Alumni Portal

Shakuntala Choudhury (25 June 1920-20 February 2022) was an eminent Gandhian social worker. She was known for her commitment and devotion to the popularization of the Gandhian way of life. She was honoured with Jamnalal Bajaj Award in 2010 for the development and welfare of Women and Children. In 2022 the Government of India conferred the Padmashri Award, for her distinguished service in the field of social work. The award is in recognition of her service as a 102 year old Gandhian social worker from Assam.

Suchibrata Roychoudhury (1929-2009) was an Assamese litterateur and poet, and the first female Judicial Magistrate of Assam as an Assam Civil Services officer. She received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize in 2001 for translating Suvira Jaiswal´s The Origin and Development of Vaishnavism in India. She also wrote plays for All India Radio. She started her career as a teacher in the Tarini Charan Girls´ School in 1951. Suchibrata Roychoudhury set up institutions throughout her life, leading her to earn Dinabandhavi title ("friend of the poor"). By 1954, She had joined the Assam Civil Service as a civil servant. Suchibrata Roychoudhury’s literary works generally deal with themes of patriotism and social evils. Some of her literary works are: Kun Bate - Her first play was translated when she was in school. The play was later published by her father, narrated on radio and performed by Arya Natya Samaj and the Handique Girls College, yugar dabi, Garima, Troyee etc. Suchibrata translated many books and plays into Assamese.

Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi (1932-2004) was an Indian poet, lyricist and folklorist associated with Assamese literature. She was president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha in 1991. She received several awards. In 1983 she received a Sahitya Akademi Award for her poetry book Sudirgha Din Aru Ritu. She also received the president´s Award in 1957 for children´s literature and the Asam Sahitya Sabha award in 1977 and 1989 for her non-fiction books ´Dinar Pisat Din´ and ´Debi´. She has also won the ´Saraswati Sanman´ title in 1987. She wrote over 54 Assamese and English books and numerous songs. Some other collection of poems :Dinor Pasot Din, Samipehu, Antaranga, Sudirgha Din Aru Ritu. Her collection of songs are Xunboroniya Aai, Xuriya Geet. Some other literary works are Devi, Shiva, Surjya.

Sudakshina Sharma (1934-2023) was an Indian Assamese language singer and musician. In a career spanning over seven decades, Sarma recorded songs in a variety of genres across Assamese music spanning both classical and modern including Borgeet, Kamrupi Lokgeet, and Goalpariya Lokogeet. She also popularized Jyoti Sangeet, songs written by Assamese writer and lyricist Jyoti Prasad Agarwala and also Rabindra Sangeet. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2002 for her contributions to Assamese music.

Indira Goswami (14 November 1942 – 29 November 2011), known by her pen name Mamoni Raisom Goswami was an Indian writer, Professor, scholar and editor. She was the winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award (1983), the Jnanpith Award (2000) and Principal Prince Claus Laureate (2008) award given by the Netherlands. A celebrated writer of contemporary Indian literature, many of her works have been translated into English from Assamese which include The Moth Eaten Howdah of the Tusker, Pages Stained With Blood and The Man from Chinnamasta. She was also well known for her attempts to pioneer social change, both through her writings and through her role as mediator between the armed militant group United Liberation Front of Asom and the Government of India.

Her work has been performed on stage and in film. The film Adajya is based on her novel and won international awards. Words from the Mist is a film made on her life directed by Jahnu Barua.

Prabina Saikia acquired a very prominent position as a translator in Assamese literature. Her special forte was translation. She translated literature for the readers of all age groups. She translated children stories, philosophical books and biographies. She was successful in retaining the original literacy beauty in her translation. She translated world famous Lewis Carroll’s trilogy namely Ojan Dexot Alice (1963), Dapoon Dexot Alice (1984), Snark Chikar (1982) which received wide acceptance among the Assamese readers particularly among the children. Prabina Saikia was a sincere worker of Assamese literature. She ushered in a new beginning in Assamese translation literature bringing about resurgence of activities in this particular field.

