charan narzary
Image: Northeast Now

Former professor of the Kokrajhar Government College Prof Charan Narzary, who is also the founder general secretary of Plains Tribals Council of Assam (PTCA) was on Saturday rushed to the RNB Hospital in Assam’s Kokrajhar after he fell down in the bathroom of his residence.

Prof Charan Narzary, a teacher, writer, social worker and political activist is of 86 years old.

The medical reports suggest a fractured bone and serious injury in legs. His well wishers thronged at the hospital to ensure his well being.

Urkao Gwra Brahma, former member of Parliament and one of the candidates of the Lok Sabha election 2019 paid a visit to him on knowing the incident.

Prof Narzary was born on May 28, 1933 at Mwiderkoro village situated at the heart of present day Kokrajhar city. He started schooling in Kokrajhar L P School and from Kokrajhar Higher Secondary and Multipurpose School, obtained the matriculation certificate.

Thereafter he pursued Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Cotton College and MA, LLB from Guwhati University.

After finishing formal education, he taught at Kokrajhar College for few years. While teaching at the college itself, along with his activists friends he started mobilizing the downtrodden indigenous communities of Assam to protect their land, identity and culture.

In a few years of active mobilization of community, Prof Narzary realized that their struggle needs to be given a direction of electoral politics so that the hopes and aspirations of the indigenous communities can be represented in the State Assembly and the Parliament.

Thus, along with his contemporary activists, he co-founded a political party called Plains Tribal Council of Assam in 1967. Prof Narzary became the first general secretary of the party.

Plains Tribal Council of Assam became the force to be reckon with especially in the corridors of power, immediately after coming into being.

The party took up the main agenda of protection of tribal land. When after many years of political advocacy also the tribal belts and blocks were not protected, the party decided to agitate for separate state of Udayachal to protect the interest of indigenous communities.

Prof Narzary stood for member of Legislative Assembly election in 1972 and won with thumping majority. After the successful stint as MLA, Prof Narzary stood for member of Parliament election in 1972 and again won with considerable majority.

Apart from being politician and an educationist, Prof Narzary is also a reknowned writer. His book, Dream for Udayachal-History of Plains Tribals Council of Assam is widely acclaimed. He was the also the editor of Journals like The Bodo and Alari.

Rinoy Basumatary is Northeast Now Correspondent in Kokrajhar. He can be reached at: [email protected]