ASSAM TIMES POST
Nalbari : Sashi Sarma, eminent Assamese litterateur, academic, intellectual and a living example of Hindu-Muslim unity in Assam passed away in Nalbari town of Lower Assam on Tuesday night, his family sources said today. He was 89. Survived by his wife and three daughters, while his son predeceased him, the sources said Sarma had died due to age related ailments. Author of nearly 100 books, Sarma’s scholarly writings ranged from that on the 15th century Assamese Vaishnavite saint-scholar and social-religious reformer Srimanta Sankardeva to Maxim Gorky and the age-old religious brotherhood in the state.
The last book of the retired professor of Nalbari College was titled ‘Antim Jatra’ which was released last year. Assam Government gave state honour to the deceased litterateur with 21 gun salutes and Nalbari district Deputy Commissioner Bhusan Dev Choudhury placed the National Tricolour on his mortal remains.
Stating Sarma was easily accessible, the DC said, “his scholarly knowledge and child-like simplicity attracted everyone. His death is an irreparable loss to the state”.
Among the several awards received during his lifetime are the Soviet Nehru Award in 1968 and the Sitanath Brahma Chowdhury Award by the Assam Sahitya Sabha.
As per Sarma’s last wish to donate his body for medical research, his mortal remains were taken in a procession from here to be handed over to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital today.
His family also informed that Sri Sankardeva Netralaya received his eyes which the intellectual had donated to the hospital.
The writer has donated his residential house here to the CPI(M), party sources said.
During his final journey, Sarma’s body was taken to his College, All Assam Students Union (AASU) office, CPI(M) office and the state’s apex literary body Assam Sahitya Sabha office here and Guwahati for last respect.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP state unit president Ranjeet Dass, AASU leaders, besides social-cultural, political organisations, including Assam Sahitya Sabha, Samahar Natya Gosthee, Sankar Sangha, CPI(M), All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) and dozens of other organizations have condoled his demise.
Describing Sarma’s death as an irreparable loss to Assam, Chief Minister Sonowal said his contributions to society through his books and writings will remain immortal.
Minister Himanta Sarma conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
Assam Sahitya Sabha president Dr Paramananda Rajbangshi and secretary Padma Rajkhowa in a joint condolence message said the state lost a scholar and thinker who always was concerned about the social condition of people.
“Sarma wrote nearly 100 books on varied subjects. This shows his intellectual stature. But beyond this, he was a living example of Hindu-Muslim unity of our state,” said Sitanath Lahkar, the filmmaker of the only documentary on Sarma’s life.
