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Hemendra Prasad Barooah

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Hemendra Prasad Barooah, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 10 August 202513 sources


Hemendra Prasad Barooah
হেমেন্দ্ৰ প্ৰসাদ বৰুৱা
BornTemplate:Birth date
Jalukonibari, Jorhat, Assam, British Raj
DiedJuly 31, 2013(2013-07-31) (aged 87)
Bangkok
Alma materHarvard University (MBA)
Occupation(s)Planter, entrepreneur
Childrentwo daughters and one son
Parent(s)Siva Prasad Barooah
Kamal Kumari Barooah
AwardsPadma Shri
Lifetime Achievement award
Tea Doyen
Assam Title
National Achiever Award
Kamala Saikia Memorial Trust Award

Hemendra Prasad Barooah (Assamese: হেমেন্দ্ৰ প্ৰসাদ বৰুৱা, romanized: Hemendra Prosad Boruwa) (born April 1, 1926 – died July 31, 2013) was a distinguished Indian businessman, tea estate owner, and philanthropist noted for his significant influence on Assam’s tea and tourism sectors. In recognition of his contributions to commerce and industry, the Government of India honored him in 2013 with the prestigious Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian distinction.

Biography

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Hemendra Prasad Barooah entered the world on April 1, 1926, in Jalukonibari, a village close to Jorhat in Assam. He was born into the affluent Khongiya Barooah family to parents Shiva Prasad Barooah and Kamal Kumari Barooah. This family had longstanding roots in the tea plantation industry dating back to Bisturam Barooah, an early pioneer who established tea gardens during British colonial rule in Assam. After losing his father during his youth, Hemendra pursued higher education at Harvard University, where he completed an MBA—reportedly becoming the first individual from Northeast India to achieve this qualification.[1][2][3]

Beginning in 1949, Hemendra took charge of three tea estates he inherited from his mother. He successfully expanded his holdings by liberating his operations from the dominance of the Williamson & Magor Group, which then controlled much of Assam’s tea business. By the time of his passing, he managed nine tea gardens through his Kolkata-based company, Barooahs and Associates Pvt. Ltd.[4][5]

Barooah was also recognized for his firm stance against the insurgent activities of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), a separatist group proscribed as a terrorist organization by Indian authorities due to its use of violence.[6][4][1][3][7] Beyond business, he was an avid art collector with a reputed collection exceeding 600 pieces.[3][1][8] Additionally, he produced the film Ek Pal, directed by Kalpana Lajmi.[4][8] His life story has been chronicled by journalist Wasbir Hussain in the biography titled Life And Times - Story Of An Assamese Tea Baron.[1][3][9]

On January 26, 2013, Hemendra Prasad Barooah received the Padma Shri award from the Government of India in acknowledgment of his outstanding services to trade and industry.[10] He passed away six months later at age 86 while undergoing medical treatment in Bangkok. Preceded in death by his wife and only son Amit Barooah, he is survived by his eldest daughter and her family as well as his granddaughter Shey Naima Barooah.[4] It was noted that he had constructed his own mausoleum as early as 2004, adorned with green marble and awaiting only the inscription of his date of passing.[4]

The establishment of Assam Tea Brokers—the region’s first tea broking company—stands among Barooah’s enduring legacies.[11][8] He played a pivotal role in promoting tea tourism in Assam by opening his ancestral residence Thengal Manor along with two additional colonial-era buildings to visitors. Furthermore, he founded Heritage North East, a boutique heritage hotel, as well as Kaziranga Golf Resorts located in Sangsua.[11][12] Another notable contribution attributed to him is the ITA Centre at Machkhowa.[13][12]

Barooah also established a charitable organization named The Kamal Kumari Foundation, which annually presents awards celebrating excellence across science and technology (Kamal Kumari National Award), journalism (Siva Prasad Barooah National Award), and the arts (Amit Borooah Award).[11]

Positions

Hemendra Barooah has held numerous roles throughout his career. In addition to leading his enterprises like B&A Ltd and B&A Packaging, he has been the Chairman of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Between 1963 and 1973, he served as a member of the Tea Board. His leadership extended to being Chairman of the Eastern division of the State Bank of India, Director of Indian Airlines Corporation, a member of the Central Advisory Council for Industrial Development in New Delhi, and Chairman of the Tea Research Association.

Awards and recognitions

Alongside receiving the prestigious Padma Shri, Hemendra Barooah has been honored with several notable awards and distinctions.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Eastern Tea Association in 2007
  • The title of Tea Doyen awarded by the North Eastern Tea Association in 2007
  • The Assam Title conferred by the Confederation of Indian Industry in 2010
  • National Achiever Award presented by K. C. Das Commerce College in 2010
  • Kamala Saikia Memorial Trust Award received in 2012

He was also recognized by the Tea Research Association in 2011 and honored by the Assam Cultural Trust in 2012. Furthermore, Assam Cultural University awarded him an honorary doctorate (Honoris Causa) in 2007.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Jagaran Josh
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Bloomberg
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Assam Times
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Live Mint
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Barooahs and Associates
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NIA
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ULFA BBC
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Assam Tribune
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Life And Times - Story Of An Assamese Tea Baron
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Padma 2013
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Online Assam
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named The Telegraph India
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ITA

Further reading

  • Wasbir Hussain, Life And Times - Story Of An Assamese Tea Baron, Spectrum Publications, 1 January 2007, ISBN 978-8183440295
  • Arup Kumar Dutta, The Khongiya Barooahs of Thengal, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, 1990, p.177

External links

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  • Padma Awards List – Indian Panorama (accessed October 12, 2014)

Template:Padma Shri Award Recipients in Trade & Industry

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