of Assam in the Freedom Movement during the period

1921-47 with special reference to the Brahmaputra Valley , G.U. Thesis, 1987, p-8.

13. Tilotama Misra, Literature and Society in Assam. 1987, p-118.

21

condition of women did not show any improvement. Even at the turn of the

nineteenth century, scope for female education in Assam made very slow progress.

In any case, the scope for female education in Assam was very limited. As there

was no higher educational institutions in Assam, Debiprova Bhuyan, a progressive

women, had to take her two daughters, Durgaprova and Hemaprova, to Calcutta

to study in Bethune School. In 1916 an educated Assamese woman, Kadambori

Saikia, passed her middle school examination from Nowgong in 1916 and she

was the only girl student of her school at that time.14

Household and economic activities of women also indicate her status and

position in society. In the traditional Assamese society, women were engaged in

cooking and distributing meals, rearing children, cleaning, washing and looking

after the comforts of the members of their households. Though women of non

Brahmin and non-Kayastha communities got considerable freedom in outdoor

activities, their domestic condition was in no way different from their counterparts

in the upper castes. Most women worked in the fields, particularly in planting,

weeding, tending crops and harvesting of paddy, in addition to their domestic

work. But her productive activities did not translate into economic or social

power.15

Her work outside the home was considered as part of her duties as a

wife and mother. Moreover, traditionally woman had no claim to property.

Besides the household activities knowledge of weaving has traditionally

been regarded as a matter of prestige for an Assamese woman. Historian S.K.

14. Jeuti Barooah, Single Women in Assamese Hindu Society. 1993, p-39.

15. Priyam Goswami, Keynote Address in Shirin Banu (ed.) Status of Women in Colonial Assam.

2010, p-3.

22

Bhuyan observed that “a unique feature of Assamese society is the absence of

any specific class reserved only for weaving. Every Assamese women, be she the

daughter of a Brahmin or a Sudra, a Buddhist or an animist, a Muhammadan or

a Christian, a prince or a beggar, is a weaver by birth. A knowledge of weaving is

an essential qualification for her, which proficiency in the art ensures for her a

ready disposal in the matrimonial market.”16

So from their very childhood, girls

were trained in spinning, weaving and in other domestic works. Gandhi during

his visit to Assam in 1921 praised women of Assam as expert weaver and spinners.

In Young India, he remarked, “Every woman of Assam is a born weaver and she

weaves fairly tales in cloth”17

Though the girls received training in domestic

activities, they did not get opportunities for formal education.

However, towards the end of nineteenth century and the beginning of

twentieth century, Assamese women began to participate in public domain and

nationalist campaigns. Within the nationalist movement in the early twentieth

century, there developed some women organizations in Assam, like Dibrugarh

Mahila Samity, Nowgong Mahila Samity and Tezpur Mahila Samity. These

women organizations took up issues regarding the status of women. Moreover,

by this time Assamese women got opportunities to express their opinions through

Asom Sahitya Sabha and Asom Chatra Sanmilan. During this period a section of

women came out from the four walls of their houses and joined in public activities

for national freedom. Mothers and wives of local leaders broke tradition,

accompanied their husbands and addressed public meetings. Women also began

16. Surya Kumar Bhuyan, Studies in the History of Assam. 2nd edition, 1985, p-66.

17. K.N. Dutta, Landmarks of the Freedom Struggle in Assam. 1965, p-58.

23

to speak against the use of opium and alcohol addiction, they began to work for

Hindu-Muslim unity, addressed issues of untouchability and campaigned against

the use of foreign cloth and for the use of swadeshi goods.

Thus, women gradually stepped into the outside world from the confinement

of their homes. Women of Assam actively participated in the freedom movement

of India. Gandhi’s visit to Assam in 1921 had encouraged them to come out for

the cause of the nation and it brought about a new awakening among women.

2.2 Background and Formation :

Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity was registered under the societies Act 1860

in 1926. The APMS was initially formed with the motive of working for the

welfare of women and children. Its history is one of continual progress from

small beginnings to greater and wider fields of welfare works affecting primarily

women and children and also society in general. The depressed condition of

women in society was the main factor which lay behind the formation of the

voluntary organization. A section of society felt that many social customs and

institutions came in the way of progress and they also realized that women suffered

from various social injustices which needed immediate redress. This realization

led to the creation of a particular platform for agitation for the redressal of women’s

disabilities. The teaching and works of social workers and reformers like Raja

Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Vinoba Bhave also

inspired them to render services for the welfare of the downtrodden. The struggle

for national freedom led by Mahatma Gandhi, encouraged women of the state to

24

form organizations for their emancipation. Since its formation to present day

APMS has been working for the empowerment of women and has taken an active

part in condemning evil social customs and practices which denied equal status

to women.

The British brought with them new ideas and knowledge which initiated

some basic changes in the social structure of Indian society. The cumulative impact

of a new administrative set up, introduction of western education, improvement

in the transport and communication and influx of new ideas created a new

atmosphere in the country resulting in a new awakening among the Indian people.

The new awakening also found expressions in the movement for liberation of the

Indian women from the medieval forms of social subordination and suppression

from which they suffered for centuries. A group of social religious reformers

being influenced by the western liberal ideas took the lead in making efforts at

improving the conditions of women. In fact, the religious and social reform

movements of the 19th century that paved the way for the creation of political

nationalism also opened up the path of women’s liberation. Raja Ram Mahan

Roy, the pioneer of these movements took up the job of ensuring an equalistic

social status of women. He was the first person who raised his voice against the

injustice perpetrated on women in the name of tradition and religion.18

He realized

that by confining the Indian women within the antiquated precincts of religious

and ritualistic irrationality and by committing excess on them, the nation’s future

could not be built. Through his life long struggle against such diabolical customs

as Sati, female infanticide, widowhood, he paved the way for women’s

18. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-1.

