Eminent Assamese author, journalist, Sahitya Akademi Awardee Homen Bargohain passed away. He is the former President of Assam Sahitya Sabha. The author breathed his last at GNRC Hospital in Guwahati at the age of 89 on May 12. Homen Bargohain was diagnosed with the Coronavirus a few days ago.
Homan Bargohain was born on December 7, 1932, at Dhakwakhana in the Lakhimpur district of Assam. He passed his matriculation examination from Dibrugarh Government Boys Higher Secondary School. He later came to Guwahati for higher education and enrolled in Cotton College. He had been practising literature since his childhood. His name became familiar in Assamese literature since he was studying at Cotton College.
Bargohain got married to Nirupama Tamuli (later known as Nirupama Bargohain). Nirupama Bargohain is also another notable writer from Assam. However, they later divorced due to personal differences.
Initially, Homen Bargohain did a government job but focused on literature and journalism in parallel, excluding government jobs due to his strong interest in writing and journalism.
Homen Bargohain first started journalism as editor of a weekly Assamese newspaper called Nilachal. He later took over as editor of another Assamese newspaper named Nagarik. Homen Bargohani was also associated with a Bengali newspaper named Ajkal during the Assam agitation.
Sauder Puteke Nau Meli Jay, Halodhiya Soraye Baudhan Khai, Astarag, Pita Putra, Timir Tirtha, Kushilab, Edinar Diary, Bisannata, Nisongota, Subala and Matshyagandhaa are the novels written by Bargohain. Homen Bargohani won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1978 for his Pita-Putra novel. But he returned his Sahitya Academy award in 2015 in protest against the intolerance being created in Indian society.
Atmanuxandhan, Mur Xangbadik Jiwan, Dhumuha Aru Ramdhenu, Mur Hridoy Ekhon Judhyokhetro are his autobiography. Homan Bargohain’s notable contributions to Assamese prose literature are Gaydar Sadhana, Manuh Huwar Gourov, Progyar Sadhana, Ucchakangsha etc.
Homen Bargohain worked as an editor in leading Assamese newspapers like Amar Asom, Asam Bani, Sutradhar, Niyamiya Barta etc.