Obituary

Powal Baruah

A ‘Soviet Russia Nehru Award’ winner, freedom fighter, teacher, writer and social worker, Powal Baruah of Chatiya in Biswanath district passed away on May 13 in GMCH due to age-old ailments. He was 96.

Born in 1923 in Chatiya Nagharia village, Baruah passed BA from Cotton College in 1948. He served in several high schools, including Kamrup Academy and Jamuguri High School, and later joined the Khadi and Gramodyog Department. He had won the ‘Soviet Russia Nehru Award’ in 1969 for his Assamese translation of the Russian book Duichen written by Chingghij Aitmov. Being an active participant in India’s freedom struggle, Baruah was imprisoned for nine months. He also accompanied the team led by Keshav Mahanta and Biren Borkataki who had hoisted the tri-colour in Chatiya Police Station on August 20 in 1942.

Baruah settled at Gandhi Basti, Guwahati in the later part of his life and was actively associated with Chatiya Samaj, Guwahati. His death was widely mourned.

Also read: Assam news