Padma Shri Geeta Upadhyay: Celebrating a Literary Bridge Between Assam and the Gorkha Community

Padma Shri Geeta Upadhyay, a stalwart litterateur, an academician, a two-time Sahitya Akademi Award-winning veteran writer, and a bridge between the Assamese and the Gorkha community, was born on February 14, 1939, at Majgaon, Gangamauthan, Behali, in the present-day Biswanath district. Her parents were Late Bhagirathi Devi and Late Tankanath Upadhyay. She was enrolled in Behali High School in 1955, graduated from Handique Girls’ College in 1959, and completed her Master’s in Political Science from Gauhati University in 1964.

She joined as an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Sibsagar College in 1965 and retired as the head of the department in 1999. She has also served as a lieutenant in the NCC at college.

Upadhyay was closely associated with many socio-cultural, literary, and academic organisations which included Nepali Sahitya Parishad, Assam (1997-2001), All Assam Lekhika Sanstha (2001-2003), All Indian Gorkha Parishad, Assam chapter (2003-07), Seva Sadhana Sanstha, Tezpur (2007), Hari Har Dham Unnayan Samiti, Tezpur (2007), Axam Xahitya Xabha’ (1998, 2001, 2003), Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha, and All India Institute of Political Science, among others.

A well-versed litterateur, Late Upadhyay translated innumerable books into various languages, including ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ (English to Nepali, 1972), ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ (English to Assamese, 1975, co-translated by Basanti Laskar), ‘Bhanubhaktar Ramayana’ (Nepali to Assamese, 1987), ‘Kola Suruj’ (Nepali to Assamese, 1998), ‘Muna Madan’ (Nepali to Assamese, 2000), ‘Nepal Deshar Sadhu’ (Nepali to Assamese, 2001), ‘Darbarki Susare’ (Assamese to Nepali, 2008), ‘Nij Abhiyothar Daponat Karmabir Dhan Bahadur Sonar’ (Nepali to Assamese, 2008), ‘Bhumiputra’ (English to Assamese, 2008), ‘Anandi Gopal’ (Marathi to Assamese, 2008), ‘Abiyyatri’ (Assamese to Nepali, 2010).

Eminent writer Geeta Upadhay’s original creations include ‘Mandakini ra Alaknanda, Kedar Badri Samma’ (travelogue, 2003, in Nepali), ‘Mahapurush Sankardev: Jivab ra Karma’ (2003, in Nepali), ‘Bhraman Suworan’ (Assamese, 2008). Her short story collection includes ‘Anne Frank or Galpa’ (1996 in Assamese), ‘Anne Frank Ko Balyakal’ (Childhood, Nepali, 2008), ‘Subasit Batah’ (in Assamese, 2005), ‘Kathanjali’ (in Nepali, 2008), and ‘Ekajoli Galpa Sambhar’ (in collaboration with Shewali Barua, Assamese, 2009).

Her novels are ‘Ama Ma First Vaye’ (1997 in Nepali), ‘Ma Mai First Halu’ (1997 in Assamese), ‘Janmbhoomi Mero Swadesh’ (in Nepali, 2013), and ‘Silor Dare Ure Man’ (Co-author, 2013), an Assamese children’s novel.

She was honoured with various awards and titles, including the Padma Shri in 2025 and the Sati Sadhini Samman in 2026.  The veteran writer, who was the granddaughter of Late freedom fighter Chabilal Upadhyay, breathed her last due to age-related ailments at the age of 88 on July 13, 2026, at Tezpur. She was cremated with state honours at Chandmari, Tezpur. Today, on July 24, on the occasion of her Adhyashradha, I pray for her eternal peace and heavenly abode.

– Anjan Baskota

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