Eminent Assamese writer, poet, and academic Dr Basanta Kumar Bhattacharyya passed away on Wednesday morning at his residence in Nalbari. He was 83 and had been battling a prolonged illness, according to family sources.
Born on February 1, 1942, Dr Bhattacharyya was a towering figure in Assamese literature, celebrated for his contributions as a short story writer, poet, essayist, playwright, and literary critic. His body of work is marked by deep emotional insight and a keen engagement with social realities, earning him a respected place in Assam’s cultural and academic landscape.
Dr Bhattacharyya began his education in village schools and went on to study at Cotton College and Gauhati University. Though he initially enrolled in Guwahati Medical College, health issues forced him to discontinue his medical studies. He later completed a Master’s degree in Assamese and began a long teaching career, joining Barnagar College before moving to Nalbari College in 1968, where he eventually became Head of the Assamese Department. He retired in 2002 after decades of service in academia.
An inspiring educator and mentor, he guided 15 PhD scholars during his tenure and was instrumental in establishing several junior colleges in the region.
Among his acclaimed literary works are short story collections such as Protest, The Sky is Blue, Unattached Voices, and Fragments of Dreams and Nightmares. His poetry collections, including Your Heart’s Warmth and Sometimes Alone in the Desert, were praised for their lyrical sensitivity and philosophical undertones.
Dr Bhattacharyya remained an active literary figure until his final years, continuing to write and engage with readers across Assam. His death marks a profound loss to the state’s literary and academic communities. Tributes have begun pouring in from writers, scholars, and former students who remember him as a compassionate teacher and a luminary of Assamese letters.
