Ratna Ojah
| Ratna Ojah | |
|---|---|
 Ratna Ojha.jpg Ratna Ojah delivering the Mass Communication Day lecture at Cotton University in Guwahati | |
| Born | 5 December 1931 Barpeta, Assam, British India |
| 💀Died | 31 December 2019 (aged 88)[1] Guwahati, Assam, India31 December 2019 (aged 88)[1] |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Indian |
| 🎓 Alma mater | Cotton University, Gauhati University |
| 💼 Occupation | Playwright, Lyricist, Novelist, Poet, Filmmaker, Journalist, Orator, Children’s Literateur, Director of Mobile Theatres, Music Composer, Puppeteer, Cartoon Dramatist |
| 📆 Years active | 1971–2019 |
| Notable work | Pioneer of Street Play in Assam ‘Aru Nadi Nokhanda’ Dhenukhanda |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Swarnalata (Das) Ojah |
| 👶 Children | Oineetom, Tahin, Orihana (three daughters) |
| 👴 👵 Parent(s) |
|
| 🏅 Awards | Natasurya Phani Sarma Award (2005) Dr Bhupen Hazarika Award (2018) |
| 🌐 Website | wwwratnaojha |
Ratna Ojah (5 December 1931 – 31 December 2019) was an Indian writer, journalist, novelist, lyricist, poet, teacher, dramatist, playwright from Assam. He is also known as Kala Ratna. His writings are all in Assamese. He is the pioneer of street play (Baator Naat) in Assam.
On January 17, 1971, the death anniversary of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, the first street play ‘Kokaideo’ was staged on the streets of Guwahati. The play was directed by Ratna Ojah and written by Arun Sharma. Ojah was a puppeteer and a cartoon dramatist – art forms he is credited with having introduced in Assam.
Personal life
Ratna Ojah was a student of Bhupen Hazarika in Gauhati University before becoming one of the closest associates of Hazarika. He stayed with Hazarika during the Bard of Brahmaputra’s years in Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) at 27, Golf Course Road, Tollygunge. They struggled together, worked together and created some of the most memorable Assamese feature films.
During those days it was Hazarika, Bishnu Rabha, Jayanta Hazarika (younger brother Bhupen Hazarika) and Prabhat Sharma, who used to live together in Hazarika’s Tollygunge home. Ojah was the assistant director for several of Dr Hazarika’s movies including ‘Pratidhani’, ‘Chik Mik Bijuli’ and ‘Loti Ghoti’ the film in which he made a guest appearance and also sang the song ‘O Mur Molua Re’, a popular, foot-tapping Assamese folk number. Ojah literally was the right-hand man of Hazarika, who stood by him through thick and thin, through the highs and lows of Hazarika’s life.
Career
Ojah’s journalistic career started in 1955 when he worked for ‘Dainik Shantidoot’ (1955-57), then joined ‘Bhudan Yagya’ (1957-58), ‘The News Star’ (1981-1983) as the Editor of the English daily, founder Editor of ‘Sadinia Batori’ (1983-85), the Assamese weekly from the house of National Herald. He was also the news editor for Guwahati Doordarshan Kendra from 1984-85.
In between, he also worked as a teacher at Barpeta Govt High School in the year 1956 and in Juroram Pathak Girls’ School, Barpeta from 1959 to 1961. He was extremely popular as a teacher.
Works
Ratna Ojah has many novels, poems, songs, dramas to his credit. Some of his most popular songs – ‘Ghurni Botahe Bisari Napale’, ‘Luitor Xutot Likha Robo Mur’ and ‘Ei Ghor Eri’ were sung by Jayanta Hazarika. These songs are now sung by his son Mayukh Hazarika (Raja) and another famous artiste of Assam Rupam Bhuyan. Another popular song of his – ‘Ei Nodire Iparote’ was immortalized by the legendary Assamese singer Deepali Borthakur. The song has now been re-created by another famous singer of Assam, Kanika Bhattacharya.
Ratna Ojah was the Officer on Special Duty, the man behind the setting up of Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The significance of Kalakshetra is that it is part of the Assam Accord of 1985 and has been set up to showcase the rich culture and traditions of Assam and Northeast.
Awards and honours
- Assam Government honoured him with the Natasurya Phani Sarma Award for his extensive contribution to the world of Assamese culture (2005)[2]
- Dr Bhupen Hazarika Award given by the Beltola Bohagi Utsav Samiti, Guwahati (2018)
References
- ↑ "Veteran Theatre Personality Ratna Ojha Passes Away in Guwahati". Guwahati Plus. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ↑ "Natasurya Phani Sarma Award (State Award)". https://culturalaffairs.assam.gov.in/. External link in
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