Dr. Amalendu Guha is one of the people who has made an important contribution to the social life of Assam in solidarity with the social system of Assam, even if he is not from Assam by birth. Dr. Amalendu Guha, who possessed a high level of basic talent, became precious for the people through a socialist point of view.
Biography of Amalendu Guha
| Name | Dr. Amalendu Guha[1] |
| Date of Birth | January 30, 1924 |
| Place of Birth | Imphal, Manipur |
| Parents | Jaminisundar Guha (Father) |
| Education | 1/ Bengali School in Imphal. 2/ From Jubilee Anglo Bengali School (now Paltanbazar Bengali U.M. School) 3/ Cotton College 4/ Shreekail College in East Bengal 5/ Harvanga College in Munchiganj. 6/ Presidency College, Kolkata 7/ Calcutta University |
| Awards | Conferred literary title of Assam Sahitya Sabha. |
| Death | May 7, 2015 |
Early Life
Amalendu Guha was born on January 30, 1924 in Imphal, Manipur. His father’s name was Yaminisundar Guha. They were actually residents of Tangail subdivision of Mymenansingh district of East Bengal. But they left Bengal in 1905 and moved to Manipur. Jaminisundar Guha was a teacher at the government Johnston High School in Manipur. But later Amalendu Guha’s family moved to Guwahati. Because his brother Jeevikasutra was a resident of Guwahati. That is why In 1937, Amalendu Guha’s father Yaminisundar Guha retired as a headmaster of the school and became a resident of Guwahati.
13 years old teenager Guha, was studying at Imphal School when he came to Guwahati. But after coming to Guwahati, he enrolled at Silver Jubilee Anglo Bengali High School (now Paltan Bazar Bengali Higher Secondary School), Guwahati.
Amalendu Guha passed his diploma examination under Calcutta University in 1941 from Silver Jubilee Anglo Bengali High School and came to Cotton College to study IA. But a year later he enrolled at Shreekail College in East Bengal without completing his education, But he enrolled in Harvanga College in Munchiganj without completing his studies in Shreekail college. Guha passed the IA exam with distinction from Harvanga College in Munchiganj and enrolled in the Presidency College in Kolkata by selecting Economy as the main subject. He graduated in economics in 1945. He subsequently enrolled at Calcutta university and graduated with a master’s degree in economics in 1947.
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Professional Life
He was deprived of the post despite being eligible for the post of professor of Guwahati University in 1948, for being a believer in the only left-wing ideology after graduating. However, despite being deprived of the post of professor in Guwahati University, he started his career as a professor at Darang College in Tezpur in 1948 and served as a professor at Darang College till 1965. Between 1959 and 1962, he received his Ph.D. from the School of International Studies in Delhi on the subject ‘Economic Transition in Afghanistan, 1929-1961. Amalendu Guha served as a recharge fellow first and then a reader at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics in Pune from 1965 to 1972. After he joined as a professor in Centre for Studies in Social Science (CSSS) in Kolkatta in 1973, he retired from the profession in 1990.
Amalendu Guha and the Leftist Movement
Amalendu Guha was a believer of left wing ideology. As a student he had been involved in left-wing politics since 1939. At that time he joined All India Students Federation (Assam unit).
Other than that he also became involved in Progressive Union Marxist study center at that time. Importantly, when he came to Cotton College in1941 to study, Amalendu Guha’s classmates were Nabakanta Baruah, Paragadhar Chaliha, Virendra Kumar Bhattacharya etc. It was during this time that a deep revolutionary thinking developed in Amalendu Guha’s mind. Amalendu Guha, who served as an active member of the Student Federation in 1947, served as a cadre of the Communist Party of India and remained involved in leftist movements and politics till the end of his life.
Importantly, Amalendu Guha was arrested by the Government of India under Preventive Detention Act during the Indo-China war in 1962. However, not only Guha but at that time the Government of India arrested 52 other Left-wing leaders including Vishnu Prasad Rabha, Gauri Shankar Bhattacharya. At that time the Government of India had imprisoned Amalendu Guha for six months in Beharampur jail in Orissa. It may be recalled that at that time of his arrest i.e. in 1962, Guha completed his research work and joined Darang College again as a professor.
Achievements
Also famous as an historian, Amalendu Guha was known for his book ‘Planters Raj to Swaraj: Freedom Struggle and Electoral Politics in Assam: 1826-1947’ published in 1977. The book, which has the status of a classic book, included various topics like colonial economy, labor movement, farmers’ movement, politics of the people, freedom movement etc.
