Dr Lakshahira Das celebrates her 91st birthday on 13th February, 2021. G Plus catches up with the veteran litterateur, poet and doyen of Assamese culture to wish her good health
Dr. Lakshahira Das was born to Late Lalit Chandra Vaishya Saud and Late Dhairjya Bala Vaishya Saud on February 13, 1931, in Sualkuchi.
An avid writer and member of the Sahitya Akademi, she was only six when she composed and published her first poem in a school magazine. Her first collection of lyrics was published while she was a student of Cotton College in 1950.
On being asked if she continues to write poetry as she steps in her 91st year, Dr. Das tells G Plus, “I continue to write for myself...it’s been a habit of many years you see? I used to draw inspiration from the greats of my generation, my teachers, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was definitely a major influence on my work. Everything was an inspiration for me. Writing, even for children brought me immense joy. Perhaps this is the reason I dedicated a good part of my life producing relevant literature for young ones.”
Dr. Das is also one of the members of The Author’s Guild of India, New Delhi; representing Assam’s rightful place in the literary and cultural framework of India. Her poems have been included in several anthologies like ‘Modern Assamese Poetry’ edited by Hem Barua, ‘New Voices of Indian Poetry’ edited by Rajendra Awasthi and others (Authors Guild of India, New Delhi, 1984), ‘Assamese Poetry’ collected and published by the Directorate of Information & Public Relations, Assam, 1980, ‘Anthology of Assamese Poems’ published by the Publication Board, Assam in the souvenir volume of the Northeast India Poetry Meet. Her collection of English poems entitled ‘Between Births’ was released in Malaysia in a World Conference held at Kuala Lumpur in 1991. She was nominated for the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, as a member of the General Council and Member, Assamese Language Advisory Board for 5 years (2003-2007).
On her student days, Dr. Das articulately said, “I was always academically inclined, writing prose and poetry in all my spare time. I passed my Matriculation from Jorhat Govt. Girls High School with First Division in 1946 and my Intermediate Arts Examination from Guwahati University in 1948. I then went on to continue my education in Cotton College where coincidentally I was approached for a stint with All India Radio in Guwahati! She pursued her graduation in 1950 from Cotton College, wherein she secured the highest marks in Assamese and Education, and claimed 2nd position in her Masters Examination in 1954. She was awarded PhD by Gauhati University in 1972.
Dr. Lakshahira Das is the only female artist from Assam to receive approval and recognition of All India Radio as a lyricist, composer and singer in 1948, all while she was pursuing her under graduation degree at Cotton College. She fondly remembers composing lyrics for various renowned, mainstream singers like Manna Dey, Dr. Anup Ghosal, Chinmoy Lahiri and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. Dr. Das was mentored by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and later went on to share the stage with him twice.
A Silpi Puraskar awardee from the Government of Assam in 2003, Dr. Das has composed nearly 2,000 songs in the past 60 years, and lent her voice to various LPs and records of acclaimed artistes such as Ambikagiri Ray Choudhury, Umesh Chandra Choudhury and Nalini Bala Devi. As many as 22 of her compositions have been recorded by the Gramophone Company of India (HMV), which includes different variations of Borgeet, Lokageet, traditional songs and Adhunik geet alike.
She has translated and recorded nearly 50 Rabindra Sangeets for All India Radio. When asked if she enjoyed reading Rabindranath Tagore, she hummed with a twinkle in her eye, “Jodi tor daak shune keu na aashe, tobe ekla cholo re....” “I have enjoyed and learnt a lot from reading the works of Tagore, Sarat Chandra, Tara Shankar and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,” she added.
Dr. Lakshahira Das, an icon in her own right, contributed immensely towards the popularisation of women’s education during the 1950s of Assam. Dr. Das worked as the first Professor and Head of the Department of Education, Cotton College, Guwahati from 1959-1977. She also worked as Reader, Professor and Head of Department of Education, Guwahati University from 1977-1993. G Plus asked her if she was encouraged to study by her family and she vehemently agreed. Dr. Das said, “My father was the biggest support in terms of my education and career choices. He inspired me to continue with higher education as well as continue with my foray into Radio and the world of literature alike.”
She has written a total of 14 text books in Assamese and English, of both Collegiate and University level in the subject of Education, each having 20-25 editions. These books were published in the years between 1962 and 1992. She also secured a Guideship in 1977 which led to 13 Scholars securing their PhD degrees under her guidance. Dr. Das presided over and presented research papers in national and international conferences held across the country and the world.
Bright and spry at the onset of her 91st birthday, Dr. Das still begins her day with an attempt to write. She says, “I try to keep myself active, you see at this age it is quite easy to spend my days resting. I regularly read newspapers, novels and poetry and try to spend as much time as I can with my family and grandchildren.”
To commemorate her birth anniversary, here is a look at the prominent awards and recognitions conferred on Dr. Lakshahira Das:
• Special award from Sadou Asom Bolchabi Santha as “The Best Playback singer of Assamese Film” in 1968
• Special prize as the playback singer of Assamese film in the Golden Jubilee celebration of Assamese films held in 1985
• Basanti Bordoloi Award for the Best Woman Writer of Assam by Asam Sahitya Sabha in 1995
• Conferred the title of ‘Sangeetacharya’ by Jitendra Sangeet Mahavidyalay in 1995
• Best Lyricist award of Northeast India by Kala Sangam in 1997
• Received ‘Silipi Puraskar’ from Government of Assam in 2003
• Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 from the RG Baruah Sports and Cultural Club
• Conferred Pragya Shree Award and title from the Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh Samiti in 2009
• “Prabina Saikia Bota” in literature and culture in 2010 by Asom Lekhika Santha in 2010
• “Amol Prova Das Bota” by the Assam Govt in 2011
• “Nizara Kobi Sailadhar Rajkhowa Award” from Asom Sahitya Sabha in 2011
• “Chatak Sanman” in 2012 by Chatak Gosthi of Assam
• Received Award of Excellence from the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya in 2014
• “Gana Silpi Bota” founded in the name of Dr Bhupen Hazarika in 2015 by Sadou Asom Unnayan Parishad
• “Nalinibala Devi Sahitya Bota” by Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh Samiti in 2015
• Conferred the title of “Kavyacharya” in 2016 by the Asom Kabita Academy
• Lifetime Achievement Award from Gup-Shup Radio in 2017
• “Prag Prerana Award” in 2017 from Prag News Channel
• “Asom Srestha” award received from the Telegraph Group of News Papers in 2018
• Distinguished Recognition Award for outstanding contribution to art, music and culture from Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat in 2018.