25

emancipation movement in India. After his death Dwaraka Nath Tagore and Iswar

Chandra Vidyasagar continued his work. In western India, Dayananda Saraswati,

Jyotiba Phule, Professor D.K. Carvey, Rande and others pioneered women’s

liberation movement while in the South the movement was spearheaded by Birash

Lingam Pantalu. Other reformers like Vivekananda, Dayananda Saraswati,

Vidyasagar, K.C. Sen took up the cause of the emancipation of Indian women.

They pointed out low status, early marriage and illiteracy as the major factor

from which the Indian women suffered. During this period associations like the

Brahma Samaj, Arya Samaj took initiative in the upliftment of women.

The noose of religious and social traditions bound the Indian women so

tightly that it was not easy to cut themselves off from centuries of subordination.

The missionaries, in their bid to attract the Indian women towards Christianity,

had set up schools for the destitute girls and women, thereby paving the way for

women’s education. These destitute women were the real harbingers of modern

education for the Indian women. In the initial phase, the conservative Indian

society vehemently opposed the introduction of women’s education, but with the

expansion of the western liberalism, the social outlook also went a sea change.

The women members of the aristocratic families also realised that the first step

to women’s emancipation was through education. The famous Wood’s Despatch

of 1884 laid stress on female education and on the basis of Wood’s

recommendations, girls schools were set up in various cities and towns at

government and private levels. Taking advantage of this, the Indian girls were

soon able to exhibit their intelligence and skill with the spread of education among

them and they became more self conscious and dignified.

26

By the end of the nineteenth century, Indian women were gathering courage

to challenge society and they began to form their own organizations under their

own leadership. They built up their own organizations and created a platform for

agitation for their emancipation. In 1882, Pandita Ramabai Saraswati of Poona

founded the Arya Mahila Samaj and Sarda Sadan to provide employment and

education to women.19

The freedom movement instilled the nationalistic spirit in a large section of

Indian women. During the movement a considerable part of the existing social

restrictions became lax. Taking advantage of that, the women earned a lot of

individual freedom for themselves. A few magnanimous European women had,

by dint of their constructive works, advanced the cause of Indian women to a

great extent. Prominent among them was Annie Besant, an Irish woman, who

pioneered the Home Role Movement in India. In 1917, she was elected as the

first woman President of Indian National Congress. It was a very crucial event in

the history of women’s movement in India since after this, the leadership of the

movement got transformed to the women themselves. In the beginning of 19th

century, a series of women’s organizations were formed in different parts of India.

In 1908 Gujrat Stree Mandal was formed in Ahmedabad and in 1913 Mahila

Sewa Samaj was formed in Myshore. In the year of 1916, another Mahila Sewa

Samaj was formed in Poona. All these women’s organizations were formed on

women’s issues but confined to a locality or a city. During this period, Indian

women learnt that their movement in liberation was only a part of the largest

perspective of the freedom struggle, that in a subservient state no man or woman

19. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-3.

27

can have any individual freedom and that women’s progress was a far cry without

political freedom. The need was felt to set up an organization to unite the women

into a concerted force. Accordingly, at the initiative of Annie Besant, Margaret

Cousins and Dorothy Jinardasa, the women’s Indian Association was formed in

1917 in Madras city.20

It was the first Indian national women’s organization and

it had its branches in different parts of India. In the foundation year, a delegation

of women’s Indian Association, led by Sarojini Naidu met Montague, the Secretary

of State and demanded women’s right for voting. It was from this time that Indian

women began to raise their voices against social injustices. P.M. Premalatha has

observed that ‘‘It was only after the formation of the women’s Indian Association,

that women began to involve directly in their own affairs and women’s movement

as a serious movement against female condition began.”21

The all Indian women organizations had no branch in Assam and therefore

no direct influence of these associations has been seen on Assamese women. The

women’s movement in Assam, started during India’s freedom struggle. Gandhi’s

visit to the State in 1921 spurred the freedom movement which had already

gathered some momentum. Owing to the presence of an essentially tribal culture,

social evils such as Sati, dowry and female infanticide were usually not found in

Assamese society. Of course the basic problem faced by the Assamese society

was to make the women conscious towards the imperative need of education.

During the latter part of the nineteenth century, a few Assamese intellectuals

stood for social reforms and education of women. Assamese educated persons

20. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-3.

21. P.N. Premalatha, Nationalism & Women’s Movement in South India. 1917-47, 2003, p-17.

28

like Anandaram Dhekial Phukan, Gunabhiram Barua, Gangagobinda Phukan and

Hemchandra Barua took initiative in improving the condition of Assamese women.

They came under the influence of the ideas and philosophy of some social

reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Iswar Chandra Bidyasagar when they

were in Calcutta. Except these intellectual efforts, no organised movement was

made to reform the society, particularly to improve the condition of women. By

the early twentieth century, prominent citizens began to organize and demonstrate

their dissent against several issues. During this time organizations like Asom

Sahitya Sabha, the Assam Association and later the Asom Chatra Sanmilan were

formed and the members of these organizations devoted themselves for the

development of Assamese people. In fact, the growth of modern political

consciousness among the Assamese people greatly contributed to the women’s

movement in Assam. The emergent social consciousness propagated by these

organizations resulted in the beginning of women’s movement, providing the

first platform through which women disseminated their opinions. A few educated

Assamese women began to join the conferences of these organizations. In 1918

the third annual conference of Asom Chatra Sanmilan was held in Tezpur and

Lakhiprabha Saikia, Chandrakanti Das and a number of young women participated

in this public meeting for the first time.22

Chandraprova Saikiani an educated

working woman popularly known as Saikiani, also joined the conference as a

delegate and gave a speech on the prevention of opium use. This was the first

public speech given by a woman. In the same year, she joined the third conference

of Asom Sahitya Sabha which held in Barpeta and delivered a speech on

22. Indira Miri, (ed.) Souvenir. APMS, 1975, pp-9-10.

29

untouchability. Her speech stimulated a process of questioning the caste system

and other traditional practices within the Assamese society. Chandraprova Saikiani

also joined the Nowgong session of Asom Sahitya Sabha which was held in 1925

and here she gave a blow to the prevalent purdah system by her spirited speech.

