BALURGHAT: A memorandum demanding the installation of an inscription marking the birthplace of the renowned Buddhist leader and scholar Atish Dipankar Shrigyan was submitted on Wednesday at Balurghat Circuit House.
The delegation from the Itihas Anusandhan Parishad (Historical Research Council) handed over the memorandum to minister in-charge of Consumer Affairs and Harirampur MLA, Biplab Mitra. The minister expressed his satisfaction at receiving the appeal and assured the delegation that prompt action would be taken. He further stated that necessary instructions would be issued immediately to the District Magistrate of South Dinajpur for follow-up measures.
“This is a matter of great importance. I will direct the District Magistrate of South Dinajpur to take the required steps,” Mitra said.
The memorandum highlighted that recent archaeological findings and historical research confirm that Atish Dipankar Shrigyan, a global Buddhist figure, was born in 982 AD in Surhor village under Harirampur block. Local residents, along with the Historical Research Council, have been demanding the establishment of an inscription at the site, engraved with the words: “Birthplace of Atish Dipankar Shrigyan”. Renowned historian Professor Himanshu Kumar Sarkar, through his extensive research, established that Harirampur and the adjoining regions of South Dinajpur, North Dinajpur and Malda once fell under the rule of Pala king Gopala.
Atish Dipankar was a descendant of this dynasty. The All India Bengali Buddhist Federation has also endorsed Surhor village as the birthplace of the revered teacher.
“It is essential that an inscription be installed in Surhor village without delay,” Professor Sarkar observed.
Echoing this sentiment, Naba Kumar Das, president of the Historical Research Council, said: “We submitted the memorandum to minister Biplab Mitra, demanding the installation of an inscription at Surhor village. Our discussion with the minister was very positive and he assured us that necessary steps would be taken at the earliest.”