A Tribute to Dr Jahar Kanti Sen

Dr Jahar Kanti Sen, Retd. Vice Principal and ex Head, Department of English, Gurucharan College, Silchar passed away on September 14, 2021 battling age related ailments. He was 76. Born on January 1, 1945, he joined the department of English, Gurucharan College on September 14, 1967. Thereafter, till his retirement on December 31, 2004, he taught English almost as an obsession. Popularly known as Jahar Sir, he endeared himself to his students by his sheer passion for teaching which was made all the more interesting with his highly intonated English with the least interference of his mother tongue. Dr. Sen's dress etiquette, his sense of humour and above all his penchant for teaching will always be remembered fondly by everyone who knew him.

Dr. Sen has also been an able administrator for he steered the department of English as Head for more than five years and he played a yeoman's role in finalising the preparatory work for the first NAAC Peer Team visit to Gurucharan College in 2006. After his retirement, Dr. Sen engaged himself in various capacities with some private educational institutions, but his love for English never left him. In fact, he considered Gurucharan College, also his alma mater, as his second home and never missed an opportunity to visit the college particularly the department of English after his retirement, to discuss academics with the serving incumbents over a cup of tea. For two sessions he served as guest faculty in his alma mater unable to resist the lure of being with the students of English, sharing the wide canvas of scholarship that he always carried with him. Even while battling age related health issues he made it a point to attend the two international conferences organised by the Department of English, Gurucharan College in 2018 and 2020, and interacted with the resource persons and participants on the emerging areas of literature.

Dr. Sen's death has definitely left a void in English studies of Barak Valley but his legacy will continue to inspire students for many years to come. Ironically, Alfred Tennyson's remark, 'Death is the end of life; ah, why Should life all labor be?' is reversely true for Dr. Sen's life though he taught the late poet laureate's 'The Lotos- Eaters' so passionately. May his soul rest in peace.

–Dr Pantho Priya Dhar

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