Thus the formation and activities of the socio-culture, political and literary

organizations of Assam like Assam Association, Asom Sahitya Sabha and Asom

Chatra Sanmilan provided a platform for Assamese women and it paved the way

for the emergence of the Assam Mahila Samity.

The emergence of Mahatma Gandhi in Indian politics and his call of women

to involve themselves in social and political activities inspired the Assamese

women. In September, 1920 the special session of Indian National Congress was

held in Calcutta and it greatly influenced the political scene of Assam. Assamese

delegates like Chandranath Sarma, joined the session and they were instrumental

in spreading Gandhian thought in Assam. Moreover, Gandhi’s visit to Assam in

1921 encouraged Assamese women and inspired them to get involved with the

activities other than household chores. Gandhi believed that men lacked the spirit

of humanity and sacrifice that naturally exist in the women. So he decided to

engage the women in the movement to awaken the moral spirit lying hidden in

men. In response to Gandhij’s clarion call, women across the country spilled out

on to the streets. The women of Assam were no exception. The Gandhian

movement with its emphasis on women’s political participation helped in the

emergence of the women’s movement in Assam.23

Many Assamese women like

Nalinibala Devi, Hemanta Kumari Devi, Guneswari Majumder fell under Gandhi’s

23. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937. 2008, p-96.

30

influence and they strongly supported Gandhi’s non-co-operation programme.

The members of Assam Provincial Congress Committee invited Gandhi to come

to Assam to propagate the message of non-cooperation among the masses. Gandhi

came to know that weaving and spinning was a common practice of every

household of Assam and every Assamese woman was an expert in this art. Gandhi

was impressed by it and he decided to visit Assam, altering all his pre-engagement

programmes.24

During his stay in Assam, Gandhi organized women’s meetings

and urged Assamese women to unite the nation. Gandhi was accompanied by

Begum Muhammad Ali to spread the message of the khilaphat, a Muslim religious

movement. Gandhi’s call gave a momentum to the organization of woman in

Assam and inspired them to participate in social and political affairs of the country.

In the absence of any women’s organization in Assam, the women belonging to

the families of prominent Congress leaders took the initiative in organising the

women to come out of their homes. This new spirit of socio-political activity

among Assamese women during the 1st half of nineteenth century contributed to

the formation of Assam Mahila Samity which later known as Assam Pradeshik

Mahila Samity.

Even before the appearance of Gandhi in Assam, some educated women

had begun to organize themselves, following the lead given by the enlightened

persons of the time. They had felt the need for a platform to voice their opinions

and had started to organize themselves from the year 1915. These few educated

women of Assam paid their interest mainly on the issues of women’s education

and rendering help to needy women. In 1915 at the initiative of educationist

24. Arun Chandra Bhuyan & Sibopada De, (ed.) Political History of Assam. Vol.-II, 1978, p-39.

31

Hemaprova Das, social worker Debiprova Bhuyan and educationist Kunti Phukan,

the Dibrugarh Mahila Samity was formed. This Mahila Samity was the pioneer

of women’s organizations in Assam.25

The Dibrugarh Mahila Samity focussed

on women’s education and giving aid to destitute women. In the same way the

local ladies of Sibsagar town formed the Sibsagar Mahila Samity in 1916.

Assamese intellectuals like Dinanath Bezbaruah, Ganga Gobinda Phukan and

Paramananda Bharali encouraged the youth of the town to take up intellectual

pursuits. Under coming influence of these intellectuals, a few educated youths

started to celebrate Jaymati Utsav to create consciousness and nationalist

sentiment among women. The celebration of Jaymati Utsav aroused

encouragement among the local women and they decided to celebrate it annually.

The Sibsagar Mahila Samity was formed for this purpose. Though the main

purpose of the Sibsagar Mahila Samity was to celebrate Jaymati Utsav, it

contributed to the organization of women in Assam. In 1917 the Nowgong Mahila

Samity was formed at the initiative of Khagendripriya Baruani and Swarnalata

Barua.26

The women of Tezpur first organized themselves to form what was then

called the Tezpur Mahila Samity in 1919. Kironmoiyee Agarwala (mother of

Jyotiprasad Agarwala) took active part in the formation of Tezpur Mahila Samity.

Chandraprova Saikiani also involved herself with local ladies in forming Mahila

Samities in Nowgong and Tezpur respectively. In Tezpur there had been an earlier

Mahila Samity prior to 1919.27

The chief aim of this Mahila Samity was to provide

25. Bharati Barua and Dipali Barua, (ed.) Smarnika. fifty sixth session of APMS, Dibrugarh,

1990, p-38.

26. Ibid, p-38.

27. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937. 2008, p-99.

32

aid to the needy and scholarship to poor boys. But it was not active as desired

and hence Chandraprova Saikiani, in association with Kiranmoyee Agarwala

and others, reorganized it as the Tezpur Mahila Samity. Following the examples

of these Mahila Samities, a number of women organizations known as Mahila

Samities were formed in different parts of the state. These Mahila Samities were

small and they had no formal connection with each other. The main objective of

these Mahila samities was the upliftment of society, primarily of the women and

children in respect of their cultural, economic and educational matters. Though

these Samities emerged partially due to the deep rooted feelings of nationalism

perpetuated by the freedom movement, they offered services to various aspects

of women’s lives. They had become agencies for social change and economic

development of women. Through these organizations Assamese women got

opportunity to come out and contribute to the freedom movement. These women

organizations also showed great interest in the constructive programme of

Mahatma Gandhi. But the call of Gandhian ideology was not the only factor

behind the organization of women in Assam. Apart from the efforts of the educated

and conscious women who contributed to the organization of women in Assam,

the formation of Mahila Samities in Assam was influenced by the parallel

movements which took place outside the province.

