Dr Bhabendranath Saikia: Great Assamese of 21st century

Dr Bhabendra Ntah Saikia is one of the greatest mind of 21st century in Assam. He was a novelist, a teacher, a great film-maker, text book composer and above all the greatest seer of 21st century who tried hard to shape the thinking of Assamese minds.

Life of Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia

Dr Saikia (everyone likes to call him 'Saikia sir') sir's birth place was Fouzdari patti in Nagaon in Assam. His father Bidur chandra Saikia was a teacher who had to try hard to make both the ends meet.
And Dr Saikia as a child had took this as an opportunity to learn more things in life, that is by enhancing his experience as a child born to a poor family. All these experience of Saikia sir are written very beautifully in his Jibon Britta(Autobiography).

Saikia sir as a student was very bright and he could avail each and every opportunity that came his way. But mostly he followed his heart. Without inhibition he described how he started his journey as a writer and his first detective novel Atonkar Sheshat(an Assamese detective novel) helped him when he could not gather the amount of money he needed to travel to  calcutta for higher studies. And throughout his life he is very much vocal about the help of his friends and well-wishers. And this makes me think that he knew that he is a great achiever, but wanted to share the credit with those who helped him in anyway.

Saikia sir started his career as a teacher at Sivasagar College, sivasagar dist. Then he went for research to London. When he came back to Assam he joined as a Reader at Guwahati University of Assam. His popularity at both the institutes was not limited within  the boundary and spread to the adjacent places. His love for drama, culture and play writing led him to the company of those people who are associated to such works. He never wasted  any second of his life  and devoted his life to the greater causes of  Assamese culture.

DrSaikia's  novels are Antareep, Ramya-bhumi, Moromar Deuta, Atonkar Sheshat etc. But his literary prowess is mostly expressed in his short stories. They are delightful, replete with subtle humour, detailed description of situation and a penetrating insight to the mind of both men and women.

Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia sir's  short story collections are Prahari, Sendur, Gahbar, Srinkhal, Upakantha, Ai Bandaror Aabeli , Brindabon, Taranga, Sandhya Bhraman, Galpa aru Shilpa, Akash. The variety of subject matter in Dr Saikia sir's stories are amazing and the characters are jubiliant and lively with all their faults and beauty. Among these Akash collection is my personal favourite with a plethora of my favourite stories.

Bhabendra Nath Saikia sir's plays (especially the the radio adaptation of the plays were part of Assamese radio listeners of two decades. Children grew up on a feed of saikia sir's childrens' plays but  adults too equally enjoyed his childrens plays. Plays like Mahadustar Dusto Buddhi still commands lots of polualrity. His association with Assamese theatre group Kohinoor took the group to the pinnacle of success during seventies. Theatre had become crowd puller like never before, all because of his great plays.

 Greatest cultural projects of Assam where Dr Saikia sir had invested his worth are Srimanta Sankardev Kalakhetra at Panjabari Guwahati in Assam. In can be called the brain-child of Saikia sir. It is a museum cum auditorium and show case of Assam and the rich cultural heritage of Assam.

Another important project  Saikia sir has started is Arohan,  dedicated to children which is still taking shape in the able hands of Dr Saikia sirs family viz., wife Priti Saikia and two daughter Rashmi and Sangeeta Saikia. Dr Saikia sir is the perfect example of what a person can achieve in his life singlehandedly.