Birinchi Kumar Barua (10 November 1908 in Puranigudam, Nagaon, Assam,
India â€" 30 March 1964) was a folklorist, scholar, novelist,
playwright, historian, linguist, educationist, administrator and
eminent 20th century littérateur of Assam, with both scholarly and
creative pursuits. He was the pioneer in the study of folklore in
North East India, and was one of the many founders of Gauhati
University. Barua's contributions to Assamese literature are
significant, both as a novelist and as an early literary
critic.[1]Birinchi Kumar Barua's father, Bijoy Ram Barua, was in the
postal service and later served at the Assam Secretariat at Shillong.
Passing the matriculation examination with a First Division from
Nowgong Govt High School in 1928, Birinchi Kumar Barua left for
Kolkata to pursue higher studies. There he was admitted into
Presidency College. In 1930, Barua passed IA in first division and
passed BA in 1932 with honours in Pali language. He was awarded the
Ishan Scholarship for his outstanding performance by securing the
first position in his BA examination. He is one of the few Ishan
scholars from Assam, till date. In 1934, he passed MA in Pali language
from Calcutta University, again standing first in the University.
Simultaneously, he studied law at Calcutta University. After
completing his BA, Barua also passed the ICS examination, but the
British Government at that time did not appoint him as an
Administrative Officer on the ground that he could not ride horses.In
1935, Calcutta University introduced Assamese as a modern language,
and Barua was appointed as a teacher. He taught Assamese in the MA
classes. Apart from teaching, he wrote a number of textbooks in
Assamese for BA and MA classes of the University. After three years of
teaching, he left Kolkata in 1938 and joined Cotton College as a
lecturer in Assamese. In 1946, Barua left for England to obtain his
PhD.
India â€" 30 March 1964) was a folklorist, scholar, novelist,
playwright, historian, linguist, educationist, administrator and
eminent 20th century littérateur of Assam, with both scholarly and
creative pursuits. He was the pioneer in the study of folklore in
North East India, and was one of the many founders of Gauhati
University. Barua's contributions to Assamese literature are
significant, both as a novelist and as an early literary
critic.[1]Birinchi Kumar Barua's father, Bijoy Ram Barua, was in the
postal service and later served at the Assam Secretariat at Shillong.
Passing the matriculation examination with a First Division from
Nowgong Govt High School in 1928, Birinchi Kumar Barua left for
Kolkata to pursue higher studies. There he was admitted into
Presidency College. In 1930, Barua passed IA in first division and
passed BA in 1932 with honours in Pali language. He was awarded the
Ishan Scholarship for his outstanding performance by securing the
first position in his BA examination. He is one of the few Ishan
scholars from Assam, till date. In 1934, he passed MA in Pali language
from Calcutta University, again standing first in the University.
Simultaneously, he studied law at Calcutta University. After
completing his BA, Barua also passed the ICS examination, but the
British Government at that time did not appoint him as an
Administrative Officer on the ground that he could not ride horses.In
1935, Calcutta University introduced Assamese as a modern language,
and Barua was appointed as a teacher. He taught Assamese in the MA
classes. Apart from teaching, he wrote a number of textbooks in
Assamese for BA and MA classes of the University. After three years of
teaching, he left Kolkata in 1938 and joined Cotton College as a
lecturer in Assamese. In 1946, Barua left for England to obtain his
PhD.
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