Since the mid nineteenth century, literary and socio-political activities of

Bengal touched Assam. The Bengali press and Assamese students who were

studying and living in Calcutta were instrumental in spreading information of

socio-political activities of Bengal along with other news of the time. In 1882

33

Swarnakumari Devi of Bengal organized the Sakhi Samiti, which converted into

a craft centre for widows.28

In 1910 Sarala Devi who was an activist of Swadeshi

movement of Bengal, formed the Bengal Stree Mahamandal, the first all India

women’s organization. Sarala Devi was the cousin of Pragnasundari Devi, wife

of Lakshminath Bezbaruah. Latika Devi who belonged to famous Tagore family

of Calcutta, lived in Gauhati with her husband Jnanadabhiram Baruah and she

was very supportive of the Mahila Samity’s activities in Assam. Moreover, after

Gandhi’s visit to Assam in 1921, many all India leaders like Rajendra Prasad,

K.D. Malaviya and others visited Assam and inspired Assamese people including

women to take interest in socio-political affairs of the nation. Assamese journals

of the time like Assam Hitoishi, Banhi and Milan published reports of women’s

conferences which were held in other states along with news about the activities

of women like Annie Besant, Sarojini Naidu, Kamaladevi Chattopadhya.

Assamese women could read all about these through the journals and got the

idea of forming a statewide women’s organization in Assam. However, the

necessity for a statewide women’s organization in Assam was first pointed out

by Anindita Devi, a social worker of Gouripur of Goalpara District.29

Through a

letter in a newspaper she expressed her concern for the absence of an all Assam

women’s organization. She appealed to the women of Assam to take interest in

the formation of such an organization for their own development. Anindita Devi

also expressed her opinion for establishing a link between the Women’s Indian

Association, formed in 1917 and the Assamese association.30

28. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-1.

29. Dipti Sharma, Mukti Jujat Loitpuria Nari. 1995, p-51.

30. Sadiniya Asomiya. 24 June, 1923.

34

The first All India women’s conference was held in Poona on January 1927.

Although no representative from Assam attended the conference, the formation

of All India women’s conference indirectly contributed to making the idea of a

statewide women’s organization in Assam. Till 1925 there was no provincial

women’s organization in Assam. So the women of Assam used the platforms of

the Asom Sahitya Sabha for the upliftment of the position of women.31

In 1925,

the annual session of the Asom Sahitya Sabha was held at Nowgong where many

speakers emphasized the need for women’s education and right. In this meeting,

separate sitting arrangements were made for the women audience and the pandal

that was meant for the women to sit in was covered with bamboo net, so that the

male audience could not see them.32

Chandraprova Saikiani, a devoted social

worker, was a women representative at this meeting and she was hurt to see the

particular arrangement made for the women participants. She condemned the

whole arrangement and succeeded in getting the bamboo net barrier which was

made for the women audience removed. She electrified the minds of the women

audience and inspired them to raise their voice against the social injustice.

2.3 The All Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity :

Chandraprova Saikiani was the beaconing light behind the women’s

organizations in the state. It was under her aegis that the Assam Mahila Samity

was formed and developed. The Nowgong incident made Chandraprova realize

more seriously the need for an all Assam women’s organization and to create a

31. Dipti Sharma, op.cit, p-51.

32. Indira Miri, (ed.) Souvenir. APMS, 1975, p-11.

35

platform for agitation against social injustice. Realizing the importance of an all

Assam women organization, Chandraprova Saikiani called upon all women who

came to attend the Sahitya Sabha meeting, to assemble next day in the Nowgong

Sahitya Sabha pandal for a discussion on the formation of a state level women

organization.33

But the meeting was forcibly prevented by the conservative male

delegates. It made the women participants more determined and they arranged

the meeting on the same day in an open field. The meeting resolved to form an all

Assam Women organization at the next Sahitya Sabha session with the sole view

to protect, preserve and promote the rights of the women. The women participants

entrusted Chandraprova Saikiani with the task of making arrangement for the

formation of a provincial women organization.34

In 1926 the next session of Asom Sahitya Sabha was held in Dhubri, and

Chandraprova Saikiani was present at this meeting. In this meeting Chandraprova

Saikiani succeeded in sowing the seeds of an organized women’s movement in

Assam. In this session, the male members were co-operative and sympathetic to

their cause. Nagendranarayan Choudhury of Lakhipur, Bhuban Chandra Dutta,

the then police officer of Dhubri and Benudhar Rajkhowa, the President of the

session, encouraged Chandraprova Saikiani and other women representatives to

form a State level women organization.35

They themselves took the initiative to

hold a women’s meeting at the Bijni Hall of Dhubri for the purpose of forming of

a provincial women’s organization. Bhuban Chandra Dutta even used his own

vehicle to transport the women to Bijni Hall. By that time, though some

33. Chandraprova Saikiani (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-4.

34. Puspalata Das, Agnisnata Chandraprova. 1998, p-9.

35. Ibid, p-9.

36

progressive women like Chandraprova Saikiani, Swarnalata Saikia, Durgaprova

Bora and others had come to work for the development of women, it would have

been impossible for them to carry on any organising activity without male support,

because till then strong organizing capacities had not developed among Assamese

women. In fact even the Dhubri women’s meeting was possible owing to the

support received from the male delegates. Benudhar Rajkhowa, the President of

Dhubri session of Asom Sahitya Sabha had initiated and facilitated the meeting.36

Although the women participants at the Nowgong meeting had decided to form

a state level women’s organization, nothing concrete had evolved. The support

and inspiration of persons like Benudhar Rajkhowa, Nagendra Narayan

Choudhury and others helped in making the idea of forming a state level women

organization a reality. In a meeting under the presidentship of Benudhar Rajkhowa,

the Assam Mahila Samity was formed at Bijni Hall of Dhubri.37

Chandraprova

Saikiani was made the Secretary of the organization and she was given the

responsibility of co-ordinating the various Mahila Samities scattered all over

Assam. Chandraprova Saikiani appealed to the women of the state to form Mahila

Samities in their respective localities. Under her guidance, women workers

travelled from town to town, village to village and aroused the consciousness

among the woman in favour of forming Mahila Samity for their own development.

During the whole of 1927 Chandraprova Saikiani visited important towns and

villages and met local ladies and appealed them to form Mahila Samities in their

respective localities.38

In their organizational propaganda, Chandraprova Saikiani

36. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937, 2008, p-106.

