Noted social scientist, prominent leftist, academician and freedom fighter, Abani Borthakur breathed his last on Tuesday. He had been suffering from various age-related illnesses for a long time and passed away at KGMT Hospital in Guwahati's Geetanagar.
The mortal remains of Borthakur will be taken to his residence at his birthplace in Nazira on Wednesday. Borthakur, who always raised his voice against injustice, had been associated with various conclave, meets, and other social gatherings until recently.
Borthakur, who took to the streets repeatedly to protest against the government's anti-people policies, anti-caste stance, and exploitation of the rulers, was ailing for some months now. Due to old age, he was suffering from several diseases one after the other. Meanwhile, he was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Guwahati Christianbasti in February this year.
After recovering, he had returned home. However, he used to keep unwell. Borthakur, a former principal of Nazira College, who had been vocal for the emancipation of the proletariat, was also once the secretary of the Assam unit of the Communist Party of India.
Even at the age of 90, he took to the streets for people's rights. He would stand firm against the government and its different agencies. Born in 1929, Abani Borthakur actively participated in the country's freedom movement while studying at Cotton College.
In 1945, Borthakur, who was constantly chasing social-oriented thinking and dreams of social reform, served as the secretary of the Students' Federation of Sivasagar district.
Since the 1950s, as an all-round worker of the Communist Party of India, he has since 1970 become assistant secretary of the Communist Party of India, a member of the party's editorial board. From 1948 to 1958, he was the general secretary of the Assam Students' Federation.
He graduated in 1955, while being politically and socially active, and in 1963 received a master's degree in history. Borthakur, who also played a special role in the establishment of Nazira College, one of the institutions of higher learning in undivided Sivasagar, later took over as the principal of the college in 1982.
This eminent social scientist has written several books and sowed the seeds of thought in social life.
On Tuesday, at the age of 95, the news of the tireless social scientist, thinker, educationist and freedom fighter left the world. On social media too, people expressed grief by praying for the departed soul.
