Benichandra Jamatia (1930 – 14 December 2020) was a

Tripuri Tripuri refer to: *Tripuri people, an ethnic group in India and Bangladesh, also known as Tipra people **Tripuri language **Tripuri nationalism **Tripuri calendar **Tripuri culture **Tripuri cuisine **Tripuri dances **Tripuri dress **Tripuri games ...

Indian folk writer and litterateur, known for his contribution to the fields of literature, songs and education in

Tripura Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east a ...

. He is credited with introducing the ''baul'' singing tradition of West Bengal in

Kokborok language Kokborok (also known as Tripuri or Tiprakok) is the main native language of the Tripuri people of the Indian state of Tripura and neighbouring areas of Bangladesh. Its name comes from ''kok'' meaning "verbal" and ''borok'' meaning "people" or ...

for the first time. In 2020, he was awarded the

Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

(2020), the fourth-highest

civilian award This list of civil awards and decorations is a partial index to articles about notable civil awards and decorations. It excludes Law enforcement awards and honors and ecclesiastical decorations, which are covered by separate lists. See :Civil aw ...

in India. He died at his home on 14 December 2020.

Biography

Benichandra Jamatia was born to Padasingh Jamatia and Suchitra in Maharani,

Gomati District Gomati district is a district of Tripura, India. This district was created in January 2012 when four new districts were created in Tripura, taking the number of districts in the state from four to eight. Udaipur is its headquarters. The district ...

, Tripura. While he was young, his mother narrated the Puranas stories to him in the

Kokborok Kokborok (also known as Tripuri or Tiprakok) is the main native language of the Tripuri people of the Indian state of Tripura and neighbouring areas of Bangladesh. Its name comes from ''kok'' meaning "verbal" and ''borok'' meaning "people" or ...

tongue. His days were taken up by farming and cattle rearing. He was married to Durgamati Jamatia and has nine children. Jamatia died on 14 December 2020

Awards

2020

References

1930 births 2020 deaths Tripuri people People from Tripura Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education People from Gomati district Kokborok-language writers 20th-century Indian writers 20th-century Indian male writers {{India-writer-stub Kokborok playback singers

Biography

Awards

See also

References