Assam University to Confer Honorary Doctorate on Kabindra Purkayastha

Assam University, Silchar has announced that it will confer an honorary Doctorate on Kabindra Purkayastha, the former Union Minister in the Vajpayee Cabinet and a veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. The university’s decision to honour the former Union Minister is in recognition of his notable contributions to Indian politics.

The award will be presented during the university’s 21st convocation ceremony on September 13. The decision was officially approved by the Executive Council of the university. In addition to Purkayastha, former Assam Sahitya Sabha President Rongbong Terang and Sahitya Akademi Translation Award winner Dr Diganta Biswa Sharma will also receive honorary degrees during the event.

Kabindra Purkayastha has an illustrious political career, with him being one of the founders of right-wing politics in North East. If today the BJP has its strong foothold in the Northeast, it is because of veteran leaders like Kabindra Purkayastha. Even though this nonagenarian is not into active politics, all the BJP ministers and leaders never fail to seek his wisdom and advice from time to time.

Purkayastha, born on December 15, 1931, served as the Minister of State for Communication in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government from 1998 to 1999. He has been elected multiple times to the Lok Sabha, representing Silchar, though he lost the 2014 election to Sushmita Dev of the Indian National Congress.

This honorary doctorate recognises his enduring legacy in Assam and national politics.