Dibrugarh: Eminent Assamese writer and translator Nirupama Phukan passed away after a prolonged illness at her Jyotinagar residence at 8.30pm on Thursday. She was 91 and is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Phukan was born on September 4, 1926, to the family of famous tea planter Sharat Kumar Sharma in Golaghat. "She had contributed immensely to translating Hindi literature into Assamese. She spent four decades in this field. Assamese literature has lost one of their great writers," said literary critic and professor of English in Dibrugarh University Ananda Bormudoi.
Phukan's first translation was Ahuti, a Hindi drama, by Hari Krishna Premi. Her father-in-law Radhanath Phukan printed that book. Her other translated works include Pratigya, Chandragupta and Jibanimala. She also contributed to children's literature with Bulbul Aru Badsah, Geet Gowa Charai, Kashmir Deshor Sadhu, Nepalor Sadhu, Mainar Mou Kosh, Suraj powar Suryakanta and Amis aru Niramis Ahar.
On Friday evening, Phukan's daughter Kalpana said, "My mother had contributed a lot to Assamese literature through her translations. She is the first Assamese to have started translating Hindi literature to Assamese."
Phukan was conferred the Sahitya Akademi award in 1999 for translating Munshi Premchand's Godan into Assamese.
The Sadou Asom Lekhika Samaroh Samity, a voluntary women's literary organisation, bestowed the Gyanshree title on her.
She won the National Award in 1987 for her work Surujpurar Suryakana (manuscript) on the theme of adult literacy.
"It is necessary to translate various literary works in provincial languages besides English. It is a matter of pride that Phukan has translated a number of Hindi drama and novels into Assamese and introduced Hindi literature among Assamese readers," eminent scholar Krishna Kanta Handique had once said.
Phukan has also translated some books and articles from Assamese to Hindi. She also published a series of poems and articles such Mahila, Bharat Varsha, Masik Basumati and Betan Jagat among others in Bengali.
