Guwahati: Badungduppa Kala Kendra, founded by Sukracharjya Rabha in his native village, Rampur, in lower Assam's Goalpara district to promote and popularise theatre, faces an uncertain future following the sudden demise of its founder on Friday night.

"He was so young. It was not his time to think about who could lead his movement in his absence. Rabha's wife Jina is also an artiste but his family will have to deal with a financial crisis now. It will be a tragedy if his legacy is not carried forward," said Pankaj Govinda Medhi, a close friend of Rabha and a renowned poet of Assam.

Rabha died at the age of 42, leaving behind his parents, wife and two children.

Medhi also spoke of Rabha's unrealised dream. "Recently, he bought some land to expand and reorganise the Kendra. He was also working on a new drama based on a story of Upanishads to be staged on June 12. He had also planned to stage five dramas from five different countries at the Sal Tree Festival, an open-air theatre festival, to be organised in December," he said.

Medhi added that if the state government does not provide support to the family it will be difficult for Rabha's team to survive. His team includes 24 artistes from his village and neighbouring areas.

"It is a great loss for the state. He loved drama and tried to take the Rabha community to the world. He had worked at the grassroots level," actor Anup Hazarika said.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal was among those who mourned his death.

"I express my heartfelt condolences on the untimely demise of Sukracharjya Rabha who contributed immensely to the promotion of theatre in the state, particularly in rural Assam. With his death, the state has lost a promising theatre exponent who worked untiringly to popularise theatre in villages," Sonowal said.