37. Puspalata Das, Agnisnata Chandraprova. 1998, p-9.

38. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-5.

37

and her co-workers had to face criticism from the general people. In fact till then

Assamese women were not at all visible in social and political activities and

therefore had to face criticism from the general people. Women in urban areas

however, ignored all such criticism and came forward to form Mahila Samities

in their respective localities. The contemporary growing nationalistic circles felt

the need for organizing women on a larger scale. So the Dhubri women’s meeting

got full support from the nationalistic public. Even the local Congress workers

felt the urgent necessity of an organized women’s association for the participation

in the freedom struggle and gave their support and approved of the formation of

Mahila Samities. Particularly after the Pandu Session of Indian National Congress

which held in December 1926, the local Congress Committees became

instrumental in organizing the local women to form Mahila Samities.39

Women

workers Guneswari Devi, Dwarike Kachari, Swarna Mahanta and Rajkumari

Mohini Gohain worked hard to mobilize rural women, several of whom had

initiated the establishment of rural Mahila Samities.40

Chandraprova Saikiani

travelled over the length and breadth of Assam with a view to organizing these

various Mahila Samities under a consortium to form the Assam Padeshik Mahila

Samity. In this way, the nucleus of the Assam Mahila Samity was formed in 1926

in Dhubri. Within three years from its inception in 1926, almost every town of

Assam had a branch of Assam Mahila Samity with a number of sub samities

under each of them.41

Assam Mahila Samity was the first well organized women’s

39. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937. 2008, p-107.

40. Devi Bhuyan, Tezpur District Mahila Samiti And Its Work with Women and Communities in

North East India. 2007, p-57.

41. Dipti Sharma, Mukti Jujat Loitpuria Nari. 1995, p-54.

38

association of Assam which worked for the improvement of the status of women

and for their well being.

Chandraprova Baruah, Sumitra Bhattacharya, Sachiprova Hazarika,

Swarnalata Saikia, Kamala Devi, Mazida Toyabulla, Durgaprova Bora,

Ghanakanti Phukanani, Shantipriya Hazarika, Dropadi Devi Kakati, P. Rosul,

Swarnalata Goswami, Bhuvaneswari Devi Goswami, (Gauhati), Sailyabala Devi

(Barpeta) Kiranmoyee Agarwala, Punyada Devi (Tezpur), Jugamaya Devi,

Kamalalaya Kakati, Kanaklata Chaliha (Sibsagar), Narayani Handique (Jorhat),

Lilayati Bordoloi (North Lakhimpur), Lakhipriya Barua (Golaghat), Mrinalini

Devi Goswami (Golaghat), Prafullabala Chaudhurani, Nilima Barua (Goalpara),

Swarnalata Dutta, Gyanadalata Duara, Jagyadalata Duara, Ratna Kumari

Rajkhowa (Dibrugarh) were the women who participated in the organizational

work of Assam Mahila Samity at the initial stage.42

Since 1926 the Assam

Pradeshik Mahila Samity had been coordinating and assisting the different Mahila

Samities, which collectively impacted Assamese society.

2.4 Objectives :

Generally, all voluntary organizations have come into existence with certain

objectives. Their aims and objectives are influenced by the historical, socio-

economic and cultural factors of the time and by the personalities and philosophies

of the founders. In the beginning, the AMS did not have any written constitution

and hence at the outset the objectives were not enlisted in any written document.

In the first session of AMS which was held in Goalpara in 1927, Secretary

42. Induprova Barua, (ed.) Souvenir. APMS, 1975, p-11.

39

Chandraprova Saikiani elaborated the aims and objectives of the apex body in

her Secretarial Report. Focussing on the objectives of Assam Mahila Samity, she

stated that the aim of AMS was to make women independent, austere in habits,

skilled in work and excellent in all spheres.43 For this purpose, she stressed on

the spread and development of women’s education. In fact at that time the main

focus of each and every women’s organization was women’s education. The Poona

conference of the AIWC which formed in 1927, had been named as the Women’s

Conference on Educational Reform. Though since nineteenth century reform

movement, the issue of women’s education had at the forefront, for the first time

women themselves began to take up the issue through their own forums. Like

AIWC of Bombay, the AMS adopted women’s education as one of the main

objectives in its agenda. Chandraprova Saikiani in her Secretarial Report also

referred to the other objectives of AMS as to take care of helpless widows and

orphans children and to provide help to needy women suffering from social

injustice.44

Further, she stated that the objectives of AMS were to make a woman

an efficient and skilled member of her own family and society, make her self

dependent, to make the Samity an intellectual forum where women could sit

together and deliberate their problems and find solutions for them. Basically, the

aims and objectives of AMS were mainly directed to women and children’s

welfare. They may be highlighted as below :

1. To make every woman of Assam physically strong and active and educate

them in all possible ways, so that they may become worthy citizens.

43. Aparna Mahanta, (ed.) Ghar Jeuti, 2008, p-97.

44. Ibid, p-99.

40

2. To fulfill that purpose the Samity decided.

a) To establish Mahila Samities all over the state for the purpose of

helping mothers to work collectively for all round child care.

b) To popularise women’s education and persuade the parents to send

their daughters to school.

c) To establish destitute homes (Anath Ashram) and model schools

(Adarsha Vidyalaya) in Assam.

d) To give shelter to the destitute women and give them all possible

help and to educate them.

e) To take care of orphans and make arrangement for their all round

development.

f) To provide financial aid to poor, ambitious and studious girls.

g) To establish training centres of weaving and spinning for the

economic independence of women and also for the promotion of

cottage industries.

h) To publish monthly magazines and journals for women.

i) To make arrangement for the publication of books of economically

weak women writers.

j) To take measures to remedy the difficulties and grievances of

women in general.45

45. Sadiniya Asomiya, 11 March, 1928.

41

3. To strive for the general improvement of the state of Assam.

4. To strive for the achievement of social progress.

5. To work for the establishment of national peace, amity, prosperity and

communal harmony.

