Leading litterateur of the Golden Awahon Ramdhenu era of Assamese Literature Prof Bhabananda Deka. As a writer, he was affluent in Assamese literature and was known for his crisp flawless diction in both Assamese and English language. His prose and parables touch on a wide range of themes ranging from the social to cultural and political commentary.
He was an Economist and was one of the first Assamese to form Asomiya Sahitya Samaj in Delhi along with Parikshit Hazarika and Upendra Nath Goswami in 1968. They were subservient in the introduction of Assamese Language in MIL Department of Delhi University (DU) by convincing the then UGC chairman D.S. Kothari in this regard.
He passed his matriculation from Barpeta Government High School with 1st Division and distinction in three subjects. He later joined Cotton College and completed his graduation in Economics in 1954 and did his post graduation in Economics from Gauhati University in 1957. While at Cotton College, he was also selected as the General Secretary of the Students Union.
He is considered as pioneer Assam economist and a leading litterateur of the golden Awahon-Ramdhenu era of Assamese literature, who not only devoted his life in scholarly works but also in spreading the glory of his motherland and mother-tongue outside Assam through his organisational acumen spread over more than half a century.
He held the distinction of authoring a total one hundred sixteen number books on topics ranging from economics, ancient Assamese literature, Vaisnavism, heritage, politics, education, social issues, philosophy, mythology, poetry, plays and biography. His English literary masterpiece Assamese Language & Literature & Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa was the first book on his mother-tongue to be formally launched by the President of India in 1968 in New Delhi.
He wrote and published research papers and popular essays on Assamese classical literature, economy and heritage from early 1960s in popular literary journals and newspapers like Awahon, Ramdhenu, Amar Protinidhi, Manideep, Natun Asomiya, The Assam Tribune, Asam Bami, Dainik Asam and many others for the benefit of local people including farmers, business community, students, teachers and local researchers and thus attained a legendary status among the academia and common people.
Deka was a leading member of Asom Sahitya Sabha. In public recognition of his immense literary contributions, he was unanimously elected as the last President of the undivided Kamrup District Sahitya Sabha in 1982. He was the founder of Assam Economic Association, Assam Foundation-India and Srimanta Sankardev International Foundation, and a frontline advocate of the rich literary and cultural heritage of Assam all over the world.
He was highly influenced by Sankari Culture and folk culture heritage & was known for his active participation in newly setting up Belbari Satra and Byaskuchi Satra (Vaisnavite Monastery) in Barpeta District of Assam in India. He had always been active in projecting the motherland in all its glory through its rich legacy of literature and culture. One such marvellous work of his, the biography of Srimanta Sankardev, is actually a treasure for Indian art and literature. Prof Deka’s book has beautifully encapsulated Sankardev’s enriching works on every aspect of literature and art.
