A society is the collective form of individuals. Therefore the character of a society contained within a social, geographical or political unit is the manifestation of the character and personality of the constituent people.
Our father-in-law, Late Bhogeswar Kalita was a believer in this ideology. He had the philosophy to start it all from the micro-level, from his own family. He was a perfect gentleman, yet he enjoyed the essence of life to the fullest extent. He was a strict disciplinarian to ensure the character building of his children, yet his warmth ensured his children follow his diktat with their heart out, not with any bit of reluctance.
Being sons-in-law, we have come to know the immense emphasis he used to put in to inculcate the concept of good moral character in his children. Those were the days when electronic media had not made all invasive entry into the homes of all classes of people. Books were the most convenient way of acquiring knowledge. He used to buy storybooks that suit the children every other day, read it himself at first and explained the gist for easy consumption by his kids. He encouraged his children to read books outside their curriculum so that their knowledge horizon got widened. Similarly, he used to encourage his kids to participate in other intellectual pursuits as well.
Born in October 1935, in a lower-middle-class family of the village of Sadilapur near Palasbari of Kamrup district, he faced the wrath of the river Brahmaputra as a young boy, when the devastating erosion of the river left most of the landmass of his native village gobbled up. The family had to shift to the highland at Mirza. Such a dislocation prompted him to look for a job immediately after intermediates and he joined the Indian Air Force. As an airman, he traveled the length and breadth of the country. He developed an everlasting interest in photography and had some breathtaking experience of aerial photography. Soon he acquired the skill of processing films. Utilizing his knowledge, which was a rarity those days, he started the first photo studio of South Kamrup (apart from Guwahati city), named ‘Kabita Studio’, after the name of his elder daughter, at Mirza. The studio was a successful idea from the beginning. He retired from the IAF after twenty-one years of service and fully devoted in the business. He imparted the skills to a number of youth from the area which helped them earn their livelihood.
As a socially conscious citizen of the Mirza locality, he was associated with a number of organizations. He founded the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association of South Kamrup. He was also one of the patrons of the Arunoday English Medium School. He was an office-bearer of the Mirza Traders’ Association for a long time and was an adviser till his last days. He was loved and respected by all.
He left for his heavenly abode on November 5. On completion of one month of his demise, we offer our sincere tribute to him. May his soul rest in eternal peace!
Dr Arindam Barman
Diganta Das