Debo Prasad Barooah was an Indian academician, author, historian and the former

Vice-Chancellor A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the chief executive of a university in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, other Commonwealth of Nati ...

''(the Chief Executive)'' of

Gauhati University Gauhati University also known as GU, is a collegiate public state university located in Guwahati, Assam, India. It was established on 26 January 1948 under the provisions of an Act enacted by the Assam Legislative Assembly and is the oldest un ...

. Barooah, highly regarded for his knowledge of political science and history of the region had a brilliant academic record beginning with his graduation in 1954.

Life and education

Barooah was born in

Golaghat Golaghat ( ''Gʊlaɡʱat'' ) one of the largest subdivisions of the Indian state of Assam, later elevated to the position of a full–fledged district headquarter on 5 October 1987, is a city and a municipality and the seat of administrativ ...

to the family of Tara Prasad Barooah. His father Tara Prasad Barooah was also an eminent lawyer of Assam, University Prize-man, Gold-medalist in English from Calcutta University. Barooah passed his matriculation from Golaghat – Government Boys Bezbarooah Higher Secondary School and graduated with first class in 1954 and got masters in History from Gauhati University in 1956 where he topped his class. He started his teaching career as a lecturer in the Department of History at Gauhati University taking up the papers on International Relations. Later he also started teaching at the Department of Political Science (1958) Gauhati University, as one of the founding teachers. After the retirement of Prof. V.V. Rao from the department, Prof. D.P. Barooah finally joined the Department of Political Science and started heading it as well. He did his D Phil on the thesis Indo-British Relations 1950–60. He was UGC ''

Emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

Fellow'' for two years and was also Senior Associate of

National Institute of Advanced Studies National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) is a premier institute in India engaged in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research in natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. It was founded by J. R. D. Tata for providing a ...

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. He was married to Renu Devi, Former Dean – Faculty of Arts, Gauhati University,

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

Research papers and books

Barooah is credited for a large number of research papers, which are highly regarded in intellectual circles. Some of those have been published in national and international journals. Few of his published works are:
World History

Indo-British Relations 1950–60

World War I and II and other Essays
Some of his other work, among others; include: * Aspects of History of Assam * Karagaror Diary * foolmoni (novel) * Anchalikotar dostabez * Desh-Bidesh:Drsti aru anubhav Vol.I * Desh-Bidesh:Drsti aru anubhav Vol.II * Rooplekha (Story, etc.) * Yuddha aru santi * Bharotor boideshik niti (edited by:Pabitra narayan borah) * Swadesh aru swajatir dostabez (collection by:Pabitra narayan borah) * Gaon khonor pora jogot khonoloi (collection by:Pabitra narayan borah) * Prithibir prothom samajtantrik biplob.

Career

As an academician he mentored many students and researchers and acted as guide to 23 scholars. He was involved in several post-retirement assignments, including his association with the University Grants Commission. As a writer his write-ups had been published in various English National Dailies. He was a ''Guest Column Writer'' for

The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are often names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * The Telegraph (Adelaide), ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaid ...

newspaper published from

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

. Barooah was a

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and Head of

Political Science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

from 1978 till his appointment as Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor in 1986. Barooah was also a nationalist blended with regionalism and had contributions in different assignments including a case relating to 17 May 1996, murder of noted journalist Parag Kumar Das. A Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court, comprising Chief Justice J Chalemeswar and Justice Hrishikesh Roy, admitted a revision petition as regards investigation into the case. The court had then registered the plea on the basis of a letter written by Dr. Debo Prasad Barooah to the Chief Justice of the High Court where, in his letter, Barooah alleged ''"slackness on part of the CBI in investigating the case."'' Barooah played a role in organising the first political convention of the

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in Golaghat in October 1985. But he stayed away from direct involvement with any political party.

Death

Barooah died on 28 January 2013 due to cardiac arrest. His death was deplored by various people including Assam's Governor JB Patnaik and Minister for Information & Public Relations – Basanta Das. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also expressed his deep condolence at the demise of Dr Barooah. In their condolence messages, they said that ''"Assam has lost a great educationist, academician, litterateur and a social worker."''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barooah, Debo Prasad 1930 births 2013 deaths Indian academic administrators Academic staff of Gauhati University 20th-century Indian historians Scholars from Assam People from Golaghat