Prof Bhabananda Deka is a multi-faceted writer of more than three hundred Books, Text Books on Economics and Political Science and Articles from
Assam, a state in the
north-eastern part of
India. As a
writer, he was affluent in
Assamese literature and was known for his crisp flawless diction in both Assamese and English language. His prose and parables touch on a wide range of themes ranging from the social to cultural and political commentary. He was an
Economist and was one of the first Assamese to form
Asomiya Sahitya Samaj in
Delhi along with Parikshit Hazarika and Upendra Nath Goswami in 1968. They were subservient in the introduction of
Assamese Language in
MIL Department of
Delhi University (DU) by convincing the then UGC chairman D.S. Kothari in this regard.
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Bhabananda Deka with his wife and writer Nalini Prava Deka |
Prof Bhabananda Deka was born to Late Baliram Pathak and
Late Sayatri Bala Pathak on August 19, 1929 at Byaskuchi Satra, Barpeta sub division of undivided Kamrup District, Assam. He passed his matriculation from
Barpeta Government High School with 1st Division and distinction in three subjects. He later joined
Cotton College and completed his graduation in Economics in 1954 and did his post graduation in Economics from
Gauhati University in 1957. While at Cotton College, he was also selected as the
General Secretary of the
Students Union. Right after passing his post graduation, he worked for
North Guwahati Girls High School for two months and later joined
Kamrup Academy High School as a
teacher. While he was in the first year of his post graduation, Prof. Deka worked for
Assam Pradesh Congres Committee as an
Economist. After his post graduation, he went to his hometown and worked for
Bhattadeb Milan Samiti as a
secretary and was instrumental behind the building of the first Library (Bhattadev Puthivoral) in Byaskuchi. He was the
Founder Principal of
Bapuji College in Sorthebari. He also worked with
Arya Vidyapeeth College as a
Professor for sometime.
On 1st September, 1958 Prof. Bhabananda Deka joined
Pragjyotish College in the
Economics Department as a
Professor under the Principal Late Tirthanath Sharma. The college was only four years old then. That was when he met some of the prominent scholars like Late Haliram Deka, Late Sarbananda Rai, Prof. Gurusaran Medhi, Madhu Ojha, Prof Binoy Ghosh etc.. In 1964 he got married to Assamese writer and poet Nalini Prava Deka. While he was working for Pragjyotish College, he took leave for a year and worked as a
Senior Research Officer in the Language Unit of
Union Public Service Commission, Delhi. He was retired as
Pricipal of Pragjyotish College in 1992.
He was very much Influenced by Sankari Culture in his life time and was known for his active participation in setting up Belbari Satra (Vaisnavite Monastery) in Barpeta District. He has written hundreds of Aricles and Books on
Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva and Sankari Culture. Before his death on 4th December, 2006, he traslated the
Kirtan Ghosa (Poetic works of Srimanta Sankardeva) from Assamese to English. He was a dynamic member of
Asom Sahitya Sabha and was made
President of
Kamrup Sahitya Sabha in 1982.
Prof. Bhabananda Deka was known for his Gandhian philosophy and humbleness. He was always one to keep a low profile. After his death on 4th December, 2006, Literature society is going to miss him to an exceedingly great extent.
Professor Bhabananda Deka was a great man, a good teacher who really believed in 'plain living and high thinking'. He was my teacher. I didn't know that he expired in 2006. Only today (August 02, 2009), I learnt it from the internet. I express great sorrow and condolence on his death. May his soul rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteMihirkanti Choudhury
Its a very nice tribute. Reading these lines, old memories came flooding back. Professor Deka was a great personality. He had great warmth of character. Posterity will ever remember him.
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