Sarat Chandra Singha

Sarat Chandra Singha (1 January 1914 – 25 December 2005) was an Indian politician and Chief Minister of Assam.[1] He was a leader of Indian National Congress, Indian National Congress (Socialist) and Nationalist Congress Party.

Sarat Chandra Singha
5th Chief Minister of Assam
In office
31 January 1972 – 12 March 1978
Preceded byMahendra Mohan Choudhry
Succeeded byGolap Borbora
President, Indian Congress (Socialist) – Sarat Chandra Singha
In office
1984–1999
Personal details
Born(1914-01-01)1 January 1914
Chapar, Assam Province, British India
Died25 December 2005(2005-12-25) (aged 91)
Guwahati, Assam, India
NationalityIndian
Political partyIndian National Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Indian National Congress (Socialist), Indian Congress (Socialist) – Sarat Chandra Singha
Alma materBanaras Hindu University
OccupationTeacher
Activist

He was known for his value-based politics, Singha belonged to a rare breed of politicians who sacrificed his life for the welfare of the downtrodden people of Indian society. [2] A true Gandhian, he never compromised with his principle what he preached and practised.[3] His illustrious political life was a rare combination of honesty, simplicity and integrity. He was also a writer. [4]

Early life and education

Sinha was born in a Rajbanshi family in Bhakatpara village of Chapar under Dhubri district.[5][6] He belongs to a farmer family. Sinha started schooling from his village school. For secondary education, he attended a High school in Bilasipara known as indra narayan academy higher secondary school, some 25 km from his home, a distance what he covered daily on foot or by bicycle.[7]

He received his bachelor's degree from the Cotton College, Guwahati and subsequently moved to Banaras Hindu University for law education. After getting a law degree, Singha came back to Guwahati and practised law for a short period and then switched to school teachings in different positions from assistant teacher to headmaster in Dhubri district.[7] During the reorganisation of States on the basis of languages in early 50s, a section of people in Western Assam tried to merge the undivided Goalpara district with West Bengal. But Singha fought the move alone, and kept Goalpara district well embedded within the geographical boundary of Assam.[8]

Political career

Singha entered politics in 1946 through Indian National Congress and elected to Assam state assembly four times from Bilasipara east constituency in 1946-52, 1962–67, 1972–78 and 1985-90.[8]

He was first made an interim Chief Minister in 1972 by Indira Gandhi and subsequently became an elected chief minister and served till 1978. He also served the Congress Party in various positions and capacities like the general secretary, vice-president, and president. However, he later joined Indian National Congress (Socialist) after the emergency era which was imposed by Indira Gandhi and became the national president of it in 1987.

Singha faced some challenging task in his tenure of chief minister-ship like shifting the state capital from Shillong to Dispur, when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam along with Shillong and the language agitation in 1972, which rocked the state, a demand for the introduction of Assamese as the sole medium of instruction in Assam.

He was instrumental in setting up the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited.[8] He believed in decentralisation of power and introduced Panchayati Raj in the State for the welfare of the backward communities. He also sowed the seeds of the cooperative movement in Assam to boost State's economy.

When Sharad Pawar left the Congress to form the Nationalist Congress Party, he joined him and led the party in Assam till his death.[9] A man of the masses, Sinha became a living legend during his lifetime. He was the most common man in an uncommon society.

Like a young man at the age of 90, he attended literary discussion, drama workshop, dharna, hunger strike or trade union meeting. He died on 25 December 2005 at his Guwahati residence due to old age ailments.,[7][10]

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References
  1. "Assam Legislative Assembly - Chief Ministers since 1937". Assamassembly.gov.in. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  2. "Sarat Chandra Sinha dead". Outlookindia.com. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  3. "Polls ahead, why an Assam CM from 40 years ago is relevant again". The Indian Express. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  5. Das, Samir Kumar (2018). Migrations, Identities and Democratic Practices in India. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781351175241. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  6. Capt. Nalini Ranjan Ray. Koch Rajbanshi And Kamatapur The Truth. Unveiled ( 2007). p. 110. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Archived 15 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "tribuneindia...Spotlight". Tribuneindia.com. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  10. "Obituary - Press Release, Prime Minister's Office". Pmindia.nic.in. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
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