BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

CHALIHA, SHRI PARAG

M.A.; A.G.P.(Assam); s. of late Shri Padmadhar Chaliha and late Shrimati Suprabha Chaliha; b. at Dibrugarh, Assam, September, 1923; ed. at (i) Government High School, Sibsagar, (ii) J.B. College, Jorhat, (iii) Cotton College, Guwahati (iv) University College of Arts and (v) University Law College, Calcutta; m. Shrimati Dipali Chaliha, March 3, 1953; 2 s. and 1 d.

Teacher, Administrator, Musician, Writer and Radio/T.V. Artiste in Drama and Films; actively involved in Anti-British Students' Movement since 1939; imprisoned under the Defence of India Rules for leading activities in the Quit India Movement of 1942; led Anti-Grouping Movement in 1946 in Calcutta; seriously injured in police lathi charge at Calcutta for participation in I.N.A. Day, Naval Mutiny Day and Rashid Ali Day, etc.; worked for communal peace and harmony during the Great Calcutta killing of 1946; actively involved in the Assam Movement since 1979; imprisoned several times under MISA, NSA, TADA, etc. between 1979-85; undertook pioneering activities in spread of higher education in backward areas of the State; founded and built up the Sibsagar College to be a premier educational institution in the country; served Sibsagar College initially as Professor, Vice-Principal and later on as Principal for a total of 38 years; became the first L.N. Bezbaroa Professor and Head of the Department of Assamese, (Dibrugarh University), 1968-70; actively associated with promotion of music, art, drama, sports, etc.; founded and led Seujia Samaj and S.S. Sangeet Vidyalaya at Sibsagar; most prestigious Art Centre in N.E. India; established numerous educational, sports and cultural organisations; taking leading role for relief in natural calamities like floods, earthquake, etc.; initiated many self-employment promotion schemes in rural areas; working for spiritual awakening among children; built up virtually single handed the finest theatre hall in the North-East; organised the first concrete step towards integration among hills, plains and different communities in the North-East region; Founder, Assam Silpi Sanmilan; President, (i) Sibsagar Natya Samaj since 1985, (ii) Abhivyakti, a unique (Hindi) literary organisation devoted to promoting mutual understanding between Hindi and Assamiya Literature, (iii) (acting) Assam Sahitya Sabha, 1962-64 and 1966-67, (iv) Sibsagar District Sporting Association and Assam Football and Cricket Association and (v) Asom Gana Parishad (A.G.P.), 1991-95; Chairman, (i) Eastern Zonal Advisory Board, LIC of India, Calcutta, 1965-66, (ii) State Committee of the National Integration Council, 1997 and (iii) Assam Task Force on Handloom Weaving and Textiles, 1986-89; Consultant, Films Division, Government of India, 1963-67; Director, (i) LIC of India, 1962-64 and (ii) West Bengal Financial Corporation, 1964-67; General Secretary, (i) Asom Sahitya Sabha, 1957-58, (ii) Assam Sangeet Natak Academy, 1960-72; Founder Secretary, Assam Artists Association, 1948-50; Secretary, Sibsagar District Sporting Association for two decades; Executive Councillor, (i) Guwahati University, 1962-68 and (ii) Dibrugarh University, 1965-80; Executive Member, (i) Assam Publication Board, 1956-76 and (ii) Assam Sangeet Sanmilan, 1949-50; associated with the Indian National Congress, 1942-72, resigned due to political differences; Member, (i) Publication Board, Assam, 1956-72, (ii) Programme Advisory Board, AIR, Guwahati, 1964-69 and Dibrugarh, 1973-76, (iii) Eastern Zonal Audition Board, AIR, Calcutta, 1964-65, (iv) 8th Lok Sabha, 1985-89, (v) State Planning Board, Assam, 1986-89, (vi) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, 1986-89, (vii) Joint Committee on Members' Salaries and Allowances, 1986-89, (viii) Committee on Papers laid on the Table, Lok Sabha, 1987, (ix) Governing Body, Executive Board and Finance Committee of N.E. Zonal Cultural Centre, Dimapur, (Nagaland), (x) Library Committee, (xi) Expert Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, (xii) Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas and (xiii) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Human Resource Development, 1995-97; visited (i) East Germany in 1970 under the Cultural Exchange Programme of U.G.C. and (ii) South Korea to attend Seoul Olympics, September to October, 1988; elected to Rajya Sabha in June, 1995.

Clubs : Vice-President, (i) Assam Football Association for six years and (ii) Assam Cricket Association for four years; also selector of the AFA for 3 years.

Travels abroad : East Germany, U.K., France, Hong Kong, Thailand and South Korea.

Accomplishment in arts and science : Composer and grade singer of songs, playwright and actor in Radio and Doordarshan; life-long activist for national integration; acknowledged artist, singer and Director in music, dance and drama in Radio and Doordarshan for several decades; led cultural groups to India International Trade Fair at New Delhi, 1981; presented cultural programmes at Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Guwahati and Shillong; reputed sportsman and organiser of sports activities; involved in promoting sports talents; personal distinction as Tennis and Badminton Champion during forties and fifties; appeared in leading roles in three Assamese films; dramas and musical presentations in AIR, Calcutta, Guwahati and Dibrugarh and Doordarshan since 1943.

Publications : Authored 14 books (in English and Assamese) on educational, sociological and cultural topics; some of the books, papers, essays, etc. published are: (i) Chari Hejar Bacharar Assam (1951), being dramatic monologue on Assam's 4000 years of history, (ii) Outlook on NEFA in English (ed.1958), (iii) Simantar Sambhed (ed.) being glimpses of the N.E. Frontier, 1959, (iv) Collegiate Education in Assam in English, 1967, (v) Identical Tenets of Mahapurshiya Vaisnavism and Guru Nanak's Teachings (in English) being paper in the Inter University Board's Seminar (Madurai) on Guru Nanak, 1970, (vi) Sahitya Aru Sanskriti, 1969, being essays on Assamese Literature and Culture, (vii) `O' Mor Chikooni Desh, 1970, being poetic exposition of Assamese Culture, (viii) Son Rup Neoci, 1972 Social Drama, (ix) Bon Ponar Mongeet, 1981, anthology of songs, (x) Amar Samajat Mulyabodh, 1982, i.e., sense of value in our society, (xi) Assamiya Jati Gathanat Bibhinna Jana Samastir Abadan, 1982, contribution of varied ethnic groups in moulding the Assamese society,etc., (xii) Chitra Bichitra, 1987, biographical sketches of some cultural and political luminaries and (xiii) Aspects of Assamese Culture (in English) and numerous (research) articles, radio features, poems and songs, etc.

Special interest : Active participation in social welfare activities, particularly among the down trodden.

Favourite pastime and recreation : Light reading, acting, directing music, dancing and dramatic performance, playing badminton and tennis.

Permanent address: "Suprabha", Phookan Nagar, P.O. Sibsagar PIN - 785 640 (Assam).