Nabakanta Barua

Nabakanta Barua Biography

Nabakanta Barua was a famous Assamese novelist and poet fondly called, Ekhud Kokaideu. His poems - "Polokh", "Monot porne Arundhati", "Norokot DonJuan", and "Crussot DonJuan" were the most criticized and recited ones. As a writer, he has published 39 books – 11 anthologies of poems, 5 novels, short stories and some works for children. In 1975, he received Sahitya Akademi Award for his work, Kokadeutar Har. In 1976, Indian government honoured him with Padma Bhushan for his contributions to Literature & Education. Assam Prakashan Parisod Award for Mur aru Prithibir in 1974 and Assam Valley Literary Award in 1993 are other major honours received by him.

Nabakanta Barua was born December 29, 1926 in Guwahati to Nilakanta Barua and Swarnalata Baruani. His father was a police inspector and his mother was a teacher. He had 3 siblings. His eldest brother, Dev Kant Barua was a famous politician who served as the President of the Indian National Congress during the Indian Emergency (1975-1977) most known for the sycophancy, "Indira is India and India is Indira". He is also a poet, known for the collection of poems, Sagar Dekhisa. The family moved from Guwahati to Puranigudam and later lived in Nagaon.

Barua studied at Government Mojolia school where he passed matriculation in the year 1941. Then he got admission to Cotton College, but lost two years of studies due to illness. Then he joined Shantiniketan, Bengal. In 1947 he completed his B.A. with English honors and in 1953 M. A. from Aligarh Muslim University. After completion of studies, he worked as faculty in many colleges like A.K college Shikohabad, Jorhat's Jagannath Barooah College, Cotton College and during the period 1964 to 1967, he worked at Assam Madhyamik Shiksha Parisod as an officer of English education. Again he joined Cotton college and retired in the year 1984 as Principal.

Published: N/A

Updated: February 15, 2014