CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Noted Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan passed away on Thursday following age-related ailments. He breathed his last at 11.55 am at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) today. Phookan was admitted to the GMCH yesterday night in critical condition and was undergoing treatment.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Charyapadas, the Buddhist ballads of 8th-10th century some of whose composers were from Kamarupa and the language of which bear strong affinities with Assamese (besides Bengali, Maithili and Oriya), are considered the first examples of Assamese literature.

Detailed explanation-3: -The first great Assamese poet was Madhava Kandali (14th century), who made the earliest translation of the Sanskrit Ramayana and wrote Devajit, a narrative on Krishna. The bhakti movement brought a great literary upsurge.

Detailed explanation-4: -Prasannalal Choudhury. Through his poems, Choudhury talked about suffering of the working class and called for their unity through revolution. That’s why Prasannalal Choudhury is wellknown in Assamese literary world as the ‘Biplabi Kobi’ or ‘Biddrohi Kobi’, which means ‘Rebel Poet’.

Detailed explanation-5: -Veteran Assamese litterateur and winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Atulananda Goswami, has passed away. He was 87.