In 1945 a written constitution was adopted for the association and its aims

and objectives were enlisted therein. Generally the aims and objectives of the

APMS are socio- cultural in nature and there is no political aim in the agenda.

2.5 The organizational Structure of the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity

in Assam :

The Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity was able to come up with its branches

in various nooks and corners of the state within a very short period of time.

These branch committees maintained active contact with the Provincial

Committee by way of making annual contributions and sending delegates to the

Provincial Committee’s annual meetings. In fact from the very beginning the

Samity’s organizational set up was very strong and elaborate. It was based on a

democratic line. In the Samity’s annual conference at Dibrugarh in 1949, Sucheta

Kripalini termed the Samity as the largest democratic women’s organization in

the country.46

46. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta, 1961, pp-15-16.

42

Assam Pradeshik

Mahila Samity

District Level Mahila

Samity i.e. Tezpur

District Mahila Samity

Primary

Mahila Samity

The importance of organizational structure of any organization lies in the

fact that it determines the role and responsibilities of its different organs. Like

any other organizations of Society, Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity possesses

its own structure pattern. The Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity consists of a

committee of Pradeshik members, the Provincial Working Committee, the District

Mahila Samity and the Primary Mahila Samity.47

Since its formation, APMS has been maintaining an independent status. It is

a co-ordinating organization and it operates its functions all over the state. Its

district and primary branches are mostly set up by the local women to reap the

benefits of collective action. The Primary Mahila Samities are local level

organizations and operate at the local level on a small scale. Their operations are

confined only to their immediate locality, neighbourhood or village. District

â

â

47. Niyamayali, APMS, 1997, p-3.

43

branches of APMS, operate even large areas both in rural as well as urban areas.

The majority of the Mahila Samities in Assam are affiliated with the Assam

Pradeshik Mahila Samity. The representatives elected by the District Committees

to the Provincial Conference became the provincial members. The provincial

members have to pay Rs. 10 (ten) as membership fee. There is a category of

members called Life Member. By paying Rs. 500 any member may become a

Life Member of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity.

2.5.1 Primary member and Primary Mahila Samity :

The membership of Primary Mahila Samity is open to all women irrespective

of their religion, caste and community. Any willing woman above the age of 18

can become the member of the Primary Samity. Each member has to pay a

membership fee. The elected executive body collects fees from the members

recording their signatures in the printed receipt books which are kept with the

Primary or District Mahila Samity. Annual donation can be received from the

members and its records are kept in the Donation Column of the receipt book.

The Primary Mahila Samities retain these donations. Without thirty members a

Primary Mahila Samity can not be formed and a Primary Mahila Samity can

cover two or three localities or a number of villages.48

District Mahila Samities

are empowered to form Primary Mahila Samities under their control. But in this

respect they have to follow the rules and regulations of Assam Pradeshik Mahila

Samity.

48. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-5.

44

In a village panchayat there may be one or more branches of Mahila Samities

and they become a part of the District Mahila Samity. These Primary Mahila

Samities do elect their representatives to district Conference and sent their names

to District Samity. These elected representatives become the members of District

Mahila Samity. Some Primary Mahila Samities are amalgamated to form a regional

Mahila Samity if it considered necessary. The regional Samity cannot elect

representatives to the District Committee and cannot accord recognition to the

Primary Samity. The regional Mahila Samity remain affiliated to the Pradeshik

Mahila Samity until the District Mahila Samity is formed. But after the formation

of District Mahila Samity, the regional Mahila Samity comes under its direct

control.

The Primary Mahila Samity functions under the supervision of the District

Mahila Samity within its respective area. Every Primary Samity prepares a list of

members within its area and sends it to the Secretary of the District Committee.

The Primary Mahila Samity is to maintain a register, relating to its enrolment of

members, income, expenditure and an account of its all activities. The executive

body of Primary Mahila Samity and its functionaries are appointed at the general

meeting of the Primary Samity. In the appointment of office bearers, the Primary

Mahila Samity have to follow the rules and regulations of Assam Pradeshik Mahila

Samity. The Primary Samity invites the District Samity to its annual session which

held once in a year and submits the accounts of its activities before the District

Samity. Besides, its general conference held once in every three years.49

49. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-6.

45

2.5.2 District Mahila Samity :

The District Mahila Samity is constituted district and sub-division wise.

Every District Mahila Samity is composed of the elected representatives of the

Primary Committee and the District Committee carry out its functions in the

entire sub-division. At least 40 (forty) members are required to form a District

Mahila Samity and all the District Mahila Samities are affiliated to the Assam

Pradeshik Mahila Samity.50

The District Mahila Samity carries out its functions

in its respective area under the control and supervision of the Assam Pradeshik

Mahila Samity. The District Samity is bound to furnish the reports of its works to

the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity. The District Samity is empowered to shift

its head office with prior permission from the Provincial Working Committee.

Every District Mahila Samity consists of an executive body and a district

committee. Generally the district committee forms the executive body with 30

(thirty) members. Every member of District Mahila Samity has to pay a fixed

amount as membership fee. Of course the membership fee may be different district

wise. According to the procedure of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity, the District

Mahila Samity is empowered to determine the membership fee.

Every Primary Mahila Samity has to pay an affiliation fee to the District

Mahila Samity. If the affiliation certificate is lost, fee will have to be paid by the

particular Primary Committee for a new one. According to the constitution of the

Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity, every District Mahila Samity is bound to follow

the roles and regulations of APMS. The Pradeshik Mahila Samity withdraws its

50. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-7.

