Tarun Ram Phookan Or Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phukan - Pioneer Of Freedom Movement

Tarun Ram Phookan, widely honoured as Deshbhakta (Dexbhakta) in Assam, was born on January 22, 1877, in Guwahati, Kamrup district. A remarkable figure in Assam’s freedom movement, he passed away on July 28, 1939.

Educated at Cotton Collegiate School, Guwahati, and Presidency College, Calcutta, Phookan later went to London and was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple. He returned to Assam as a distinguished lawyer and also served as a lecturer at Earle Law College, Guwahati.

Phookan initially played a leading role in the Assam Association, the sole political platform in Assam until 1920. In 1921, he was instrumental in founding the Assam branch of the Indian National Congress, becoming its first President. When Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement, Phookan emerged as a key leader in Assam, travelling across the state to spread the message of non-violent resistance. His involvement led to one year of rigorous imprisonment in 1921.

In 1926, he chaired the Reception Committee of the Pandu Session of the Indian National Congress, further solidifying his position as a nationalist leader. He also served as Chairman of both the Guwahati Municipal Board and the Local Board, implementing social welfare programs, including the establishment of a Leper Asylum in Guwahati.

A powerful orator and writer, Phookan was elected President of the Assam Sahitya Sabha during its Goalpara Session in 1927, and the Assam Chhatra Sammelan in 1928, showcasing his literary and youth leadership.

The Assam Provincial Congress Committee (APCC) was officially constituted in 1921 with Kuladhar Chaliha as its president, and Tarun Ram Phookan later taking over. Under the reconstituted APCC, leaders like Gopinath Bordoloi, Bimala Prasad Chaliha, and others were appointed to the All India Congress Committee (AICC). This team was responsible for inviting Mahatma Gandhi to Assam in 1921, which energized the non-cooperation movement and encouraged widespread adoption of Swadeshi principles.

Tarun Ram Phookan’s legacy as a social reformer, political pioneer, and literary figure remains integral to the modern history of Assam.

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