Arun Sarma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arun Sarma
Born	3 November 1931 Dibrugarh, Assam
Died	27 March 2017 (aged 85) New Delhi
Language	Assamese
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	Cotton College
Genre	Poems, novel and drama
Notable awards	Asom Natya Sanmilan Award (2001) Sahitya Akademi Award (1998) Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2003) Assam Valley Literary Award (2005) Padma Shri (2010) Sankaracharyya Avatar Award Literature (2010)
Spouse	Arati Sharma
Children	Nandinee Sharma Kalita, Ochintya Sharma

Arun Sarma (born November 3, 1931 – died March 27, 2017) was a famous writer from Assam, India. He was especially known for his unique plays, which often had surprising twists. Besides writing plays, he also wrote more than six novels about life in Assam.

Arun Sarma received many important awards for his work. He was given the Padma Shri in 2010, which is one of India's highest civilian awards. He also won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1998 for his novel Ashirbadar Rong (which means The Hues of Blessing). He was even honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2003 for his amazing plays.

Early Life and Education

Arun Sarma was born in Dibrugarh, a city in Assam. His father, Tilak Chandra Sarma, was the editor of a newspaper called The Times of Assam. In 1935, when Arun was young, his family moved to a village called Halemguri. His father was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and decided to become a farmer and help his community.

Arun went to school in Tezpur and finished his high school studies in 1948. He then went to Cotton College in Guwahati, where he earned his degree in 1954. It was during his college days that he started writing plays and poems.

His Career Journey

Arun Sarma began his career in 1954, working for The Assam Tribune newspaper in Guwahati. In 1955, he moved back to his village and became an Assistant Headmaster at Madhya Chaiduar High School.

In 1960, he returned to Guwahati to join All India Radio (AIR), which is a big radio broadcasting service in India. He worked there until 1986. First, he was a producer, and later a senior producer. He was in charge of the Educational Broadcasting Section. He did important work using radio to help students learn more in addition to their classroom lessons. In 1969, he even went to London for six months to train at the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Arun Sarma played a big role in shaping the drama section at the Guwahati radio station. During this time, he wrote and directed 47 plays and many radio documentaries. He won three international awards for his documentaries! He also worked as the Station Director for the Dibrugarh radio station from 1986 to 1989. He retired from government service in 1990 as the Director of AIR's North East Service in Shillong.

After retiring, Arun Sarma became the first editor of an Assamese newspaper called Purbachal from 1990 to 1992. From 1992 to 1997, he worked as the Director of the Tea Centre for the Indian Tea Association. During a difficult time in Assam, he helped create projects to connect the local tea industry with the people of Assam.

In 2005, Arun Sarma designed and wrote a special sound-and-light show. This show tells the history of Assam and is performed daily at the Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.

Family Life

In 1959, Arun Sarma married Arati. Her grandfather was Karmaveer Chandranath Sarma, a famous freedom fighter from Assam. Arun and Arati had two children, a daughter named Nandinee and a son named Ochintya. Arun Sarma passed away on March 27, 2017, at the Medanta medical institute.

Awards and Honors

Arun Sarma received many awards for his contributions to literature and radio broadcasting.

Awards for Literature

• Asam Sahitya Sabha (Drama) Award – 1967
• Asom Natya Sanmilan Award – 2001
• Sahitya Akademi Award – 1998 (for his novel Aashirbador Rong)
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award – 2003
• Assam Valley Literary Award – 2005
• Padma Shri – 2010
• Sankaracharyya Avatar Award Literature – 2010

Awards for Radio Broadcasting

• Japan Prize (1980) for his radio documentary "All Buds to bloom".
• ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union) Award (1982) for his radio documentary "Caution : Danger Ahead".
• Prix Futura Berlin Commendation certificate (1983) for his radio documentary "All Lips to Smile".
• Akashvani Award (Second best radio play in India) for his play "Kukurnechia Manuh".

His Works

Arun Sarma wrote many plays, novels, poems, and essays. Here are some of his notable works:

Plays

• Urukha Paja (The Leaky Hut): 1954
• Jinti: 1955
• Sthawor: 1956
• Sri Nibaran Bhattacharyya: 1964
• Parashuram: 1962
• Purush! (The Man): 1965
• Kukurnechia Manuh (The Wolf Man): 1968
• Ahar (Food): 1970
• Chinyor (The Scream): 1972
• Buranji Path (The History Lesson): 1978
• Padma, Kunti Ityadi (Padma, Kunti, et al.): 1976
• Anya Ek Adhyay (Yet Another Chapter): 1994
• Poster : 1982
• Agnigarh (The Fortress of Fire): 1996
• Napoleon Aru Deserie: 1985
• Baghjaal (The Tiger Trap): 1983
• Chakrabyuha (The Labyrinth): 2003
• Aditir Atma Katha (Aditi's Autobiography): 2000
• Chitralekha: 2006
• Robes of Destiny (A Trilogy in English and some more plays): 2014
• Anupam Andhar (Dark is Beautiful): 2013
• Arun Sarma Nirbachito Natok (Collected Plays of Arun Sarma): 2014

Novels

• Ubhala Shipa (The Root Upturned: Also known as Nixi Ujagor: 1979
• Niriha Ashroy (Innocent Shelter)
• Aashirbador Rong (The Hues of Blessings): 1996
• Sankalpa (The Pledge): 2008
• Baghjaal (The Tiger Trap - a short novel): 2014
• Nepothyo Chandranath: 2014

Poems

• Arun Sarmar Kabyanurag : 2012

Essays

• Arun Sarmar Natyoproxongo aaru Ononnyo Rosona (Theatre Critiques and other Essays) : 2012