AMN
Renowned Assamese poet and recipient of Jnapith Award, Nilamani Phookan breathed his last at 11.55 am at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) today due to age-related ailments. He was 89.Phookan was one of the most celebrated poet of Assam and has been awarded the country’s highest literary award, the 56th Jnanpith for the year 2021 on 11th April, 2022 at Guwahati by Assam CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma in presence of Dr. Pratibha Ray, Chairperson, Jnanpith award selection board. The notable works of Phukan are ‘Xurjya Henu Naami Aahe Ei Nodiyedi’, ‘Kabita’, and ‘Gulapi Jamur Lagna’.
Born on September 10, 1933, Phookan’s poems were replete with French symbolism which he infused in his Assamese poetry. He was awarded the 1981 Sahitya Akademi Award in Assamese for his poetry collection, Kavita (Kobita). He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1990 and received the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, the highest literary honor in India, given by Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters in 2002. He was selected as an ‘Emeritus Fellow’ for a period of two years by the Cultural Department, Govt. of India in 1998. Assam Sahitya Sabha also conferred ‘Sahityacharya’ honour to him.
Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma condoled the death of the renowned poet and said that Nilamani Phookan was a shining star amongst all noted literary figures as he has made rich literary contributions for the Assamese society.