The final journey of Assam’s eminent artist Neel Pawan Baruah has begun today.
The artist’s last rites will be performed later today with full state honours at Navagraha crematorium in Guwahati at 2 pm.
Neel Pawan Baruah died on Friday at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital following a prolonged illness. He was 84.
Baruah was admitted to the hospital on September 22 due to various old age-related ailments and was undergoing treatment there.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the artist’s demise is a significant loss to the state’s broader cultural community in addition to the art community.
Baruah was born in Jorhat.
After completing his graduation in fine arts, Baruah learnt glazed pottery at Sriniketan and also had a stint at the Garhi Studio in New Delhi.
He briefly taught at the local government art school after his return from Santiniketan before founding the Assam Fine Arts and Craft Society in 1971.
Baruah, who had significantly and uniquely influenced Assam’s modern art movement, had his work on exhibit in many locations around the nation.
The artist gave 55 of his important works in various mediums, including oils, drawings, ink, and acrylic, to Tezpur University. These works will be permanently shown at the Neel Pawan Baruah Museum of Modern Art, which the university has established.
A prolific writer, Baruah wrote several poems, essays on art and has three books on art to his credit.
