HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, April 27: Naren Lahkar, a prominent playwright, director and film director, passed away at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital on Tuesday. He started his career in theatre and contributed a lot to the theatre movement by forming a theatre group – ‘Rupayan’ at the early stage of his life.
He was the first to organise the All Assam Artists’ Conference in Tezpur in 1958. He also produced and directed a short film called ‘Octopus Alingon’ and wrote and directed several full length plays like ‘Kone Kiyo’, ‘Adalat’, ‘Purnima’, ‘Chakranta’ as well as ‘Telephonar Shabda’, ‘Nayak’, ‘Chokulo’ and was awarded in various parts of the state for his works. He was associated with many social and cultural organisations. He was a regular artist and senior member of Baan Theatre, vice-president of Bishnu Prasad Rava Samannay Kshetra Management Committee, founder and current president of Tezpur Chowk Bazar Small Traders Association, Purbanchal Krishi Sangha, etc.
Tezpur MLA Prithviraj Rava, Kalaguru Samannay Kshetra Management Committee Secretary Putul Rava, Baan Theatre stage manager Rajib Mahanta, former student leaders Kabul Sarma, Mukul Lahkar, Bhupen Bora, Jogen Patangia, Mukul Goswami, Nirup Talukdar Baan Theatre vice-president Bhabananda Das, Dilip Bora, Sanjay Krishna Gohain Barua, Manoranjan Mahanta, Taj Hussain, Tilak Nath, Tezpur Sahitya Sabha secretary Dwijen Nath, Pulak Deka, Asam reparatory, office bearers of the Chowk Bazar Small Traders Association attended the funeral of the noted artist and paid their last respects.
Tezpur MP Pallab Lochan Das, former MLA Brindaban Goswami, AMTRON vice-president Ritubaran Sarma, Sonitpur District Congress president Dadul Barkakati, Baan Theatre president Bankim Sarma, Pankaj Kumar Nath, president AAJU, Mahendra Kumar Nath, central body member Asam Sahitya Sabha, Pankaj Barua, secretary, Sonitpur Press Club, Manoj Kumar Saikia, general secretary, Sonitpur Journalists Union, Jitumani Deva Choudhury, general secretary, Baan Theatre, Dr Bhupen Saikia, president Sonitpur Zilla Sahitya Sabha, Ramesh Chandra Kalita, president, Tezpur Sahitya Sabha, Pulin Bhattacharyya, president, Santanu Barua, secretary, Asomiya Bhaxa Unnati Sadhini Sabha, noted actor Arun Nath, Rabindra Nath Sarma, president, Tarun Asom Sangha, Aruna Devi, president, Asomiya Club Tezpur, Mrigen Bora, Asom Natya Sanmilan, Jintu Borthakur, Tezpur Natya Sanmilan, Birendra Kumar Bora, Sonitpur Silpi Samaj, several organisations and individuals expressed their deep condolences to the bereaved family of the artist. He is survived by his wife Lalita Lahkar, a retired teacher and his only daughter.
