CORRESPONDENT
DOOMDOOMA: Gopal Raichoudhury (85), former Principal of Dangri Higher Secondary (HS) School, passed away at his residence in Talap Bazar on Monday afternoon due to old-age ailments.
Born in 1938 in Dangri he graduated from DHSK College, Dibrugarh in 1962. He started his career as a teacher at Dangri HS School in 1964 and retired from there as Principal in 2003.
Although by birth he was a Bengali, yet he became a symbol of fully integrated Assamese when he changed his surname from ‘Roy’ to ‘Raichoudhury’ at a later stage. He had a manifold personality. Besides teaching he was a creative artist. He did paintings, bamboo and cane work, sewing, made banners and posters, wrote articles and short stories, directed and acted in plays. His collection of short stories Mon Mayurir Megh was published by Talap Sakha Xahitya Xabha and was handed over to him while he was confined to bed on March 19.
He was also a member of the Axam Xahitya Xabha and served as the president and secretary of the Dangri Sakha Xahitya Xabha. He is recipient of outstanding teacher’s award of Tinsukia district in 2000. He was honoured by the Dainik Janambhumi Group of Publication and by the Tinsukia district committee of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) in recognition of his contribution towards society.
His death was widely mourned by many organizations and individuals, including Talap Sakha Xahitya Xabha, Dangri HS School Teachers’ Unit and Chhatra Ekta Sabha, Dangri Anchalik Chatra Santha, Talap Bazar Business Committee, Halali Yuva Manch, Sonwal Kachari Autonomous Council and former Executive Member Bipul Sonwal.