My personal background

Early life

I was born at Bongalpukhuri, Na-Ali, Jorhat, Assam, India on 27th May, 1960. My father Harendra Chandra Borkakoti was an engineer, working in the Public Works Department, Assam Government, who expired in 2007. My mother Jyoti Prabha Borkakoti is daughter of Lakshminath Dutta, former Head-master and Principal of Jorhat Government Boys Higher Secondary & Multi-purpose School. I spent my childhood in different places of Assam. I lived with my family at Boko, Mirza, Jalukbari (Guwahati), North Lakhimpur, Laluk, and Dhemaji. I have five siblings, two younger brothers, two elder sisters and a younger sister. All of them are married. My eldest sister Pritam has expired.

Education

I received first education at home from a tutor named Badan Chandra Talukdar. I studied in several schools. Those were Boko L.P. School, Mirza L.P. School, Gauhati University Model School and Cotton Collegiate Higher Secondary School, Guwahati. I passed high school leaving certificate examinations from North Lakhimpur Boys Higher Secondary School at North Lakhimpur in 1976. Thereafter I passed higher secondary school leaving certificate examinations from Jorhat Boys Higher Secondary School at Jorhat in 1978. I studied for graduation in science from the Cotton College in Guwahati and subsequently graduated with BSc in 1980 (exam held in 1981 due to disruption by movement). I had major in Physics in graduation. Then I studied Economics in the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in Jawaharlal Nehru University of New Delhi. I got M.A. degree in 1983. In 1984 I passed in the National Eligibility Test and qualified for Junior Research Fellowship. In 1985 I joined PhD programme in Gauhati University with Junior Research Fellowship from University Grants Commission. In 1987 I got Senior Research Fellowship. I got PhD degree in 1992.

Family

I married Madhumita Dowerah, daughter of Hiren Dowerah, a resident of Santipara, Dibrugarh, Assam on July 8, 1990. Madhumita did graduation in science from Dibrugarh Hanumanbax Surajmall Kanoi College, Dibrugarh. We have one daughter Airy Sanjeev (1991) and a son Sarvajit Sanjeev (1995). We live at Nagaon. Daughter Airy Sanjeev did PhD in Tezpur University, post-doctorate from IIT Guwahati and Tata Cancer Research Institiute, Mumbai. She is now in Lynkoping University, Sweden. Son Sarvajit Sanjeev is a management post-graduate from Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad. He worked for three years in a start-up in Bangalore and now preparing for hugher studies. Airy is married to Devraj Sonowal from Bihpuria. They have a daughter, Charvi.

Entrepreneurial activities 

I established a printing press in Guwahati in 1986 and carried the business till 1992, while I was pursuing my research in Gauhati University. Both activities proceeded simultaneously. I launched a publishing house also named Manthan Prakash and brought out several books under its banner. I participated in the Guwahati Book Fair as a seller. A monthly magazine titled Manas was also brought out during this period. However my entrepreneurial activity did not last long as several customers defaulted in payments leading to heavy loss. These defaulters happened to be well-known people and they did not care. So I had to switch over to academics.

Academic activities 

I taught Economics in Anandaram Dhekial Phookan College from 1993. My research publications became more regular from then. I published papers on varied topics like peasant movement, renewable energy, interlinking of rivers, interlinkage between culture, Sankaradeva’s art form, Sankaradeva’s dance form, Sankaradeva’s philosophy, medieval hagiography, political autonomy, caste system, costume of Ankiya play, problems of industrialization, comparative study between Srimanta Sankaradeva and Swami Vivekananda, comparative study between Srimanta Sankaradeva and Nanaka, feminism etc.I delivered lectures in different universities like Viswa Bharati (West Bengal), Kelaniya University (Sri Lanka), Rutgers University (USA) on different topics pertaining to life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva. I have also conducted many webinars.

Honour 

I was selected as Dimbeswar Neog Research Fellow by Mahapurush Sankaradeva Kala-Kristi Gaveshana Kendra, Jorhat in 2004. Chandrakanta-Hiraprabha Barua Trust of Titabor awarded the Vaishnav Sahitya Bota in collaboration with Titabor Sahitya Sabha for the book Sarvagunakara Srimanta Sankaradeva on November 19, 2008. Jorhat Zila Sahitya Sabha conferred Sankari Sahitya Sanskriti Bota on me in 2022. There were nominations for Padmashri also twice.

Organizational Activities 

I founded many organisations. These are North Lakhimpur Teenagers’s Literary Society in1977, Asom Jagriti Parishad in 1979, Assam Institute of Development Studies in 1984, Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva in 2011.
As secretary of Asom Jagriti Parishad I organised two all-Assam seminars on the socio-economic impact of foreigners’ infiltration in Assam in 1979. I thus played a crucial role in the anti-foreigner movement. I was also Secretary of Assamese Students Association Delhi (ASAD) in 1982-83. ASAD was instrumental in giving international publicity to the anti-foreigners movement. As secretary of Assam Institute of Development Studies, I published two books on Assam economy. One of these was sponsored by Govt of Assam.
I was also President of Kalangporiya Alochana Chakra from 2006 to 2012. I spearheaded the celebration of its golden jubilee in 2011-12. An annual journal was published regularly named Kalangjyoti. I started an award named Kalangporiya Sahitya Bota for unrecognised litterateurs of middle Assam. Dr Sarbeswar Rajguru (Posthumous), Tilak Mazumdar, Lokeswar Gogoi, Kailas Das etc were honoured by this award.
As President of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, I led the resurgence of Sankaradeva’s legacy in different spheres. They have revived the medieval craft of painting on birch of tree and restored the original style of Aharya in Ankiya plays of Srimanta Sankaradeva. I have also been advisor of numerous organisations. I functioned in different capacities during the planning and initial stage of Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Viswavidyalaya, Nagaon. I was officer-on-special-duty and later a member of its Academic Council. In 2022, I became member of Academic Council of National Law University and Judicial Academy, Guwahati. Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University made me his representative in the governing body of Dhing College. In 2023, I became Secretary General of Delphic Council of North East. I organised several webinars on North East culture through it.
In the work place, Anandaram Dhekial Phookan College, I played an important role in the college getting A-grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council in 2016, when I was the co-ordinator of Internal Quality Assurance Cell.
I organised several national seminars on behalf of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, both in and outside Assam. Two such seminars were on Majuli. One seminar on Srimanta Sankaradeva’s contributions was held in Madhupur Than, Kochbehar, West Bengal.