STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Assam on Monday bid a solemn farewell to veteran journalist, Padma Shri awardee, Chairman Emeritus and Editor of The Assam Tribune, Prafulla Govinda Baruah, as his last rites were performed with full state honours at the Nabagraha Crematorium.
With his demise, the state has lost not only a towering figure in journalism but also a steadfast moral voice that shaped public opinion and public discourse in Assam for decades. Journalists, public figures and readers from all walks of life mourned a man who did not merely run a newspaper but helped mould the conscience of Assamese society through principled, balanced and responsible journalism.
Several dignitaries were present at the Nabagraha Cremation Ground to pay their final respects, including Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya and AASU president Utpal Sarma.
Paying tribute, Minister Pijush Hazarika highlighted Baruah’s immense contribution to Assam’s journalism landscape and the high benchmarks he set for the profession. He said the late journalist’s commitment to truth, balanced reporting and journalistic integrity set exemplary standards for generations to follow. “Assam has lost not just a senior journalist but a guiding light for ethical and responsible media,” Hazarika said, while conveying heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and praying for eternal peace for the departed soul.
Earlier in the day, before the final rites, Baruah’s mortal remains were brought to The Assam Tribune building—an institution he built over decades through tireless work, restraint and unwavering principles—allowing colleagues, admirers and readers to pay their last respects.
APCC president Gaurav Gogoi expressed deep sorrow over the passing of what he described as a conscientious and responsible senior journalist. He said that through his work, Prafulla Govinda Baruah significantly strengthened the democratic framework of journalism in Assam and upheld the dignity and robustness of the fourth pillar of democracy. Gogoi added that although Assam has lost an ideal journalist, Baruah’s legacy would continue to be remembered in golden letters in the history of Assam and the country.
AIUDF president Maulana Badruddin Ajmal also mourned the demise, calling it an irreparable loss to the media fraternity. He said Baruah’s contribution to journalism would remain timeless and unforgettable, and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family while praying for eternal peace for the departed soul.
Meanwhile, the Assam Press Correspondents’ Union (APCU), a forum of rural journalists in the state, also expressed deep sorrow over the demise of the eminent journalist and social worker. In a condolence message, APCU central committee president Swapan Kumar Rabha, working president Mousamjyoti Baishya and general secretary Sarat Senchowa said that with the passing of Prafulla Govinda Baruah, an era in Assam’s journalistic world had come to an end.
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