Nirod Choudhury passes away

GUWAHATI, February 10: Nirod Choudhury, the journalist as well as writer, who dominated Assamese journalism and literature for about four decades between the 1960s and 1990s with his inimitable style and prolificity, is no more. According to family sources, the end came around 2.45 pm today at his wife Indira Choudhury's MMC Hospital doctor's quarter here. He was 65. The lone son of businessman late Chanaram Choudhury and late Sabitri Choudhury of Doomdooma Choudhury fell seriously ill in February last year due to prolonged illness caused by diabetes and kidney related ailments. He was admitted to Guwahati Medical College Hospital and for about one year he had to stay there as an indoor patient. Only about one month back he was shifted to his wife's official residence at Panbazar. For the last three days he was virtually in comatose state. It may be mentioned here that four toes of his right leg had to be amputated following the damage caused to them by gangrene. He had one of his kidneys replaced by a transplanted one about eight years back. He leaves behind his only son Iman, who is a History major student in the Delhi Hansraj College and his wife Indira Choudhury, besides a host of relatives. His last rites will be performed tomorrow afternoon at the Navagraha crematorium here. Born in the Sadashiva TE of Doomdooma in 1935, Choudhury did his schooling in Dangori HS School and Cotton Collegiate HS School and BA from Cotton College. He did his MA in Assamese from Gauhati University. On July 6, 1955 he joined The Assam Tribune group of newspapers as a librarian and became a regular contributor to the Asam Bani, the news weekly of the newspaper group. Page three of Asam Bani and its cinema page with contributions from Choudhury became very much popular with the readers. Particularly, page three of the news weekly which carried the writings of Choudhury on personalities and incidents, was behind the Asam Bani's growing popularity among the readers in the two decades of 1960s and 1970s. His reports on Commander Nanavati case in Mumbai (then Bombay), and Justice Upen Rajkhowa case in Dhubri, created quite a sensation. He also emerged as a popular short story writer and novelist simultaneously. He has over 50 published and unpublished short story collections (11 published), novels (21 published) and collections of other writings (five published). Some of his popular short story collections are Mor Galpa, Ange Ange Shobha, Chameli Memsaab and Nirbachita Galpa. He also edited Asamiya Premar Galpa - a compilation of love stories in Assamese. His popular novels include Manprajapati, Devi, Nastachandra, Paani, Hachnahana and Burhigangat Jui, while collections of his other writings include Asamiya Bolchabir Itihaas, Radha Govinda Baruah and Bahut Mukh : Bahut Rong. His reminiscential writing Doomdooma Doomdooma was published in November last. Five of his stories Chameli Memsaab, Paani, Monprajapati, Banahangsha and Kachghaar were adopted for films and significantly Chameli Memsaab had three versions - Assamese, Bangalee and Hindi. For the music of Chameli Memsaab Bhupen Hazarika too won the best music director's award in the Indian National Film Festival. Choudhury was a close associate of Hazarika. A telefilm was also produced based on his story Psychedelic Dhekia. But despite his such contributions to journalism and literature, Choudhury remained an unsung hero. Neither the Asam Sahitya Sabha nor the Sahitya Akademi felt the need to honour him, said some of his fans who thronged his wife's residence today to pay their last respect to Choudhury. Choudhury assumed the charge of Editor of the Asam Bani on July 16, 1991 and retired from service on February 28, 1993 after serving The Assam Tribune group for about 38 years continuously. Despite his illness he was contributing to several newspapers and journals of the State till recently.