An Ultimate Man
By: Bhubaneswar Kalita (President APCC)
We know, but fail to believe that death is the ultimate truth of this world. We come across sad news of death almost daily in our routine life, but when somebody very close and dear to us leave us, the ubiquitous presence of death see eye to eye with us.
The
sad demise of Phani da, who had all along been with us in social and
political activities, caused a similar feeling to me. His death made me
to feel the presence of some unfathomable truth and existence of
‘‘Atma’’. In 1976 Guwahati was readying itself to hold National
conference of All India Youth Congress. I and Phani da both were in the
Reception Committee of the conference. This was his significant entry
to the political arena. His straightforwardness and simplicity
impressed me very much. Nobody could escape his enchanting smile. As
the time rolled on my intimacy with him increased.
I took it
as my privilege to work with Phani da on social and political
platforms. He was a very sensitive person, he was a farsighted leader
and always worked with undaunted energy. Cheap gimmicks of politics
never attracted him and he always spurned such gimmicks. He always
tried to sick to his principles. Before his death he was the treasurer
of the Congress party and seeing him in such a vital place, filled
partymen with confidence. He was very popular among party workers.
Phani
da excelled as a sportsman and administrator of National repute. He
worked commendably on different posts of different sports bodies. He
led the sports bodies like Assam Olympic Association, Guwahati Sports
Association, Assam Football Association and Assam TT Association, All
India TT Federation for quite some time. He was the Deputy Chief de
Mission of Indian Contingent participating in Seol Olympic in 1988. He
was the Vice-President of the Indian Olympic Association from 1977 to
1989. A champion of Table Tennis, he was the captain of the state team.
Table Tennis took him to National and International arena, where he
contributed immensely.
Today we pay him glowing tribute and
vow that every congressman will take inspiration from his principled
life. Personally it will be very difficult for me to forget the
eventful days passed with him. His demise has created a large vacuum in
my life which will be hard to fill up. I will remember him ever as an
ultimate man.
Bhubaneswar Kalita
President Asom Pradesh Congress Committe. Guwahati