46

recognition from District Samity if it fails to follow the terms and conditions of

APMS and constitutes a separate committee in that particular District. Like the

Primary Samity, the general meeting of District Mahila Samity is held once in

three years and the elected members of the general meeting become the members

of the District Committee. There are 25 (twenty five) District Mahila Samities

under the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity.51

They are -

1. Dibrugarh District Mahila Samity

2. Sibsagar District Mahila Samity

3. Tinsukia District Mahila Samity

4. Golaghat District Mahila Samity

5. Jorhat District Mahila Samity

6. Darrang District Mahila Samity

7. Nowgong District Mahila Samity

8. Morigaon District Mahila Samity

9. Gauhati District Mahila Samity

10. Tezpur District Mahila Samity

11. North Lakhimpur District Mahila Samity

12. Dhemaji District Mahila Samity

13. Majuli District Mahila Samity

14. Nalbari District Mahila Samity

51. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, pp-8-9.

47

15. Barpeta District Mahila Samity

16. Goalpara District Mahila Samity

17. Dhubri District Mahila Samity

18. Kokrajhar District Mahila Samity

19. Halflong District Mahila Samity

20. Karbi Anglong District Mahila Samity

21. Biswanath Chariali District Mahila Samity

22. Rangia District Mahila Samity

23. Nazira District Mahila Samity

24. Karimganj District Mahila Samity

25. Silchar District Mahila Samity

2.5.3 The Provincial Working Committee :

There is an executive Committee termed as the Provincial Working

Committee. The Provincial Working Committee comprises of an Advisory

Committee with a President, a Working President, a Vice President (numbers

may increase according to necessity), a General Secretary, two Joint Secretaries,

two Joint Assistant General Secretaries and a Treasurer. The Provincial Working

Committee acts as a core group for managing the affairs of the Samity. Normally

all the functions of the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity are carried out by the

Provincial Working Committee. All important matters are decided at the meeting

of Provincial Working Committee and all resolutions adopted at the meeting of

the Working Committee are binding upon all the District Committees. As per

procedures of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity the Provincial Working Committee

is empowered to invite special persons to its meetings. The Working Committee

meets once in a calender year. If required, the Working Committee may have

more sessions. It has been found that on an average, there are more married

members in the Executive Committee than unmarried members.

The Head office of the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity has some other

ranks of office bearers and functionaries also. These office bearers are designated

with various titles as Office Secretary (with allowance), Auditor (Internal)

Accountant (with allowance), office Assistant and Typist (with allowance and

the Chowkider, male or female (paid).52

These office bearers are generally selected

and they need not necessarily be members of Working Committee.

The sub-committees are -

1. Publicity

2. Education

3. Public Health

4. Cottage Industries and

5. Library

6. Child Welfare

7. International Relations

8. Open Forums

48

52. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-13.

The President plays the pivotal role in the affairs of the Samity. The success

of the Samity depends on the President to a large extent. The President is the

authorized person to tackle any problem on a crucial occasion in consultation

with the Working President, Vice President and with the Principal Secretaries.

The Assistant Secretaries perform their duties as per the suggestions of the

Principal Secretaries. The Principal Secretaries and the Assistant Secretaries keep

close contact with the District Committees and prepare reports accordingly. The

Assistant Secretary prepares the annual budget with the help of the Treasurer.

Normally the President presides over the executive meeting of APMS. In

absence of the President, the Working President or the Vice President presides

over the meeting. In absence of both, the Working Committee may elect a President

for the same. The open session of APMS held every three years in a village or a

town and a district committee takes all responsibilities for the session and make

all necessary arrangement accordingly. The open session of APMS is known as

‘The Conference.’53 In whichever district the conference is held, that particular

district bears all the expenditure in connection with the reception. Moreover,

other districts also have to offer their financial aid to the Conference. All the

members of the Provincial Working Committee represent the Conference. Besides,

the District Committee nominates some delegates to the Conference and they are

entitled to caste their vote in the conference. The nominated delegates have to

pay fees as fixed by the Reception Committee of the Conference. Moreover, all

the District committees have to pay an annual contribution to APMS and if any

49

53. Constitution, APMS, 1990, p-14.

District Committee fails to pay its annual contribution to Pradeshik Samity then

the members of that particular District Samity cannot exercise their voting power

in the proceedings of the conference. Members, President, Vice President and

Treasurer of the Provincial Working Committee are elected in the conference.

The invited audience may speak on any resolution adopted in the conference, but

they cannot vote. Exhibitions and seminars may be arranged in the conference.

The President for the conference may be from Assam or may be invited from any

other state.

The Head office of APMS is located in Gauhati. According to the constitution

of APMS, Gauhati is the gateway and central place of Assam and hence the Head

office of APMS will be located in Gauhati.54

The constitution of APMS can be

amended. The Provincial Working Committee can suggest and propose

amendments to any part of the constitution after much deliberations but the

amendments will come into effect only after they have been approved in the

conference.

2.6 Finance :

In order to function effectively, finance is of utmost importance. Without

sufficient funds voluntary organizations cannot carry out their proposed

programmes and often shortage of funds even compels organizations to close

down. In the past voluntary organizations got donations from the community.

G.R. Madan observes : “In the past the voluntary welfare agencies in this country

54. Constitution, APMS, 1990, p-3.

50

have been depending on the charity raised from a few wealthy people and

government assistance has been negligible.”55

Of course in this case the donors

sometimes dictate their own terms for using the money for specific purposes or

meeting the needs of a particular community. At times, the persons who formed

the voluntary agency, themselves contributed to meet the expenses of the agency.

During colonial period, voluntary organizations received a large part of their

financial reserves from the community. Wealthy persons and philanthropists also

contributed to the finance of the voluntary welfare agencies. After independence

the government assumed programmes of granting financial aid to the voluntary

organizations working in different fields for welfare of people. In the present

study efforts have been made to know some aspects of the income of APMS.

Data were collected from the association and from its district and primary branches

regarding their sources of income and methods used for mobilizing funds.

In the beginning the Mahila Samity was wholly dependent on donations

received from the public.56

Women workers and well wishers of Assam Mahila

Samity collected donations from different sources to make Mahila Samity solvent.

The Secretary’s Report in the first conference of Mahila Samity held in Goalpara

in 1927, stated that a well wisher of Calcutta (name was not mentioned) sent a

book of printed receipts in the name of Mahila Samity with which the fund raising

process was started.57

Even members of Asom Sahitya Sabha, wives, daughters

or sisters of Congress workers and youth workers helped Mahila Samity in fund

55. G.R. Madan, Indian Social Problem, Vol.-II, 1991, p-404.

56. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937, 2008, p-108.

