Noted scholar and poet Dr Amaresh Datta passes away

DIBRUGARH: Former Professor and Head of the English Department, Gauhati University (1964-1980) and also Professor and Head of English Department, Dibrugarh University (March 1980 to 1984), a Professor Emeritus, one of the finest teachers of English literature in the country, a poet and prolific writer, Dr Amaresh Datta passed away on Thursday morning at his own residence at Naliapool due to old-age ailment. He was 102. Dr Datta is survived by five sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, besides his wife Shanti Rani Datta (97), students, followers and admirers spread across the globe.

An outstanding scholar, critic and poet, Dr Datta was identified by a panel of international academics (from Harvard, Yale and Uppsala Universities) in the 1950s as one of the finest teachers of English literature in the country and as good as the best in their own universities. A celebrated Shakespearen scholar, Dr Datta's book "Shakespeare's Tragic Vision and Art" (1963) received the highest rave review from eminent scholars and critics like Professor G. Wilson, Knight Dr EMW Tillyard, Professor AG Stock and others.

Dr Datta's collection of poems, Captive Moments (1952) bagged a prestigious award from the International Association of Poetry, Rome in 1952. A number of poems from this anthology have been translated into Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, and Italian. 'Saraswat Sanman' awardee Dr Datta visited the Soviet Union in 1967 as a member of the cultural delegation sponsored by the Government of India.

On his completion of 100 years, DHS Kanoi College, the India Club and the Theatrical Institution jointly organized a felicitation programme where former president of Axam Xahitya Xabha, Sahitya Akademi awardee, eminent Assamese writer and columnist, Dr Nagen Saikia in his address said, "We are fortunate that today we are celebrating the 100th birthday of Dr Amaresh Dutta who is well-known literary figure of not only to Assam but our country . His contribution towards English is immense and he is a person to whom today's youth can look up to."

Some of Dr Datta's published works are "Captive Moments" (A collection of Poems on selected episodes), "Times Harvest" (A collection of poems on selected episodes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata), "Lotus and the Cross" (a poetic play- a trilogy), "Mysticism in Poetry", "India's Cultural Unity-Fact and Fiction", "Poetry, Religion and Culture and Sri Sankar Dev", "Banaprastha" (a novel in Bengali), "Comedy: a Rhetorical Fiction: Five Essays on Shakespeare's Comedies" and "In the Valley of Time and Tide".

The last rites of Dr Datta were performed at Chowkidinghi here with national honour. Among those present present at the funeral by strictly maintaining COVID protocol included Union Minister of State (Ind) for Food Processing Industries Rameswar Teli, MLA of Dibrugarh LAC Prasanta Phukan, Deputy Commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha, Additional Deputy Commissioner Prasanta Dutta, Superintendent of Police Sreejit T and other family members.

A number of eminent personalities including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and noted writer Dr Nagen Saikia have condoled the death of Dr Datta and conveyed their heartfelt sympathy to members of the bereaved family.

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