The Cottonians belonging to the 1975 batch of Pre-University of the erstwhile Cotton College, now Cotton University, started an organization named AASTHA towards the end of 2017. This attracted the attention of a large number of batchmates living in different parts of the state, country, and in different corners of the world. Some of them got together after a gap of almost four decades in Hotel Lily and discussed the moribund conditions of the weaker sections of society, especially struggling agriculturists, women steeped in poverty, and suffering backward communities. It was decided then that they could contribute in some ways to the upliftment of these people, organize social activities involving batchmates, and create an environment of literary activities by setting up an NGO with them as members.

Soon after, a meeting was held in the Alumni House of Cottonians and an association by the name of Alumni Association of Social Transformation and Harmony (AASTHA) was formed comprising fifteen members on an ad-hoc basis with Dr. Santanu Baishya as President and Col Lutfur Rahman as Secretary. The association was duly registered under the Societies Act 2002 and has been functioning since then.

During the last six years of its existence, the association has helped a section of the villagers of Bisennela in Kamrup district and Pathori in Nagaon district to grow organic vegetables and develop a beel (wetland) for organized fish farming. Women were trained at Bisennela to make utility items from water hyacinths. Two books of poems composed by the members named 'Kavya Bhawana' and two volumes of the magazine 'Ejak Cottonionor Kolorob' were edited by Shri Madan Deka and published. Later, it was proposed to publish a half-yearly literary magazine and the first issue was published under the editorship of Shri Madan Deka. Shri Ratul Baruah edited the two subsequent issues. Dr. Paban Saharia is the Editor-in-Charge at present.

Last year, a new Executive Committee took charge of the association with Shri Jayanta Choudhury as the President and Shri Ratul Baruah as the Secretary, with a total strength of 21 members in the Executive Committee. After taking charge, the new Executive Committee, in its last two sittings, has adopted a few decisions, and all are sincerely working on the adopted resolutions.

Furthermore, sister groups of our Association as well as members, individually or collectively, are engaged in art and culture, music, socio-economic activities, palliative care, old age home, medical care, etc.

We are all looking forward to working with renewed vigor and engaging ourselves in activities that will contribute to the betterment of society in the days to come.