THROUGH HUMANITY TO PEACE
About Us
The Indian Red Cross Society, Sonitpur Branch, is a part of the nationwide humanitarian movement that aims to alleviate human suffering, protect life and health, and uphold human dignity—especially during emergencies and disasters.
Our Mission:
– Prevent and Alleviate Suffering: Reduce and prevent human suffering through humanitarian activities.
– Protect Life and Health: Safeguard lives and improve individual well-being.
– Impartiality: Provide assistance without discrimination, focusing on individual needs.
Our Vision:
– Inspire and Encourage: Foster a culture of humanitarian work and volunteerism.
– Create a Congenial Climate: Contribute to a more peaceful and developed society by addressing human suffering.
– Minimize Human Suffering: Reduce and prevent suffering through dedicated humanitarian efforts.
Seven Fundamental Principles of Red Cross
1. Humanity : The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavors, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.
2. Impartiality : It makes no discrimination as to nationally, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavors to relieve the suffering of individuals, being solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.
3. Neutrality : In orders to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.
4. Independence : The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the Movement.
5. Voluntary service : It is voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.
6. Unity : There can be only one Red Cross Or Red Crescent in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.
7. Universality : The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other, is worldwide.
History of IRCS, Sonitpur District Branch, Tezpur
As recounted by senior citizens, including Srijut Akhil Sarma of Polofield, Ahindra Choudhury of N.B. Road, and Nathmal Tibrewal of M.G. Road, the renowned social worker of a bygone era, Dr. Lalit Mohan Choudhury, began serving the common people from a Red Cross Office located in his residence on the backside road of Tezpur Sadar Thana around 1955 but he may have started Red Cross mission at Tezpur much earlier date.
In the 1980s, Tara Saikia, then Deputy Controller of Civil Defence and Commandant of the Home Guard, undertook various activities, including public events at Polofield. However, since 1990, there have been no known Red Cross activities in Tezpur, and the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Assam State Branch, has no records of the Tezpur or Sonitpur District Branch.
Revival Efforts
In November 2019, a few officials from the IRCS, Assam State Branch, visited Sri Himendra Nath Sarma and Hemanta Kumar Lahkar to discuss reviving the long-defunct Sonitpur District Branch. Following these discussions, we immediately sought an appointment with the then Deputy Commissioner of Sonitpur, Sri Manavendra Pratap Singh, IAS, and met him along with the State Branch officials. He was highly enthusiastic about reviving the Red Cross and advised us to organize a public meeting for interested individuals. The very next day, he issued a notice, scheduling the meeting for December 26, 2019, and assured us that he would preside over it. He also advised us to ensure that the notice reached people who had previously been associated with Red Cross, Sonitpur. Notably, there were no records at the Assam State Branch regarding the Sonitpur Branch or its members. On guesstimate our active volunteer Hemanga Saikia delivered copy of notice at residence of Sumer Dugar and Dr Lakhi Goswami.
The Public Meeting
The meeting on December 26, 2019, was a grand success, as acknowledged by the Deputy Commissioner. A total of 84 individuals attended, filled out application forms, and paid the fees for life membership to the Assam State Branch officials. The meeting was conducted by four officials from Guwahati Prof Sarbeswar Buzarbarua, Chandra Chakraborty, Vice Chairman,State Branch, Karuna Kanta Lahkar, State Managing Body Member and Diganta Buzarbarua, State Secratary. The State Secretary anchoring the event proposed a preparatory body to act as the Interim Managing Body for the branch’s immediate operations. This was approved the president and unanimously accepted. The body was headed by:
Chairman: Sri Himendra Nath Sarma
Vice Chairman : Hemanta Lahkar
Tresurer : Hemanta Kakati
Honorary Secretary: Dr. Atul Kalita
Honorary Assistant Secretary: Sri Hemanga Saikia
The first meeting of the Managing Body was held on January 7, 2020, at the Spring Valley Conference Room, N.C. Road, Tezpur, where members took the oath as per the constitution.
Unfortunately, although some initial steps were taken, on March 14, 2020, the Government of India declared a pandemic due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which halted all normal activities. However, as per the advice of our president, during September–October 2020, several members particularly Sri Chitta Deb Sarma, Hitendra Saikia managed to collect approximately 35 units of plasma from COVID-recovered individuals for Tezpur Medical College.
