The Dibrugarh University of Assam in collaboration with lakshminath Bezbarua Smrutee Committee, Sambalpur, organised the concluding function of the 150th birth anniversary of eminent Assamese writer lakshminath Barua here on Sunday.

Intellectuals, literary personalities, academicians and the elite citizens of the city besides Odisha Sahitya Academy secretary Bishnu Prasad Mishra participated in the function. Attending the function, former MP of the Rajya Sabha and former professor of Dibrugarh University Nagen Saikia said, “lakshminath Bezbaroa had made himself an inseparable person in Sambalpur.”

Professor Bezbaroa Chair of Dibrugarh University Karabi Deka Hazariak said, “lakshminath Bezbaroa was a patriot as well as a humanist.” She emphasised on preserving the house, where Bezbarua stayed in Sambalpur. Principal of Gandhi Memorial College, Kalapani in Bargarh district, Mohan Sahu who attended the occasion as chief speaker made a critical review of the writings of Bezbaroa.

“It is a matter of great pride for us as the concluding function of the 150th birth anniversary of the lakhiminath Bezbaroa is organized here,” said lakshminath Bezbaroa Smrutee Committee member Deepak Panda. “Though Bezbarua was born in Assam and studied in Kolkata, Sambalpur was his ‘Karma Bhumi’. He stayed here for 20 years from 1917 to 1937.

He built his own house in Sambalpur in 1924. He was nominated as council member of Sambalpur Municipal Council for two terms. He was also associated with several social and cultural activities of Sambalpur,” Panda recalled. On this occasion, three books on Bezbaroa were released. A short documentary on Bezbaroa’s house at Sambalpur titled ‘A Crumbling Heritage’ was also screened.