The Man Who Brought Assam Closer To Mumbai: Devasish Sharma’s Legacy Of Cancer Care, Compassion And Community Service

Mumbai: Cruising towards a massive victory in Assam’s Nagaon parliamentary constituency, former IAS officer and BJP candidate Devasish Sharma, 59, has a special connection with Mumbai, where he transformed Assam Bhawan into a haven for cancer patients and the Assamese diaspora.

Sharma served as Deputy Resident Commissioner at Assam Bhawan in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, from Dec 2003 and later as Joint Resident Commissioner from Dec 2018 to May 2021. He played a pivotal role in making the facility, which became operational on July 1, 2004, a welcoming space for visitors from Assam.

For cancer patients travelling to Mumbai for treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital, Sharma went beyond official responsibilities, arranging accommodation, meals and transport. He often personally received patients at railway stations. Witnessing their financial struggles and medical hardships prompted him to establish Deepsikha, a cancer care organisation, in July 2004.

During the Covid lockdown in May 2020, Sharma coordinated bus convoys to help stranded cancer patients return to Assam when trains and flights were suspended. He accompanied the patients on the gruelling 2,731-km journey across six states, reassuring them throughout the journey.

Sharma also made Assam Bhawan a cultural hub for Mumbai’s Assamese community, hosting Bihu celebrations, Durga Puja and other gatherings. A passionate guitarist and singer, he regularly performed songs by Zubeen Garg and Bhupen Hazarika at community functions.

Although he returned to Assam in May 2021, Sharma retained additional charge of Assam Bhawan while serving as Commissioner of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation and District Commissioner of Morigaon and Nagaon.

As he prepares to represent Nagaon in the Lok Sabha, his longstanding association with Mumbai remains a defining chapter of his public service career.