OUR CORRESPONDENT
TEZPUR: Kiran Chandra Deka, a former senior officer of the Assam Government's Education Department, ex-Controller of Examinations of the Assam Secondary Education Board, retired professor, translator and noted writer, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 93 at a private hospital in Tezpur. His demise has cast deep sorrow across academic and literary circles.
Born in 1932, Deka completed his matriculation from Dibrugarh Government Boys' Higher Secondary School before pursuing his ISC and BSc from Cotton College, Guwahati. During his early academic years, he translated several popular English works into Assamese, reflecting his literary aptitude.
He later earned a postgraduate degree in Statistics from Gauhati University and served as a professor, and subsequently as head of the department, at DM College, Imphal, where he distinguished himself as a dedicated academician. In 1963, Deka joined the Assam Secondary Education Board as Assistant Secretary and was appointed Controller of Examinations in 1968. He also served for five years as the founding secretary of the Meghalaya Board of School Education.
After retiring from government service in 1993, Deka translated Émile Zola's renowned novel La Terre into Assamese, published under the title Prithibir Bukut, further enriching Assamese literature.
He is survived by his married daughter Anita Deka Mahanta, grandchildren, and several other relatives.
Various organizations and individuals, including the Tezpur branch of the Indian Medical Association's Assam State Committee, have expressed profound grief over his demise and extended condolences to the bereaved family.
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