Dwarika Barua: A tribute

Dwarika Barua, a freedom fighter, noted Gandhian and Sarvoday Worker of North East India is no more. He left for his heavenly abode on January 23, 2017 at his Dhamdama village under Barama Police station in the district of lbari due to brief illness. Late Barua was born on January 25, 1918 at Sagarkuchi village in the district of lbari. He had his primary education at Sagarkuchi and thereafter joined Middle School at Bhaluki M.E. School in the year 1938 and High School Education at Patacharkuchi Vidyapeeth but by responding to the call of Gandhiji, he joined in the freedom movement in 1942 as an active volunteer in Bajali and lbari area and was arrested twice in 1942 and 1943. He was severely tortured and beaten by the British Police but even then he never left the path of freedom struggle. In 1946, he passed matriculate examition from Calcutta University and graduated from Hindustani Telini Sangha Wardha, the then Central Province now Maharashtra in 1952. He was the first Assamese student from intertiolly known Gandhian Basic Education Institution. He was invited to attend the first India's Independence celebration on August 15, 1947 at Moumen Seva Ashram.

After independence Late Barua got fully involved in the service of poor and downtrodden. In 1952, he established Baska Buniyadi Sikha Niketan Gerua, lbari and served as its Secretary and Chief Executive Well known as Garua Ashram and founded a Basic School in the area and worked for the upliftment of backward tribal people. On 1963-65, he served in Timing Institution and then as organising Secretary of Assam Gandhi Samarah Nidhi under the Chairmanship of Mahendra Mohan Choudhury, the then Speaker of Assam Assembly in 1965-67 served as a worker of Gandhian and Gram Nirman activities of Sarve Seva Sangha, Varasi, Uttar Pradesh and in Assam in the year 1968-77 served as the Secretary of newly constituted Assam Bhoodan Board and tried to give legal shape of Bhudan and Gramdan activities and also served as its Chairman in the year 1985-96.

He was the founder of Gram Lok Seva Sangha at Dhamdhama and provided full time and seasol employment to many workers. The Sangh also impart training in weaving, spinning, tailoring small scale industries, bee keeping, and provision of drinking water, low cost sanitation, low cost housing and economic upliftment programme of rural poor, adult literariness, women and Child Development Programme. He also served as Honorary Secretary of Assam italimi Samity, Nibira, Honorary Secretary, Assam Santi Seva Samity and set to Santi Se Vidyalaya and served as its Principal under the auspices of tiol Gandhi Samarak Nidhi, New Delhi and Sarva Seva Sangh, Varasi, served as Honorary Secretary of Assam Sarvodaya Mandal under the guidance of Late Amal Prava Das, Founder President of Dhamdhama College, President, Maging Committee, Dhamdhama Girls High School, President, Maging Committee, Bapuji Vidyapeeth High School, Gerua, Chairman State Level Felicitation and Monitoring Committee of CARPAT, Assam. He was an active worker of Vinovaji's Padayatra from Jabbalpur to Kanti and at different places of Assam and was an interpreter of Vinovaji's speech in Assamese. He also arranged Vinovaje's entry to the then East Pakistan. Under the guidance of Amal Prava Baidew duing flood of Assam, he actively extended all relief materials to the flood victim people and also served as Santi Se during the disturbances of 1960, language movement, 1972 Medium movement, 1983 student movement and 1991 Bodo movement. Late Barua also connected with Dharali Makaria Habigram Sabha, Neeli, Anchalik Gram Unyan Parisad, Jania, Desh Bhakta Rural Development Association ligaon, Ata Bhokuamari Society Development Association, Ja Seva Parishad, Kamarkuchi, Bornibari Yubak Sangh, Addyatmik Sarvodaya Ashram, Nizara Sanskritik Samaj, Uiversal brotherhood Association, Mira Behen Lok Seva Parishad, Balijara Anchalik Ja Seva Samity. He was the permanent invite to CAPART NE Zone. Executive Member, AVARD, New Delhi (Association of Volunteers Agencies for Rural Development), Chairman of Council of Voluntary organisation for Rural Development of Assam in different capacity, specially Sarva Seva Sangh, Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi. Late Barua was influenced by ideologies and teaching of Mahatma Ganchi, Acharya Binova Bhave, Amal Prava Das Baidew, E.W. Aryayakunji, Dr Hare Krish Das, Dr Bhubaneswar Barua, Dr Ghan Shyam Das and closely associated with Bharat Rat Gopith Bordoloi, Bishnu Ram Medhi, B.P. Chaliha, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury, Rup th Brahma, Fakiruddin Ali Ahmed, Mahendra th Hazaika. Hundreds of people from all walks of life paid their last tributes to the selfless Gandhian leader and funeral were largely attended. Many organisations of Assam condoled his death. He was 99 and survived by two sons and two daughters and many relatives. Late Barua dedicated whole life for others without any discrimition to any community. Gramin Developed Bharat with Panchayat Raj System was his dream and lastly died as a true Gandhian which is very rare in the present days. He will ever remain immortal amongst the masses of lbari.

Today in connection with his Adya Shraddha, I pay my humble tributes to the great soul for his eterl peace.

Subhash Chandra Biswas