Shillong, Oct. 24: The first woman journalist of the Northeast, Kalpana Barua-Gupta (83), passed away on Saturday at her residence in Laban here. The last rites were performed on Sunday.

Barua-Gupta worked for two national newspapers — Hindustan Standard and Ananda Bazar Patrika — published from Calcutta.

Born on June 8, 1924, Barua-Gupta was related to two of Assam’s eminent personalities, former chief minister Bimala Prasad Chaliha and freedom fighter Prafulla Chandra Barua. She married Hemanta Kumar Gupta, a journalist and freedom fighter, in November 1948. She is survived by two daughters.

In 1972, on the 25th anniversary of the nation’s independence, Barua-Gupta was awarded the Tamra Patra for her dedication to and work for India’s freedom.