A tribute to Sherman Thapa

Sherman Thapa, a noted litterateur, educationist, journalist passed away at Chitalmari, Singri in the district of Sonitpur on December 24, 2021. He was 82 and was undergoing treatment at Tezpur Medical College Hospital and Gauhati Medical College Hospital for the last few weeks. As there was no improvement in his condition he was sent back home where he died.

He was born on February 18, 1940 at Chitalmari in a family of Kharga Bahadur Thapa and Ghanamaya Thapa. He had his early education at Chitalmari LP School and Singri High School. He had to grow with struggle due to economic conditions which had compelled him to join as a teacher in a local school after completion of the school education.

From his school days, he had a knack of composing poems, writing short stories. The school teachers were astonished by his caliber after going through his compositions while he was a student of Class 8. In the year 1954, he composed a poem "Bohagi Ai" for which he was honoured by the Singri Bihu Sanmilan as 1st prize which was handed over to him by Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha. He had published the first Assamese Drama 'Sesh Ratipua' in the year 1964 thereafter he published a Nepali Novel under the title 'Patthar Bolcho' in 1984 and he also published 'Indrani' and 'Lahar' collection of short stories in Nepali Language.

Thapa was a man of hilarious nature and led a simple life following the lofty ideals of 'The Gita'. He had no vanity but maintained a cordial relation with each of the villagers of Singri. His life was full of struggle from childhood but never surrendered before any injustice. Many of his books remain unpublished which are very rich in literate value and efforts are on to publish those unpublished books by Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha.

His top priority was to request every parent to send their children in school. He was a man of discipline, punctuality and inspiration to the students. He was equally concerned with the welfare of the students and the goodwill of the institution. He constantly worked to encourage the youth to become self reliant and to inculcate the habit of reading. He wanted to encourage the students to regularly visit the library as he believed the library is the storehouse of knowledge.

The sudden news of death of Sherman Thapa has cast a spell of gloom in and around Singri and a large number of his well-wishers who rushed to his house to pay the last homage. He is survived by his wife, 4 sons and 2 daughters. His death is an immeasurable loss to the world of literature. On the occasion of his addya shraddha I pay my homage for the peaceful rest of his soul.

Subhash Chandra Biswas

Also read;   A tribute to Biswajit Sarma

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