Assam: Noted progressive farmer Prasanta Borah passes away in Sivasagar

A CORRESPONDENT

GAURISAGAR, Sept 22: Prasanta Borah, a well-known progressive farmer from Nakatani village under Gaurisagar in Sivasagar district, passed away at his residence on Monday. He was 52. His untimely demise has cast a pall of gloom over the Gaurisagar area, with farmers and well-wishers mourning the loss of one of the region's most innovative agricultural pioneers.

The son of Late Badan Chandra Borah, Prasanta Borah was widely respected for introducing scientific and commercial farming practices that inspired hundreds of farmers across Assam. He first came into prominence after cultivating around 1.32 lakh taro (Kasu) plants on the fertile riverine land along the Dikhow river, earning nearly Rs 7 lakh from the venture. His success story was later showcased at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi by the then Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Sivasagar, Rupak Kumar Majinder, through Krishak Nyas, a leading non-governmental organisation in the district.

Borah was also a pioneer in the commercial cultivation of tissue culture (Grand Naina) bananas in Northeast India. His innovative farming techniques earned him recognition from several organisations for his outstanding contribution to agricultural development.

In later years, he gained further acclaim for successfully cultivating the high-value Lakadong variety of garlic. His reputation as a progressive farmer grew even stronger when bananas produced on his farm were supplied for the 33rd National Games held in Guwahati in 2007.

Through his scientific approach to farming, Borah motivated many aspiring farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices, contributing significantly to the advancement of agriculture in the region.

He is survived by his mother, a younger brother, a sister, two nephews, a daughter-in-law, and several other relatives.

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