Dr. Nilima Dutta besides being an academician, was a poet, novelist, writer of children books, translator, biographer and a columnist, at a stretch. Some of her novels were Akash Banti, Shaila Shikhar, Pran Sikha, Vidyut Prava, Aparajita, Dhumuhar pichat etc. she wrote some books for children also. She wrote a biography on the life of her husband Bhabnranda Dutta, her autobiographical work was titled Luitare pani jabi o’ boi. Dr. Nilima Dutta was a prolific writer but she liked to remain silent about her work and achievement.

Sewali Choudhury became the first women from the northeastern region to join RBI directly as an officer. In the year 1982 she had joined to Reserve Bank of India as an officer in Grade B after qualifying in an All India level examination and interview. She had joined All India Radio as Transmission Executive in the year 1976. She is interested in literature, reads different types of books and is actively engaged in various social issues and concerns. She retired from Bank’s service in June 2009.

Parbati Barua is an Indian animal conservation activist and a mahout (Indian term for an elephant tamer and caretaker), She was one of nine children to late Prakritish Chandra Barua of the Royal Family Of Gauripur. Prakritish was the last member of the Rajahs of Gauripur to hold power. She came to the limelight after the BBC created the documentary "Queen of the Elephants" based on her life, along with the companion book by Mark Shand. She resided in Guwahati and was also a member of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group, IUCN. She was the sister of Pratima Barua Pandey and niece of filmmaker Pramathesh Barua of Devdas fame. At the age of 14, Barua caught her first wild elephant on which her father congratulated her. Since then, she has mastered the art of rounding up elephants and capturing them to be domesticated. Over the years, she has been called multiple times in the jungles, tea plantations and rural areas of West Bengal, Odisha and her native Assam to capture or take care of wild elephants. In 2024 she received the Padma Shri award in the field of Social Work.

Dhira Chaliha Hazarika was the first female pilot from Assam. Her first solo flight was in 1961 from Borjhar to Tezpur when she was 21 years old.

Mrs. Geeta Barua is the author of Viswa Bandita Xahitya, an anthology of literary essays. She is also the author of another widely acclaimed book, Yugamaanob Homer ´??????? ?????´. She served as the Head of the Department, Department of English, Handique Girls’ College from the year 1999 to 2005. She had also served as the Principal I/C of Handique Girls’ College during the session 2003—2004.

Senehi Begum was a renowned historian, celebrated for her significant contributions to the field of historical research and academia. Known for her extensive body of work, she has left an indelible mark on the study of history. Her academic journey at Handique Girls´ College (HGC) began in 1963, where she dedicated nearly four decades to teaching and mentoring students. Throughout her tenure, she was highly respected for her insightful lectures and passion for the subject, influencing generations of students. She was also Principal-in charge of Handique Girls’ College. She also served as an ANO in NCC Unit of Handique Girls’ College. She began her military career with a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant in 1966. Over the next five years, she demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment, and dedication, which earned her a promotion to Captain in 1971. Her stellar performance continued, and she was promoted to the rank of Major in 1978. She also served as Commanding Officer of 60 Assam Girls Battalion in 1966 and also in the year 1972.

Dr. Hemoprova Saikia is an Indian politician who was the minister of handloom and textiles in the Government of Assam from 2001 to 2006. She was a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly representing Nazira constituency from 1996 to 2006.She was also Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation.

Smt. Ajanta Neog is an Indian politician who is currently serving as the Minister of Finance and Women and Child Development in Government of Assam since May 2021. She is the first woman Finance Minister of Assam. She has been representing the Golaghat Assembly seat consecutively for the past five terms since 2001. She also holds the record for being the longest-serving female legislator of Assam.

Rekha Rani Das Boro she is a senior politician from Assam, India. She has served as the Minister of State for Social Welfare and Sericulture and Weaving and also the Minister of Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes in the Government of Assam. Rekha Rani Das Boro is the current State Vice-President of BJP Assam Pradesh. She is the daughter of freedom fighter Biren Das Boro, who was also a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA).

Dr. Alaka Buragohain retired as HOD, Library Science Gauhati University in the year 2017. She is a prominent Libray scientist and was awarded the prestigious ‘Ranganathan-kaula’ award in recognition of her selfless service to the development and promotion of Library science.

Prity Medhi was a student at Handique Girls’ College in 1950s. The Prity Medhi Memorial Financial-aid Scholarship has been set up at the Handique Girls’ College, Guwahati, India to support needy students studying for a B.A (Honours) degree in Humanities and Social Sciences discipline. The scholarship was established in 2022 in memory of Prity Medhi.

