Gyan Bahadur Chhetri
The names of the Padma Awardees have been announced, and Assam has five distinguished recipients this year. Renowned Sattriya dancer Jatin Goswami has been conferred the Padma Bhushan, while Dr. Anil Boro, Rebakanta Mahanta, Joinacharan Bathari, and Gita Upadhyaya will be honored with the Padma Shri for their outstanding contributions in the fields of music, art, education, and literature. Notably, Gita Upadhyaya is the only Gorkha woman from Assam to receive the prestigious Padma Shri this year.
Gita Upadhyaya hails from the illustrious family of Chhabilal Upadhyaya, a prominent freedom fighter from Assam. She was born on February 14, 1939, as the eldest daughter of Tankanath Upadhyaya and Bhagirathi Devi in the village of Gangmouthan, then part of Darrang District (now Biswanath) in Assam. Tankanath was the eldest son of Chhabilal Upadhyaya. During the freedom movement, when the country was in the throes of political unrest, Chhabilal emerged as a key leader from the Gorkha community. His home in Gangmouthan served as a safe haven for freedom fighters. He played a crucial role in uniting Nepali-speaking people against British misrule.
Gita Upadhyaya began her early education at Gangmouthan Balika Prathamik Vidyalaya. She later enrolled at Behali High School, where she completed her High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination in 1955. For higher studies, she moved to Guwahati and obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Handique Girls’ College in 1959. In 1964, she earned a postgraduate degree in Political Science, becoming the first woman from the Gorkha community of Assam to achieve both graduate and postgraduate degrees.
Despite having several job opportunities after completing her Master’s degree, she chose to pursue a career in teaching. In 1965, she joined Sibsagar College as a lecturer and dedicated thirty-four years to the institution. She retired in 1999 as the Head of the Political Science Department.
Her father, Tankanath, was a voracious reader and a translator. He had translated several plays of William Shakespeare. Their home housed a library with an extensive collection of books and magazines in Assamese and Bengali. Growing up in such an intellectually rich environment, young Gita Upadhyaya was naturally drawn to literature and learning.
As such, Gita Upadyaya, in her early teens came in contact with renowned freedom fighters and authors like Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Amio Kumar Das, Chandrakanta Sarma and was greatly inspired by them which helped her to build a sense of strong determination to achieve her goal by overcoming all obstacles. It must be mentioned that it was no mean achievement for a woman of that time to overcome all superstitious traditions, acquire higher degrees of education and become a lecturer at Sibsagar College. Due to her amiable nature, very soon, she became popular among the students and teaching staff of the college. At Sibsagar college she also took part in extra-curricular activities. She organised scout team in the college and led her team at various jamborees. As an active member of SUGASA club she took part in dramatic and cultural activities. Her creative talent flourished at Sibsagar college.
Her first published book was a Nepali translation of the internationally acclaimed Diary of Anne Frank, which she completed in 1972. Later, in 1975, she co-translated the same book into Assamese along with Basanti Laskar. Following this, she dedicated herself to creative writing and has since contributed to various literary genres, including poetry, fiction, essays, travelogues, biographies, children’s literature, and translations. Her literary pursuits flourish in both Assamese and Nepali, with her pen moving effortlessly between the two languages.
Gita Upadhyaya is a prolific author. She is immensely drawn towards the social, historical and cultural milieu around her, and this aspect is well reflected in her creative works. Apart from being an eminent author, translator and educationist, tender spoken Upadhyaya is also known for her social activities. She is associated with a number of social as well as literary organizations. She is continuously working for the betterment of our society and humanity as a whole. She rendered remarkable service as the President of Nepali Sahitya Parisad, Assam, Akhil Asom Lekhika Sanstha and Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangha, Assam Branch.
Gita Upadhyaya’s significant contribution lies in her dedicated efforts to foster understanding and connection in society through her translation work. By translating between Nepali and other languages, she has helped promote cultural exchange and linguistic accessibility, contributing to a broader sense of unity and inclusion.
Her latest publication is a memoir named Jivanlai Pharkera Herda which is an autobiography of the author. Her masterpiece novel Janmabhumi Mero Swadesh is based on the life of her grand-father, Chhabilal Upadhyaya. Chhabilal Upadhyaya was a freedom fighter and a social reformer. The socio-political scenario of three decades prior to independence is well depicted in this novel. The life of Gorkhali people under illiteracy, superstition, addiction to drugs, child marriage and deplorable condition of local people, particularly of women-folk are remarkably sketched in the novel. The aim of the novelist is also to pay her tribute to the legacy of her fore-fathers as well as to all those who sacrificed their lives for the country. This novel won the coveted Sahitya Akademi award for her in 2016. Earlier, in 2012, she was awarded Sahitya Akademi translation award for Darbarki Susare, the popular play of Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala which she translated from Assamese to Nepali. So far, she has authored and translated two dozen of books in both Assamese and Nepali Language. Her works may be broadly categorised as given below:
Original Works in Nepali
- Aamaa Ma First Bhayen (children’s novel, 1997)
- Mahapurush Shankardev: Jeevan Ra Karma (Biography, 2003)
- Mandakini Ra Alakanandako Tiraitir Badri Kedarsamma(Travelogue, 2003)
- Kathanjali (collection of short stories, 2005)
- Janmabhumi Mero Swadesh (novel, 2013)
- JiwanlaiPharkera Herda (Autobiography, 2018)
Original Works in Assamese language
- Maa Moi First Halon (children’s novel, 1997)
- Nepal Deshar Loka-Xadhu (folk tales, 2001)
- SubasitBatah (collection of short stories, 2005)
Translated works in Nepali
- Ann Frankko Diary (Diary, 1972)
- DarbarkiSusare
- (Drama, 2008)
- Abhivyakti (novel, 2010)
Translated Works in Assamese
- Ann Frankar Diary (Diary, 1975; co-author Basanti Laskar)
- Bhanubhaktar Ramayan (epic, 987)
- Kala Suruj (novel, 1998)
- Muna-Madan (semi-epic, 2000)
- Thalua Santan (novel, 2003)
- Nij AbhivyaktirDaponatKarmabir Dhan Bahadur Sonar (autobiography, 2008)
- Aanandi Gopal (novel, 2008)
In addition to these, he has edited a good number of books both in Assamese and Nepali language.
Awards and Felicitations
Gita Upadhya was awarded and felicitated on various occasions for her contribution to literature and social work which include:
Padma Prasad Dhungana Award (2001)
Literary Pension by Govt. of Assam (2003)
Sahitya AkademiProg. From My Window (2007)
Parijat Miteri Samman (2007)
Abhi-Jaman Smiti Award (2008)
Phulchand Khandelwal Award (2009)
Mahakavi Devkota Satabdi Samman (2010)
Lalman Sancharani Award (2010)
Pravina Saikia Sahitya Award (2011)
Bhanu Samman (2011)
Sahitya AkademiTranslation Award (2012)
Sahitya Akademi Prog.Meet the Author(2015)
Sahitya Akademi Main Award (2016)
Gita Upadhyaya remained bachelorette and led her life independently. She opposes all types of superstitions and advocates on behalf of freedom irrespective of sex. There are many dimensions of her personality which need intense study and evaluation.
She deserves wider recognition and exposure in the national as well as international arena.
(Gyan Bahadur Chhetri hails from Chandmari, Tezpur-784001, Assam)
