Guwahati: Prafulla Govinda Baruah, the veteran journalist, Chairman Emeritus, and Editor of The Assam Tribune, passed away on Sunday at 9:30 pm in a private hospital in Guwahati due to age-related ailments. He was 93.
A recipient of the Padma Shri for his monumental contributions to journalism in the Northeast, his demise has been widely mourned across the state's political, media, and social spheres.
Legacy of a Pioneer
Institution Builder: Baruah took over as the Managing Director of The Assam Tribune group in 1966, an institution founded by his father, Radha Govinda Baruah, in 1939. He simultaneously served as the Editor of the region's oldest and most circulated English daily since 1997.
The Voice of Assam: The Assam Tribune group, under his leadership, played a crucial role as a moral anchor and public voice on all issues concerning the Northeast, including the problem of infiltration, the 1962 Chinese aggression, and the 1971 war with Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the paper's Platinum Jubilee in 2014, described the Tribune as "the voice of the people of the region."
Literary & Social Contributions: He founded Sahitya Prakash, which publishes the monthly literary magazine Goriyasi, significantly contributing to Assamese literature. He was also instrumental in establishing the RG Baruah College and the socio-cultural organisation Jyotirupa to encourage young talent.
Economic Vision: Baruah organised a series of seminars under the banner of Assam Prakalpa, bringing together experts to formulate policies for the state's economic development.
Life and Education
Born in Dibrugarh on July 26, 1932, Baruah was a brilliant student:
1949: Matriculation from Gauhati University (First Division).
1953: Graduated with Honours in Economics from Presidency College, Calcutta.
1957: Gold Medallist in LLB from Calcutta University.
1964: Studied journalism and printing technology at the Thomson Foundation in the UK on a scholarship.
Solemn Farewell
Baruah's final rites were performed with full state honours on Monday afternoon at the Nabagraha crematorium, Guwahati. Earlier, his mortal remains were brought to The Assam Tribune building for a final farewell by colleagues and admirers.
Dignitaries, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, condoled his passing, emphasizing the vacuum created by the loss of his principled and guiding leadership. Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika noted, "He never placed himself above the institution or its people. That self-effacement... was his greatest virtue."