Amalendu Guha introduced a qualitative change in writing the history of pre-colonial Assam. Guha objectively analyzed everything. Medieval and Early Colonial Assam’, ‘Vaishnavism to Moamaria Rebellion’, ‘History of Assam: Studies and Compositions’, ‘Socio-Economic System of Goalpara District’ are books on the history of Assam written by Amalendu Guha. Not only Assam but Amalendu Guha also wrote various articles on Mughal economy, colonial economy of India, economic history of Afghanistan, historical role of Persis, nationality of India etc.
Some of his notable articles are – “Indian National Question : A Conceptual Frame” and “Nationalism: Pan Indian and Regional in a Historical Perspective”, etc.
Importantly, Guha’s article “Indian National Question : A Conceptual Frame” has been described by noted Marxist scholar Prabhat Patnaik as one of the greatest feats of Indian Marxism.
Amalendu Guha was one of the poets who started the progressive trend of the Rainbow era in parallel with being an active leader of leftist ideology, and historian. In 1955, a poetry book called ‘Luitparar’s Gatha’ was published in Bengali. Vishnu Prasad Rabha painted the cover of the poem book Luitparar’s Gatha. In addition, in 1960, a poetry book called “Tumaloi” written in Assamese by Amalendu Guha was published. Guha included a total of 21 poems in the poem book “Tumaloi.” Through the poems contained in this poetry book, Amalendu Guha narrated the Nature of Assam, people and history of Assam through poetry as well as the struggle of labor’s and farmers. One of the popular poems written by Dr. Amalendu Guha is ‘Luit Parar Chirajaubana(evergreen) Cotton College Mur’
Being a Marxist Amalendu Guha loved the common downcast Assamese people and gave them a place of ambition as well as the folk culture associated with the soil. Which is why he included a poem called ‘Bihu’ in the book Of Poems called “Louit Parar Gatha.” Importantly, Guha, while growing up in a full Bengali domestic environment, took ‘Bihu’s’ fertile rural form through poetry at a time when some people refused to name ‘Bihu’ in the civilized society of Assam.
Despite being the birthplace Imphal and the original workplace Kolkata and studying or working in different parts of India for a long time, Guha was very attracted towards Assam. He learnt Assamese language well while working in Tezpur. Guha, who had a strong interest in the nature of Assam, the civilizational culture of Assam, the people and society of Assam, the way of life of Assam, married Anima Das in 1960 of Dhubri now known as Dr. Anima Guha. Dr. Anima Guha is a well-respected writer from Assam.
Dr° Amalendu Guha did not believe in any religion, did not give prominence to any religious people. He was only a believer in human religion. Importantly, he had written in his will that “no religious formality should be performed after my death.” It may be recalled that Dr. Amalendu Guha was the first person to donate his body at the Ellora Science Forum. Dr° Amalendu Guha donated the body on January 16, 2005.
Conclusion
Dr° Amalendu Guha, who preferred scientific thinking outside the religious periphery, is the pride of Assam. Amalendu Guha, who was conferred with the title of Literary Officer of Assam Sahitya Sabha, received a literary pension from the Assam government. Dr Guha served as president at the History Conference of Assam Sahitya Sabha held at Golaghat and also served as president at the poets meet held in Sivasagar.
Importantly, on May 7, 2015, the body of Amalendu Guha, who died at the age of 91 due to old age, was donated to Guwahati Medical College. It is necessary for the new generations to follow the ideals and to adopt Dr. Amalendu Guha, as a role model who gives priority to scientific thinking, focuses on establishing humanity beyond religious periphery, thinking for the downcast common people.
FAQ
1. When and where was Amalendu Guha born?
Ans: Amalendu Guha was born on January 30,1924 at Imphal, Manipur.
2. Who was Amalendu Guha?
Ans: He was an Indian historian, economist, and poet from Assam, India.
3. Who is Dr. Anima Guha?
Ans: Dr. Anima Guha was an Indian writer from Assam and wife of Dr. Amalendu Guha.
4. With what title Guha was conferred with?
Ans: He was conferred with the title of Literary Officer of Assam Sahitya Sabha.
5. Name some of the books written by Guha based on the history of Assam.
Ans: Medieval and Early Colonial Assam’, ‘Vaishnavism to Moamaria Rebellion’, ‘History of Assam: Studies and Compositions’, ‘Socio-Economic System of Goalpara District‘ are books on the history of Assam written by Amalendu Guha.
6. When did Amalendu Guha died?
Ans: He died on May 7, 2015 at the age of 91.
7. When did Amalendu Guha donated his body to Ellora Science Forum?
Ans: Guha donated the body on January 16, 2005 to Ellora Science Forum, it may be recalled that he was the first person to donate his body on Ellora Science Forum.
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