Title:
The Potent DNA
Author:
Jodha Chandra Sanasam
ISBN: 9789382395386
Binding: Soft Cover
Language: English
Category: Novel (Literature/Fiction)
About the Novel:
Manipur, a small state tucked far away in the easternmost
corner of India, grew to nurture insurgents and revolutionary bodies.
Spills-over from the revolutionary movements and ugliness in their related
activities splashed everywhere originating from the fundamentals of self
determination, struggle for freedom and independence. The spills-over got
hatched out in the forms of: threats, extortion, coercion, abduction,
vandalism, terrorism, gun shots, assassinations, murderous crimes, rapid
increase of armed organisations on one hand; and on the other, the gripping
measures taken up by the state actors, military and paramilitary forces; the
list was long.
Dr. Ayush was a victim to two events in his life. The first
was a broken hearted separation from his first love in his youth and the
second, some of the excesses of insurgency in Manipur. The son of a widow, he
grew up a diligent, well disciplined student in spite of lack of money in their
household. As a youth he nurtured a healthy untarnished love for his girl
Nomita. The love was well reciprocated by Nomita. But their love happened to
have crashed on trouble spots was disrupted by odds and unwanted events caused
by the unscrupulous acts of some miscreants. Meanwhile when he was a medical
student in Calcutta another love developed with a class mate girl from the
family of a wealthy businessman. Just near his final MBBS examination Ayush
lost both his girls and he became a frustrated young man. Even then he got to
his feet, up from his trips-over. Till later in life when he became a professor
his efforts to live the rational life of a decent citizen never receded.
A time came when he became a teacher in the medical college
and had a well settled married life with a lady doctor of decent demeanour.
However he was not happy with his career which persistently got crushed under
some sort of nepotism and injustice. Moreover he could never get rid of the
persistent pang of broken love where he was at the receiving end. He, however,
still remained an apt citizen against all kinds of odds in his life, the man of
the family in the midst of a seriously disturbed socio-political turmoil in
Manipur.
All his courage, patience and perseverance got smashed down
with the repeated disdainful transgression acts of the freedom fighters, whose
activities infringed into his otherwise serene private life. He eventually left
his dear homeland and the tide of his life took him to overseas, to Bangkok
then to Chicago. Later he led the life of a biochemist, a professor, deeply
involved in research work of DNA and genes; at the same time he became more
philosophical in his view of life with some of his own principles and concepts
of God and humanity. However he had a persistent thirst for something without
knowing what it was but which made him look out for it in his life. On the
other hand his dream of a peaceful progressive Manipur, his homeland, never
left his brain waves.
Finally at long last he could identify his thirst. He
attained the object of his vision which he had been searching throughout his
life without knowing what it was. He met Nomita again after thirty five years
and only then he found peace and a way of life which he thought was his way of
life.
About the Author:
Prof. Jodha Chandra Sanasam, now on the verge of 70 years of
age, is a Writer, Lyricist, Clinician and a Medical Educationist, as well as a
social worker. He writes novels, poems, short stories. He is a columnist of the
local English daily ‘Huieyen Lanpao’. He also does critical writing.
Music and literature have been all along with him since his
young age. During his days at the general and medical colleges he wrote short
stories, poems and essays, both in Manipuri and English, and received prizes
for such activities. He has written and published 16 books: novels, short
stories; poetry, English poetry, English translation of all works of Shri
Biren’s poetry in two volumes. He is a Lyricist to the All India Radio, Imphal.
He is a recipient of: National Sahitya Akademi Award in
literature for his novel ‘Mathou Kanba DNA’ in 2012; Manipur State Kala Akademi
Award 2011, BM Maisnamba Novel Award, Dineshwari Sahitya Manaa, Yendrembam
Surolata Puraskar Award for the same novel; ‘Kabya Bhushan’ title, Sanathoi
Phulo Lyricist Award, Waribam Meino Sheireng Manaa for his poems and lyrics,
and ‘Literary Excellency Award’ from a Manipur Sangeet Natya Mahabidyalay’. He
is also a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International; Fellow of the United
Writers’ Forum, Madras and Fellow of The Rotary Foundation District 3240.
He is a life member of many a literary organization: The
Cultural Forum Manipur; Manipuri Sahitya Parishad Meghalaya; Manipuri Sahitya
Parishad, Imphal; Naharol Sahitya Premi Samiti, Imphal; Writers’ Forum, Imphal;
North East Writers’ Forum, Guwahati; Apunba Manipuri Matam Ishei Kanglup,
Imphal (AMMIK) its Former President); Patriots’ Writers’ Forum Manipur, its
President now; and IMAKHOL.
Prof. Sanasam was the Editor in Chief of ‘Filmgee Taibang’,
the first ever film magazine of Manipur. He was a member in the jury of the
Selection Committee of the 7th Film Festival in Manipur.
Recently Prof. Sanasam received the ‘Award of Excellence in
Medicine in the North East’ conferred upon by the down town hospital ltd,
Guwahati during its Silver Jubilee Celebration. He received ‘Arambam Samarendra
Memorial Distinguished Award; and citations from: the President, Rotary
International, HQ Chicago; District Governor, Rotary International District
3240; Association of Otolaryngologists of India, HQ Mumbai as well as from the
Eastern Zone and North East Branch respectively. He received also appreciation
letters from His Excellency, the Governor of Manipur, and Chairman, Indian
National Polio Plus Committee.
He is still active with his profession; at present he is the
Professor and Head in the Dept of ENT JNIMS, an institute of medical sciences.
He was the President of the Association of Otolaryngologists (ENT Surgeons) of
India, Eastern Zone and North Eastern Branch as well; and the founder President
of the Manipur Branch of this association of ENT surgeons. He was also the
President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Manipur State Branch, the
Founder Editor of its journal ‘Hakchang Paojel’ and an Editor to its other
publications and a Referee to JIMA, the National Journal of IMA; Chairman,
Secretary and Editor to RIMS Medical Society; Member of the Academic Council,
Manipur University; Treasurer to the Red Cross Society of India, Manipur
Branch; Vice president and Coordinator to the Association of Paediatric
Otolaryngologists of India, HQ Madras. He had published 19 scientific papers, 3
in American Medical Journals and most of the rest of them in the National
Journal; and the rest in regional and local journals.
He had been in various cities in USA, Europe, China,
Thailand, Singapore etc. Prof. Sanasam gets deeply associated with various
service oriented organizations: he was the Assistant Governor of the Rotary
International District 3240, He instituted an academic award for a topper at
Class XI promotion exam at the Maria Montessori Senior Secondary School,
Koirengei.