57. Aparna Mahanta, (ed.) Ghar Jeuti, 2008, p-94.

51

collection. In Shillong Padmayati Hazarika, in Gauhati Chandraprova Saikiani,

in Goalpara Umacharan Choudhury, in Tezpur Dayalchandra Bhuyan, in Jorhat

Narayani Handique and in Sibsagar Kamalalaya Kakati collected donations for

the Mahila Samity.

After independence, the Samity adopted some specific policies regarding

fund collection. The sources of income of APMS may be divided into two parts

namely, own sources and external sources. Under the category of “own sources’’,

APMS collects funds from memberships fee, donations, from rent and sale of

produce, prize money from various competitions etc. In the category of “external

sources”, APMS collects funds from government grants, receives aid from

international or foreign agencies. Sometimes it takes loans from various banks

and government and non-government agencies.

In raising funds APMS uses different methods depending upon the

circumstances. Membership fees, donations and sale of produce are the most

common sources of funds of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity. But it is learnt

from investigations that subscriptions made by its members form a small part of

the total income of the Samity. It generates funds by selling different articles

produced by them and this greatly contributes to the total income of the

organization. The members of the Samity sell different types of handloom and

handicraft products like gamocha, mekhela and chadar, embroidered and knitted

garments, processed food, decorative objects through informal channels.

Some primary and district branches of APMS have their own sales outlets.

They also participate in different exhibitions organized within and outside the

52

states to sell their products and thereby contribute to the finance of their

organization. Another way of enhancing the income is by providing vocational

training in different trades like cutting, knitting, tailoring, embroidering, weaving,

type writing and mushrooms cultivation and earning money in the form of service

charges. At the time of festivals like Bihu and Puja, APMS and its branches

undertake different types of fund raising endeavours. They organize cultural

programmes, drama shows and exhibitions and thereby collect funds for

implementing their programmes.The members of APMS and its branches

participate in different cultural competitions organized by different organizations

and the prize money contributes to their organizational income.

APMS strengthens its finance through donation as well. The Samity receives

donations both in cash and kind. It has been found that APMS receives financial

assistance in the form of grants from different government agencies like Central

Social Welfare Board, Assam State Social Welfare Board, District Industrial

Department and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. These grants are received

by the Samity for implementing their programmes in different Welfare fields.

The grants received from the government and other non government agencies

are the major source of fund of the Samity. The head office of APMS is located

on donated land. On the request of Dr. Bhubaneswar Baruah and some other

Social workers, Mahila Samity got the land as the donation from the government.58

Under the aegis of the then Chief Minister Bimala Prasad Chaliha, the Samity

received a financial aid of Rs. 25,000 from the government of Assam in 1958.59

58. Ranu Baruah & Jaylakshmi Bora, (ed.) Smritigrantha, Padmashree Chandraprova Saikiani

Janma Satbarsikee, 2002, p-66.

59. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-23.

53

The amount of government aid in the next year was Rs. 20,000.60 These two

were the biggest government grants received by the Samity upto that time. During

the tenure of Gopinath Bordoloi as the Chief Minister of Assam in 1948, the

Samity was in receipt of grants of Rs. 10,000/- from the government and Rs.

5000/- from the Governor’s fund.61

During Bishnu Ram Medhi’s time also, the

Samity received Rs. 15,000/- from the Assam Social Welfare Board and the District

Industrial Department respectively. The Samity used this money to set up a Harijan

school and a weaving centre in Gauhati. With the grant received during the tenure

of Bimala Prasad Chaliha, the Samity had offered financial assistance to various

District and village development centres. In 1954, the Central Social Welfare

Board was established. The Samity received a grant of Rs. 5000/- from the Board

when Durgabai Deshmukh was its chairperson. In 1959, the Samity received a

one time grant of Rs. 5000/- from Central Home Minister Govind Balav Pant’s

fund to pursue welfare activities among women and children.62

The Samity had

thus been receiving financial grants from the government and from the various

government organizations.

The APMS have received a variety of books and furniture as donation for its

library. APMS also receives monetary donations from individuals. Kanaklata

Barua, a social activist and member of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity donated

Rs. 1000 to the Samity.63

The women’s hostel of APMS was completed by the

donation of Rs. 5 lakhs from Monmohan Singh, then Member of Parliament

60. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-22.

61. Ibid, p-23.

62. Ibid, p-24.

63. Smarakgrantha, APMS, 1985, p-40.

54

from his M.P. fund.64

Social worker Shubrata Baruah donated a room in the name

of her mother, late Pratibha Baruah, and grand mother, late Bhuvaneswari Devi,

for the primary school of APMS.65

In 1979 the Samity received Rs. 44,000 as

financial aid from A.C.W.W.66

With this grant, APMS implemented some special

schemes like establishment of child development centres in Gauhati and Diphu

and supply of drinking water in the rural areas of Golaghat and Nalbari.

Thus it is clear that APMS collects funds from different sources to strengthen

its finance. The association also maintains an organized financial administration.

The entire fund collected by the Samity is deposited in a nationalised bank under

the joint signatures of either the President or the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Generally, the Treasurer maintains accounts of receipts and expenditure. The

Treasurer obtains different expenditure and issue receipts. The Secretaries of the

Samity prepare a yearly budget and submit it at the Working Committee. Besides

the Secretaries have to inform the Working Committee about the allotted sum in

the budget before they incur its expenditure. The Working Committee is bound

to accord its sanction to the expenditure earmarked in the budget. The budget

amount can be withdrawn from the bank under the joint signatures of the Treasurer

and the President or either of the two Secretaries.

64. Presidential Report, Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samitir 70th session, Mangoldoi, 16th Oct.,

2000, p-4.

65. Ibid, pp-4-5.

66. Debala Hazarika & Runu Barua, (ed.) Smarakgrantha, APMS, 1985, p-21.

55