Benudhar Sharma

16^th Sep 2011

Benudhar Sharma was born in 1894. Benudhar Sharma is one of the best known literary figures of Assam. Benudhar Sharma distinguished himself in many fields, namely as a stylist, as a writer of children's literature, as a perceptive essayist, a biographer, an  autobiographer, a writer of tales, a translator, an uncompromising journalist and a keen historical researcher. For the variety and richness of his output and range of his interest, Benudhar Sharma is considered by some critics as second only to Lakshminath Bezbarua in Assamese literature. He also took part in the struggle against British colonialism and in the fight for Indian independence.

His notable literary works include the short story collection,

Ø      Moromor Kareng;

The biographies,

Ø      Jawaharlal Nehrur Bandi Jiban and

Ø      Maniram Dewan;

And other works including

Ø      Kangrecar Kanciali Rodat (1959),

Ø      Dunori,

Ø       Dakhinpat Sattrat Buranji and

Ø      Maniram Dewanor Geet.

 Benudhar Sharma is in a stricter sense not an interpreter of history. In Deshadrohi kon and Purnananda ne Badan he tried to give some sort of interpretation of the forces that made the period significant. In Maniram Dewan (1950) there is no attempt to interpret the personality of Maniram Dewan whose ambitions were feudalistic and radically revolutionary. His other works are Satawan Chhal (1946), Durbin (1951) etc. He has a natural style and it becomes transparent only when he is less self-conscious. Sharma’s prose style is ordinary. It is on this quality that the captivating grace of his style rests.

He was the president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha in 1956. In 1960, he won the Sahitya Akademi award, one of the highest literary recognitions in India, for Kangrecar Kanciali Rodat.