The Golaghat district committees of Tai Ahom Mahila Parishad and Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad Asom have announced that the Aideu Handique Award 2025 will be conferred on renowned Assamese actress Gitawali Rajkumari.

About the Award

• The award recognises outstanding contributions to Assamese cinema and performing arts.
• It symbolises recognition of women’s contributions to regional cinema, theatre, and cultural identity.
• The event also integrates tributes to iconic cultural figures of Assam.
• The award is instituted by Tai Ahom cultural organisations to preserve and promote Ahom and Assamese heritage.

About the Aideu Handique Award

• The award is named after Aideu Handique, regarded as the first Assamese film actress.
• She played the titular role in Joymoti (1935), the first ever Assamese feature film, directed by the cultural icon Jyotiprasad Agarwala. 
  • At a time when social taboos dictated that men played female roles on screen, her courage paved the way for women in the industry.
• Despite her historic role, Handique faced severe social ostracism and humiliation from the conservative society of the 1930s for having spent time with men in the film unit and for addressing her co-actor (Phani Sarma) as “Bongohordeo” (husband) on screen. 
• She remained unmarried, lived in isolation, and never acted again after Joymoti.

Q. With reference to the Aideu Handique Award, consider the following statements:

1. It is named after the first Assamese film actress.
2. It recognises contributions to Assamese cinema and culture.
3. It is conferred by a Central Government cultural body.

Which of the statements are correct?
(a) Only 1 and 2
(b) Only 2 and 3
(c) Only 1 and 3
(d) All three

Answer: (a) 

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