Prab Kumar Bora: A jourlist with a difference

The fateful day of August 24  saw the sad and untimely demise of Prab Kumar Bora,  a jourlist with a difference who carved  a niche for himself in the in the milieu of jourlism in Assam when he was hardly 20 years old.

Born in 1953, Prab had his schooling in Dawson Higher Secondary and Multi-purpose school but later he shifted to goan Govt. Boys’ Higher Secondary School from where he passed his fil examition creditably. Though he tried to become an engineer, but his dream never became true because of his father’s untimely death . Later he did his graduation in Science  from the prestigious gaon College. Fincial  problems forced him to do a clerical job in ASEB.

Prab Kumar Bora started his career as a jourlist in vercular dailies such as Mahajati, Dainik Assam, Dainik Janmabhumi.  Later he joined the Sentinel Group from where he earned appreciation from the readers. As a jourlist he always laid emphasis on investigative jourlism and made spot verification of things before filing his reports. As a jourlist with a difference he was gifted with qualities that endeared him as a writer. Apart from jourlism, Bora was an ace photographer as well. It may be mentioned that Bora was given the Coveted tiol Award in the 4th tiol Photo contest in 1991. Bora will be remembered forever by the book lovers for his role as one of the pioneers in organizing a book fair in goan town under the banner of Bhaskar Prakashan.

In his later period , Prab devoted his time and energy to associate himself with various socio-cultural and other literary organizations. His indomitable spirit and energy never failed him. It was half past one in the afternoon of August 24, that he breathed his last. On this day of his Adya Sradha, I pray to the almighty to grant eterl peace and bliss to his departed soul. He leaves behind his wife Gita, a son and a daughter.

- Chadramohan Kakati