Indira Raisom Goswami, who had taken the initiative to bring the ULFA to the negotiating table, passed away after prolonged illness.
Jnanpith award winning writer Indira Raisom Goswami, who took the initiative to bring the ULFA to the negotiating table, Tuesday passed away at a hospital in Guwahati after prolonged illness.
The condition of the 69-year-old Assamese litterateur, who was in a paralysed state and on ventilator, turned critical last night and she was declared dead at 7:45 am, Guwahati Medical College Hospital Superintendent R Talukdar said.
After suffering a cerebral stroke in February, Goswami was taken to a hospital in New Delhi, but was later brought back here in July and was being treated at the GMCH since then.
Goswami's body was taken to her Gandhibasti residence where it would be kept till 4:00 pm before being taken to the Judges Field for the people to pay their last respects.
A three-day state mourning has been declared by the Assam government and the author will be cremated with full state honours, government spokesman and Health and Education Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters.
The state government has also declared a holiday tomorrow to allow people to pay their last respects to Goswami, a Ramayani scholar who won the Jnanpith award in 2000 for her overall contribution to Assamese literature.
Goswami authored several award winning books which include Datal Hathir Uwe Khowa, Neelakantha Braja, Mamore Dhora Tarowal, Ahiron, Chenabor Srot, Dasarathir Khoj, Tej Aru Dhulire Dhusaritha Prishta, Udaybhanur Charitra, Chhinmastar Manuhto and her autobiography Adha Lekha Dastavej.
Her treatise 'Ramayana from Ganga to Brahmaputra' is considered a literary masterpiece.
Condoling Goswami's death, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, "November, 2011 is a very sad month for Assam as we lost two eminent personalities -- Dr Bhupen Hazarika and Dr Indira Goswami -- whose contributions have taken Assam to the international arena".
"She loved Assam and wanted peace which led her to initiate the peace process with the ULFA. She realised that violence was no solution to any problem," Gogoi said.
"The Centre was initially sceptical about holding talks with the outfit, but was finally convinced because she had taken the initiative to bring them for talks. It is because of her efforts that the talks with the outfit has reached the present stage," he said.
Gogoi hoped that the effort made by her would result in permanent peace in the state and those yet to come forward for talks would also join the peace process.
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