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Assam is the land of the Red River and Blue Hills and is called the gateway to North-East India. It holds within its scenic beauty the famous personalities of Assam, who have not only sacrificed their lives for the land but also contributed to its growth and prosperity. People from different fields like education, literature, social reform, and the independence movement. This blog is dedicated to these famous personalities of Assam, who continue to inspire generations. Scroll down and have a read!
Table of Contents
List of Most Famous Personalities of Assam
Over the years, Assam has been a place which has produced personalities who have made significant contributions to various fields like literature, politics, sports, and the arts. These individuals have not only brought fame to the state but have also imprinted their names on the nation and beyond. Here are some of these personalities explored in detail –
| Famous Personalities of Assam | Field of Contributions | Notable Achievements |
| Raibahadur Jagannath Barooah | Tea Cultivation, Education | First graduate from Upper Assam |
| Krishna Kanta Handique | Scholarship, Literature | Padma Bhushan recipient, Sanskrit translations |
| Mitradev Mahanta | Education, Literature | Poet, playwright, Assam Sahitya Sabha president |
| Binanda Chandra Barooah | Poetry, Social Work | President of Assam Sahitya Sabha |
| Radhanath Phukan | Law, Administration | First M.A. of Assam |
| Headmaster Zehiruddin Ahmed | Education | Introduced uniforms and meals in Assam schools |
| Hem Barooah | Literature, Education | Poet, novelist, social worker |
| Chandradhar Barooah | Law, Literature | Represented Assam at the Round Table Conference |
| Dr. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya | Literature | First Assamese Gnanpith Awardee |
| Dr. Satyendra Nath Sarma | Education, Social Work | Padma Shri recipient, author |
| Bhupen Hazarika | Music and Cinema | Legendary singer, composer, and filmmaker |
| Papon | Music | Famous Musician, singer and lyricist |
| Gopinath Bordoloi | Politics | First Chief Minister of Assam, Bharat Ratna |
| Hima Das | Sports (Athletics) | Indian sprinter, gold medalist at the Asian Games |
| Mamoni Raisom Goswami | Literature | Jnanpith Award-winning writer |
| Ranjan Gogoi | Judiciary | Former Chief Justice of India |
| Zubeen Garg | Music and Cinema | Renowned singer, actor, and filmmaker |
| Arnab Goswami | Media | Prominent TV journalist and news anchor |
| Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla | Poetry, Social Work | Famous Indian playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and film-maker from Assam |
Krishna Kanta Handique – The Scholar of Assam
Krishna Kanta Handique was born on 20 July 1898, in Jorhat, Assam. He was a renowned scholar who was known for his mastery of multiple languages and significant contributions to literature. He graduated from Calcutta Sanskrit College with a Gold Medal and obtained a Master’s degree from Calcutta University. In 1937, because of his contribution to writing and translating books and to Assamese literature, he was elected as the President of Assam Sahitya Sabha. He took his last breath on 7 June 1982.
| Category | Feature |
| Linguistics | Mastered several languages, including Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Russian. |
| Literature | Translated numerous Sanskrit texts and authored various scholarly essays. |
| Awards | Padma Shri in 1955 and Padma Bhushan in 1967 |
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Bhupen Hazarika – The Bard of Brahmaputra
Bhupen Hazarika is famously referred to as the “Bard of Brahmaputra” for his soulful music that beautifully captures the essence of Assam. Born in 1926, Hazarika was a multifaceted artist—a singer, composer, filmmaker and lyricist. His songs were based on themes of humanity and social justice, and have touched millions of hearts not only in Assam but across India and the world.