Dr. Srutimala Duara an associate professor of English at the Handique Girls’ College, Duara was a prominent author, writing in both English and Assamese. A pioneer of Indo-Anglian literature in Assam, she has authored two novels--- Travelling with Dreams and Ashes in the Seas, four collections of short stories and six anthologies of poetry in English. She has also written a novel Pokhila Pakhir Rong, seven books for children and two books of rhymes in Assamese. Her other non-fiction books include the Mindprints of Guwahati, European Rhapsody, Street Dogs’ Club and My Journey through Cancer. A recipient of several laurels, Duara wa also honoured with the Indian Women Achievers Award in Literature by the Asian Literary Society in 2021.

Moloya Goswami is an Indian actress who works in Assamese cinema. Her notable films include Agnisnan, Firingoti and Calendar. In the 39th National Film Awards 1992. She won the Best Actress award for her performance in the Firingoti.

Bijuli Kalita Medhi is an Indian politician and the elected candidate for Lok Sabha from Guwahati Lok Sabha Constituency.

Tarali Sarma is a versatile and unique singer, a mesmerizing performing artist, composer, music director and lyricist. Tarali has 11 solo albums to her credit. She has composed music for 13 feature films as music director and has won numerous awards and accolades among which are the Rajat Kamal, Indian National film awards for best playback singing and Assam state government film awards for best playback singing and music direction. She won the Rajat Kamal award, the highest film award for her renderation of a Kakuti Ghoxa (a devotional verse and composition composed by the Vaishnavite saint Madhab Dev who was a disciple of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva).

Dr. Indranee Talukdar had joined in the Department of Education as a faculty. She left Handique Girls’ College to join Gauhati University. She was retired as Director of Omeo kumar Das Institute of Social Chang and Development.

Nishita Goswami is an Indian actress who works in Assamese language films. Her notable Assamess Movies are Rong, Ratnakar, Hold My Hand, Mon, etc. She has also acted in a number of stage dramas.

Krantika Sandilya is a talented assamese singer and performer known for her beautiful voice and contribution to Assamese music. She has sung several popular assamses songs.

Gayatri Hazarika is a singer. She gave her voice to various blockbuster Assamese movies. She won Best Female singer award in ‘Prag cine award’ in the year 2021 for the song ???? ????’ from the movie ???????

She had served as the Head, Department of English, Gauhati University from the year 2017 to 2020. She was also selected as a Fulbright Fellow for the session 2015—2016. She is currently the Director, Centre for Performing Arts and Culture, Gauhati University. She has been awarded with Research Fellowship in Commonwealth Studies, University of Cambridge UK. 2023-24 (ongoing), and Fulbright Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship, The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York (2015-16). She had been a Segal Fellow at The Graduate Center, CUNY (2015) and had attained Visiting Fellowship at Assam University, Silchar (2017) and at NEHU, Shillong (2018). She has been the recipient of Academic Gold Medal (Masters in English - 1992) and the Shakespeare Prize (1992).

She is an Assamese short story writer and the recipient of Sahitya Akademi Yuva Award in 2014 for her book Johor Mohor. She was also the recipient of Munin Borkotoky Award 2015 for her book Priyo Alaap and Jugal Kishore Choudhuri Award 2015.

She is currently working as a faculty member at Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, USA.

She is the managing director of Tatvik Ayurveda and Wellness Pvt. Ltd. She is the Vice—President of Shri Tatvik Ayurveda Sanskriti Sewa Sansthan. She is the Founder & Business Head of Mani Enterprises. She is the recipient of the following awards-----EMERGING WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR – Top 12 Women in SME 2023 in India – Awarded by Union MSME Minister Shri Narayan Rane (March 2023), TOP 100 SME Enterprises – Awarded by Union MSME Minister Shri Narayan Rane (October 2023), TOP 75 WOMEN UDYAMI to be featured along with Honorable President of India Draupadi Murmu and UP CM Yogi Adityanath at UP Global Investors´ Summit.

Prof. Manisha Baruah, Former Head and Retired Professor Department of Philosophy, Gauhati University