Golap Borbora


Golap Borbora was a chief minister of Indian state of Assam from 1978 to 1979. He was the first non congress chief minister of Assam. Borbora was a member of Rajya Sabha between 1968 and 1974.

Early life

He was born in Golaghat and had his early schooling in Tinsukia and then studied at the University of Calcutta. His parents were Komol Borbora and Puniyaprova Borbora. His father later left his job due to official issues. He had ten siblings, one of whom was Renu Saikia, who later became famous as a prolific actress in the Assamese film industry.

Political career

Borbora was a follower of Ram Manohar Lohia and Jai Prakash Narayan and was imprisoned several times during the freedom movement.
In free India he was arrested in 1975 for opposing Indira Gandhi's regime in the emergency in 1975 and spent 18 months in Tihar Jail. Golap Borbora became the State unit president of the Janata Party in 1977 and led the party to victory. He was elected the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Assam in 1978.
The Janata Party Government led by Borbora lasted for 18 months only. However, many think that the government did not last long as he had tried to stop influx of illegal immigrants from neighboring countries and also to demonopolize the liquor trade in tea garden belts. His government exempted land revenue for farmers up to 10 bighas and ordered fee exemptions to school students up to HSLC level and all girls up to high school level. The government also introduced free medical treatment in all the government hospitals and allowed free movement of foods-grains within the state.
He died in 2006.

Commemorative efforts

As an attempt to commemorate the contributions of Borbora, College Students Welfare Committee, an N.G.O has instituted the C.S.W.C Golap Borbora Scholarship Programme that extends scholarship assistance to meritorious students. The same organisation also hosts the annual C.S.W.C Golap Borbora Memorial Lecture. The organisation is Presided by Mr. Abhinav P Borbora who is the grandson of the former Chief Minister.^^