Assamese writer Indira Goswami passes away after prolonged illness

Jnanpith award winning Assamese writer Indira Raisom Goswami died here after a prolonged illness on Tuesday.

The condition of Goswami, 69, turned critical last night. She was declared dead by doctors at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital at 7:45 am on Tuesday. Goswami had suffered a cerebral stroke in February and was taken to New Delhi but was eventually brought back TO Guwahati in July.

Known by her pen name Mamoni Raisom Goswami, she will be remembered for her attempts to structure social change. In 2005, Goswami took it onto herself to broker peace between ULFA and central government. Her efforts in due course led to the formation of People’s Consultative Group (PCG), an ULFA-designated peace committee. The talks failed but Goswami is credited with bringing the two sides closer.

"Initially, the (central) government was skeptical about the talks. But they acknowledged her sincere efforts," Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said of Goswami on Tuesday. "Her death has created a vacuum in the literary scene in India," he said.

Born in 1942, Goswami was encouraged by Kirti Nath Hazarika who published her first short stories in a literary journal he edited. She was then a class VII student. At 20, she published her first collection of short stories Chinaki Morom.

Goswami had always suffered from depression and made repeated attempts of suicide. In her autobiography The Unfinished Autobiography, she mentioned about her inclination to jump into the Crinoline Falls in Shillong. The most difficult period in her life was perhaps after the tragic demise of her husband Madhaven Raisom Ayengar in a car accident in Kashmir after only eighteen months of their marriage. This was when she became addicted to heavy doses of sleeping tablets. Later, she was brought back to Assam and she joined the Sainik School in Goalpara as a teacher.

After a brief stint here, Goswami left for Vrindavan to pursue research for peace of mind. Her novel The Blue Necked Braja narrates the plight of young widows for whom companionship beyond the confines of their ashrams and fellow widows become impossible. The novel is regarded a classic in modern Indian literature.

Goswami later joined the Delhi University and wrote most of her greatest works. Classics such as The Pages Stained with Blood and The Moth Eaten Howdah of a Tusker were written during this period. Her books have been translated into English and many Indian languages. An expert in Ramayani studies, Goswami was also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award and a number of other awards.

The state government has announced three days state mourning. The last rites will be performed on Wednesday.