Establishing the Office
On December 29, 2021, the Sonitpur district administration officially handed over our landed properties, including a half-constructed RCC building, to our honorary Assistant Secretary Hemanga Saikia
By January 2022, we shifted our office to our own building and held our first Managing Body meeting on February 13, 2022. This milestone was achieved thanks to the generous contributions of several respected life members, who helped complete the half-done building and make it liveable. These contributors include:
Sri Moti Sipani
Vinod Bagaria
Sushil Gulchha
Jugal Daga
Siyalal Choudhury
Nilesh Agarwalla
Shyamanta Lahkar
Hitendra Saikia
Rajesh Jalan
Additionally, a small RCC building with two rooms, suitable for an ATM, was donated by M/s Spring Valley. This structure was completed within one and a half months, following a request from State Bank of India for ATM space.
Our Chairman, Srijut Himendra Nath Sarma, further contributed by donating:
One iron almirah
One large wooden table
Three wooden chairs
Later, 16 life members donated 80 plastic chairs and two plastic tables for our conference hall at the basement. These donors include:
Sri Anand Sharma
Dr. Sanjay Roy
Ganesh Choudhury
Uday Krishna Gohain Baruah
Abhijit Goswami
Madhusmita Goswami
Dr. Jurity Pegu
Debajit Saikia
Arun Mani Lahkar
Bharat Borah
Dr. Arun Jyoti Barua
Dr. Basanta Hazarika
Dr. Aparajita Baruah
Dr. Rini Duwara
Hemanta Kakati
Hemanga Saikia
Furthermore, our water supply installation, including an overhead tank, water pump, pump house, and plumbing, was donated by another life member, Sri Vinod Bothra.
The first AGM was originally scheduled for May 2020 but was postponed due to Government of India regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was eventually held on May 19, 2022, presided over by Sri Deb Kumar Mishra, ACS, and attended by 68 members. The meeting took place in the basement conference hall of our own building. During this AGM, the first regular Managing Body Members were elected.
Our milestone activities in 2023 and 2024 included a health camp for “Dibanga,” ( person with disabilities ) jointly organized with the Civil Administration and Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti, New Delhi. The five-day camp was managed by several of our life members, community volunteers, and Junior Red Cross volunteers. During the camp, we distributed artificial limbs and various assistive equipment such as wheelchairs, tricycles, and hearing aids. The total number of beneficiaries was 950 in 2023 and 1,497 in 2024.
It is noteworthy that during 2023, our President recovered an ambulance ( luxury car ) bearing registration no AS 12M 6550 donated by the State Bank of India, using a crane . Few people were unauthorisedly using it in Tezpur town and peripheral area. Now we are using it occasionally.
Additionally, we earned accolades for organising voluntary blood donation camps and awareness campaigns, receiving recognition at both the state-level function of the Government of Assam and from the district authorities.
Another major achievement during 2023-24 is completing civil work of first floor comprising 1550 squire feet area. Our popular local MP Srijute Pallabh Lochan Das sanctioned ₹10,00,000/-( ₹ten lakhs only) from MP LAD Fund .
Who’s Who
Smt. Droupadi Murmu
H.E. President of India is President of Indian Red Cross Society
Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya
H E Governor of Assam, President of Indian Red Cross Society, Assam State Branch
Shri Ananda Kumar Das, ACS
District Commissioner, Sonitpur, President of Indian Red Cross Society, Sonitpur District Branch
Lawnita Borah
Chairman, Indian Red Cross Society, Sonitpur District Branch
Bikram Kalita
Vice Chairman, Indian Red Cross Society, Sonitpur District Branch
Manjit Saikia
Treasurer, Indian Red Cross Society, Sonitpur District Branch
Debajit Saikia
Honorary Secretary, Indian Red Cross Society, Sonitpur District Branch
Members of Managing Body : Himendra Nath Sarma, Hemanta Kr. Lahkar, Debojit Saikia, Mridu Goswami, Binod Bageria, Moti Sipani , Chitta Deb Sarma, Dhruba J. Das, Bakul Roy, Dipender Joshi, Dr. Biren Das, Pranami Garg.