‘Cottonian’, the annual student journal of Cotton University, has completed hundred years of its existence in the year 2022. The journal, earlier known as ‘The Cotton College Magazine,’ was first published in the year 1922 under the editorship of Professor R. C. Goffin of the Department of English. It was named ‘Cottonian’ in the year 1933 with Suresh Chandra Rajkhowa and Raihan Shah as first student editors. The journal has continued to provide an intellectually vibrant platform for young minds to express their creative talents in the field of art and literature. The glorious legacy of ‘Cottonian’ has been shaped by the maiden pieces of literary stalwarts of Assamese literature and culture who, later, have left an indelible imprint in the field of literature. These litterateurs include Suryya Kumar Bhuyan, Bani Kanta Kakati, Jatindra Nath Duwara, Krishna Kanta Handique, Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, Bhupen Hazarika, Mamoni Raisom Goswami, Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Homen Borgohain, Lakshminandan Bora, Hiren Gohain, Nilamani Phukan among many others.

Ever since its inception, ‘Cottonian’ has played a pivotal role in the socio-cultural discourse of the institute and the state at large and has been the mouthpiece of dialogue, debate and dissent during crucial moments in the history of Assam and India. With its diverse concerns ranging from the literary to the political to the cultural to the social, ‘Cottonian’ has been able to draw attention of the internal stakeholders as well as the intelligentsia of the state. While the journal has been published religiously every year without fail, it is only two occasions that ‘Cottonian’ was not published—first in the year 1942 during the World War II and second in the year 1980 during the Assam Movement.

In the present time, ‘Cottonian’ enjoys an enviable position by virtue of its relentless efforts to act as a platform of thoughtful literary articulation forCottonians over the years. The fact that it belongs to a premier institute of the region ensures a steady fan-following and many consider it to be a privilege to be published in this much-loved and much-endorsed magazine. As ‘Cottonian’ continues to shape bright young minds, it has now attained a new identity as the journal of Cotton University. The University endeavoursto continue the flight of ‘Cottonian’ with greater zeal and enthusiasm to foster intellectual discourse and deliberation.

For ages, ‘Cottonian’ has stood as a testament of time, recording the many transitions and transformations of Assamese society. The journal has been registered and assigned International Standard Serial Number (ISSN 2394-1367) by National Science Library and ISSN, New Delhi vide letter no. NSL/ISSN/INFO/2014/2487 dated 30/10/2014.

THE COTTONIAN LECTURE SERIES - 2023

An archive of the "Cottonian"