Biren Singha

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Biren Singha at his studio in Guwahati
Country India
Born 13th April 1951

Biren Singha (Born 13th April 1951) is an Indian professional sculptor, painter, art director and writer. Popularly known as the Artist from the east. he has spent most of his life preserving the rich culture and lifestyle of Northeast India region through his works of art. Using art as a medium, he has made numerous philanthropic endeavors in the development of resources for the indigenous communities. Over 200 hundred of his sculptures beautify various parts of Guwahati, Assam as well as the Northeast of India. One of his most noted works is the iconic 35 feet high bronze statue of Lachit Borphukan, which stands in the middle of the torrential river Brahmaputra.

Early life and background

Biren Singha was born on 13th April 1951 in Chhaygaon town situated on the southern banks of river Brahmaputra, Kamrup, Assam in India. His upbringing was amidst the hardships of making ends meet with the meagre earnings of his father who worked as a mason. Biren was the eldest of four brothers and two sisters, by the age of 5 he began to work at a tea stall just so he could contribute to the family’s bread and butter. He was swiftly balancing his professional and academic life before even turning 7. A life-changing incident takes place then, which helps Biren discover the innate talents within him- thanks to the rebuke of an austere teacher at school. Biren failed to submit a writing assignment for not being able to afford a few sheets of paper, a furious teacher then punishes Biren to the limit that he goes home with his legs swollen. The next day Biren comes back to school but this time, equipped with the white papers which his father bought him compassionately. Now, the teacher assigns him the task to carve out letters of the alphabet as beautifully as he can. It was while performing this very task, Biren realized that his life’s mission is to carve beautiful lines out of grave situations and herculean challenges. This mission of his needed perseverance and rigorous practice, so leaving no stone unturned, he kept on sketching or recreating letters with consistency. He gradually became known in school as the boy with impeccable handwriting who is equally good in drawing pictures. Soon, offers started flooding in for Biren to leave a mark of his excellence on certificates, banners and all kinds of work around calligraphy. When the artist within Biren was just starting to bloom, life changed its course of action. His father fell severely ill which automatically brought all the responsibilities on eldest son, Biren. With hopes of making enough for his family, Biren shifts to Guwahati seeking for new opportunities.

Professional career

The initial phase of Biren Singha’s life in Guwahati involved spending several nights under the open sky, hungry on the streets. He however made relentless efforts to bring in changes. After a string of odd jobs, Biren once again aligned with his true calling of art. Immersed in a colorful world of his, he began to splash a tinge of color on every possible canvas, hoarding and pavilion for exhibition or art fairs in the city. As he began to build his brand as a sign-board painter he found a staunch supporter in Ramesh Deka, who helped him emerge out of this turbulent phase in his life. As time went by, his acquaintance with fellow artists Benu Mishra, Barindra Roy among others, deepened his perspective on life. His artistic ambitions reached newer heights when the Guwahati Artists’ Guild was established in 1976 with Biren Singha as one of its founding members.

In 1978, he visited Karbi Anglong to design the pavilion of Karbi Youth Festival. He found an inexplicable solace in the hills and instantly decided to extend his stay which lasted for almost the next three decades. As he explored life in Karbi Anglong with newly made friends like Samsing Hanse, Jayanta Rongpi and Biren Sing Ingti among other influential leaders from the district, he was engulfed by the warmth of its people and culture. He bestowed upon himself the new responsibility of immortalizing lives, stories and legends through his works of art. There was no looking back from thereon. The boy with beautiful handwriting had now turned into a man who adds life and expressions to pieces of metal and stones. With a refreshing new zeal, Biren kick started his campaign of sculpting. This time he wished to break all barriers and cross all boundaries with his work and so he did. His first sculpture was based on the legend of ‘Rongharpi Rongbe’. The rock sculpture of the legendary figure holding an axe in one hand and a baby in another, leading a pack of women to rebel against their king, stands tall in the centre of Diphu town. From there to creating more than 200 such sculptures including the likes of late Bhupen Hazarika (Bharat Ratna and Padma Shri awardee) and the veteran warrior Lachit Borphukon, one thing that remained constant was the honest detailing of his work which seemed more factual than reality.

Artistic Legacy

The self-taught achiever, Biren Singha’s prominence as one of Northeast India’s most celebrated sculptor took years of ordeal. The fame and attention that came along with recognition did not for a moment bring in a reduction in the man’s humility. His important works include the sculptures of Lakshminath Bezbaruah, Jyotiprasad Agarwala, Bhupen Hazarika and Pratima Barua Pandey installed at various places in the city of Guwahati. His important works can also be seen in other parts of Assam and the Northeast India region. He has been a pioneer in visual documentation and particularly his contributions of capturing Karbi life in its entirety from day to day mundane life to the depiction of myth and cultural allegories, is highly praised. He has also been involved in a project of sculpting and installing statues which showcases the rich culture and heritage of the Tai Khamti and Singpho communities of Arunachal Pradesh. One of the statues he made of Lachit Borphukan and his armies is among one of the tallest in India.

At the 28th Convocation of Gauhati University, Biren Singha was conferred the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Honoris Causa, as a tribute to his excellent work.

In 2013, ‘Passions and Impressions’ a paperback book comprising of all his works until then was published by Purbanchal Prakash.

In March 2014, a 3 day photo exhibition- Life and Works - Passions and Impressions- on his creations was conducted at Dighalipukhuri. It was inaugurated by writer Homen Borgohain.

He has worked in the ranks of an Art director for films like Pani, Jirsong and The Untold Story of Blue Hills

Notable Works

Iconic Bronze Statue of Lachit Borphukan in the middle of river Brahmaputra by Biren Singha

One of Biren Singha's most natable works is the iconic 35 feet bronze statue of the legedendary warrior Lachit Borphukan and his army. Situated in the Machkhowa area of Guwahati city, the statue which stands in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra river, is among one of the tallest in India.

His other notable works include the statue of Ahom King, Chaolung Sukapha at his memorial built in the city of Jorhat under the state of Assam and sculptures of Indian and Assamese arts and culture stalwarts like Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, Jyotiprasad Agarwala and more.

Notable Sculptures by Biren Singha

Another notable work of his is the statue of Siu-Ka-Pha, the first Ahom King at Chaolung Siu-Ka-Pha Khetra, Jorhat

Statue of first Ahom King, Siu-Ka-Pha by Biren Singha

References

This article "Biren Singha" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Biren Singha. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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