| Category | Features |
| Music | Bhupen Hazarika’s music is deeply rooted in Assamese culture, and his songs like “Bistirno Parore”, “Dil Hoom Hoom Kare”, “Manuhe Manuhor Babe”, etc have become anthems of social change. He has also collaborated with Lata Mangeshkar to sing songs. |
| Cinema | He also made contributions to Assamese cinema, directing films such as Shakuntala and Pratidhwani. |
| Awards | Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhusan, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Bhusan and More. |
Gopinath Bordoloi – Assam’s First Chief Minister
Gopinath Bordoloi was born on 6th June 1890 in Raha, Assam. Bordoloi was a freedom fighter and worked tirelessly to protect the rights of the Assamese people. His active participation in the non-cooperation movement acted as the bridge between the British government and the newly constituted independent government. He later went on to become the first Chief Minister of the state. He laid the foundation for its development and integration into the Indian Union.
| Category | Feature |
| Politics | First Chief Minister of Assam |
| Awards | Padma Shri in 1955 and Padma Bhushan in 1967 |
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Hima Das – The Golden Girl of Indian Athletics
Hima Das is also known as the “Dhing Express” and has set an example for the generation of girls to be active in sports. Belonging to a small village known as Dhing of Nagaon, Assam, she went on to be an Indian sprinter. Hima became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track event at the IAAF World U20 Championships and in Asian Games.
| Field | Achievements |
| Athletics | Gold medal at the Asian Games and World U20 Championship |
| Awards | Arjuna Award |
Zubeen Garg – The Melodious Maestro of Assam
Zubeen Garg is a household name in Assam, known for his versatile talent in music and cinema. As a singer, composer and actor, Zubeen has won the hearts of millions with his melodious voice and dynamic performances. Zubeen Garg’s songs, such as “Ya Ali”,” Sapne Saare”, etc have become chartbusters not only in Assam but across India. He has also directed several successful Assamese films based on social issues of Assam.
Source: Wikipedia Commons
| Field | Achievements |
| Music | Popular songs like “Ya Ali”, “Janmoni”, “Jhoom Barabar Jhoom”, etc |
| Awards | 55th National Film Awards, Global Indian Film Awards, etc |
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Other Famous Assamese Personalities
The list is never-ending when writing about the famous Assamese personalities. Some of them are –
- Lachit Borphukan – When it comes to famous Assamese people, one can never forget the contribution of Lachit Borphukan and the Battle of Saraighat. He was the epitome of bravery and valour in the 17th century and fought against the Mughals to safeguard the Ahom Dynasty in the North-East.
- Raibahadur Jagannath Barooah – He is the pioneer in education and tea cultivation in Assam. He was the first graduate who completed his First Arts (F.A.) course and graduated from Presidency College, Calcutta. He also successfully cleared the Native Civil Services in 1875. The British government conferred upon him the title “Raibahadur” in 1902.
- Mamoni Raisom Goswami – Known for novels like The Moth Eaten Howdah of the Tusker and Pages Stained with Blood. She received the prestigious Jnanpith Award and Sahitya Akademi Award.
- Ranjan Gogoi – Ranjan Gogoi served as the First Asamese and the 46th Chief Justice of India. He presided over cases like the Ayodhya dispute. He was later nominated to the Rajya Sabha post-retirement.
- Shiva Thapa – A well-known Indian boxer, he was the only young boxer who qualified for the London Olympics in 2012 from India. He also won a gold medal in the Asian Games and the Tokyo Olympic Test.
- Maniram Dewan – Maniram Dewan was a nobleman who worked under the British rule in India. He, however, worked for the people of Assam and helped in establishing tea gardens in Upper Assam and was hanged to death for his conspiracy against the Britishers for the development of Assamese people.
FAQs
Some of the famous personalities of Assam are – Kanaklata Baruah, Papon, Bhabendranath Saikia, Asha Bordoloi, Baharul Islam, etc.
Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva, a saint-scholar who propagated the philosophy of classless society by removing untouchability and tolerance.
Radha Givend Baruah is known as the Lion Man of Assam because of his contribution in starting the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, the Nehru Stadium and becoming the first mayor of Guwahati.
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This was all about the famous personalities of Assam. If you want to know more about other Famous Personalities then visit our General Knowledge page!