Under the auspices of the Centre for Research of the Western Assam Language and Culture and Pragati College Agomoni, a two-day national symposium on the life and literature of Jnanpith awardee Dr. Mamoni Raisom Goswami concluded on Saturday on the premises of the college.
Personal Background
Birth Name: Indira Goswami
Born: November 14, 1942, in Guwahati, Assam.
Education: Completed undergraduate studies with a major in Assamese at Cotton College and earned a Master's degree from Gauhati University.
Personal Struggles:
Struggled with depression throughout her life, attempting suicide several times.
Her marriage to Madhaven Raisom Ayengar ended tragically after 18 months when her husband died in a car crash.
Initially worked as a teacher at Sainik School, Goalpara, before moving to Vrindavan for peace and research.
Became a faculty member, and later the Head, of the Department of Modern Indian Languages (MIL) at Delhi University, mentored by Prof. Bhabananda Deka.
Demise: She passed away on November 29, 2011, at Gauhati Medical College Hospital.
Notable Literary Contributions
Chinaki Morom: Her debut collection of short stories, published while she was still a student.
Neelkanthi Braja (1976): Highlights the poverty and sexual abuse endured by Vrindavan's Radhaswamis and widows.
Ramayana from Ganga to Brahmaputra: A comparative analysis of Tulsidas's Ramayana and Madhava Kandali’s 14th-century Assamese Ramayana.
Datal Hatir Uye Khowa Howda (The Moth-Eaten Howdah of a Tusker): Explores the lives of Assamese Brahmin widows; it was adapted into the award-winning film Adajya (1996).
Tej Aru Dhulire Dhusarita Prishtha (Pages Stained with Blood): Chronicles the hardships faced by Sikhs during the 1984 riots following Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination.
The Man from Chinnamasta: A critique of traditional animal sacrifices at Kamakhya Temple in Assam.
Mamore Dhora Tarowal: Focuses on the challenges faced by laborers constructing an aqueduct over the Sai River in Madhya Pradesh during the 1960s.
Achievements and Honors
Received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1982 for Mamore Dhora Tarowal.
Awarded the Jnanpith Award in 2000.
Bestowed the Padma Shri in 2002, which she declined.
Named Ambassador for Peace by the Inter Religious and International Federation for World Peace.
Honored with the International Tulsi Award by Florida International University.
Awarded the Asom Ratna, Assam's highest civilian honor.
Became the first Assamese woman to win the Jnanpith Award.
Efforts for Peace
Acted as an intermediary between the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the Indian government.
Her mediation efforts led to the creation of the People's Consultative Group, a peace committee.
Autobiographical Works
An Unfinished Autobiography
New Pages in Biography
Aarogya Gruha
Through her literature, peace advocacy, and academic legacy, Dr. Goswami’s contributions continue to inspire and shed light on social issues, establishing her as an iconic figure in Indian literature and Assamese culture.