She treasured many poems, many dreams, and boundless love in
the casket of her heart�She never got exhausted of listening
to the unheard melodies of the red, blue and green flowers�.
But time was much more healing to take her bound to cease
everything�She had prayed to the Almighty to give her peace
before she died�.
Dr. Debika Saikia, the woman with an indomitable
and immense power of work, the woman whose creations mirror
and reflect the gravity and dignity of her nation, was born in
an aristocratic, dignified and culturally rich family of
Titabar, Jorhat on 20 October,1926. Her father was Sri
Kanaknath Saikia and her mother was Srimati Niradabala Saikia.
She was married to Sri Debendranath Saikia of Naali,
Dhekuajuli on 11 December, 1953. Dr. Debika Saikia started her
educational life in Jorhat itself. She passed her HSLC from
Jorhat Girl�s High School. She passed her IA from Jagannath
Barooah College, Jorhat and completed her BA in St. Mary�s
College in Shillong in the year 1953. In the year 1957, she
obtained her graduation in Hindi from Asom Rashtrabhasha
Prasar Samitee. Dr. Saikia did her master�s degree in Assamese
from Guwahati University in the year 1963. In the year 1965,
she did her PhD from Guwahati University. The topic in which
she accomplished her research was �Development of Elementary
Education in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.� Dr. Saikia passed in a
conclusive course in Khasi language from the North east Hills
University in the year 1977. She completed her Diploma course
in Montessori Method of Training from the Oxford College of
Education, Kolkata. Not only this, she also participated in
several refreshers course, workshops and conference in various
subjects and topics.
Dr. Saikia had been working as a senior journalist
in Media and Mass Communication, Assam since 1957 to 20
February, 1965. Formerly, she worked as the Secretary of Mass
Communication, Assam in Shillong. This was the beginning of
Dr. Saikia�s vibrant and colourful working life. As an
educationalist, Dr. Saikia bore a very brilliant and versatile
career. She joined as a professor in department of Assamese
in Sankardeb College and worked there till 20 October, 1996.
She had been working as a professor in Assamese in the Post
Graduate College in Shillong since 1972 to 1990. She also
worked as a part time professor in many colleges such as
Christian College, Borapani and St. Edmunds College, Shillong.
Establishment of educational institutions spread
of education and teaching, these were the three objectives of
Dr. Saikia�s life. With these primary goals in her mind, she
initiated the foundation of the Kamala Nehru Institution in
Shillong in the year 1964. Her indomitable spirit and
desperate efforts led to the foundation of three educational
institutions in Jorhat. They are � Boparam Saikia Pre Primary
Child Welfare Centre (1987); Sarudoi Saikia Women Training
College (1994); and junior Colleg (1996). In the year 1994,
she started a training centre for primary education, namely,
he Kanaknath Dutta Saikia Shiksha Niketan. Later, this centre
came to be known as the Kanaknath Dutta Saikia Junior College.
This junior college was the pioneer of junior colleges in
Assam. Sarudoi Saikia Primary School was established in the
memory of Dr. Saikia�s mother-in-law in the year 1964. She
devoted herself completely in the development of these
institutions after she had returned from Shillong. At this
time, she worked as a lecturer in the Women training College
in Jorhat.
In addition to these, Dr. Saikia also had the pound privilege
found several welfare institutions for women and children, pre
primary schools, primary Middle English school and High School
in Meghalaya and Assam. Dr. Saikia had been working
ceaselessly for the mental development of women and children
of different strata of society funded many institutions and by
accomplishing awareness programmes. She was privileged to be
the first establishing member of �Maina Parijaat�, the
renowned children organisation of Assam. In addition to this,
as a children loving personality, she actively participated
and initiated the foundation of Bharatiya Shishu Kalyan
Parishad, Jorhat Children Library with a motive of entire and
overall development of children. As a human being, Dr. Saikia
was equally co-operative and sympathise toward the women. She
always encouraged women to step forward to make exposure of
the field of literature and culture. Dr. Saikia was an active
member of the Sodou Asom Lekhika Somaroh Samitee. She took the
initiative to found the Assam and Shillong branch of the
Indian Social Welfare Council and East Indian Women
Conference. She was an active member of the Axom Bhaxa Bigyan
Samitee. She visited the Soviet Russia in the year 1973 as the
representative of a cultural troop from India.
Dr. Debika Saikia started her career as a
litterateur at a very young age when she was in school. The
anthology of poems entitled �Smritir Arghyaa� is the outcome
of her craves and appetite for his literary taste. She edited
a college magazine called �Chatri Arghya� when she was
studying in J.B. College in Jorhat. She also wrote a few books
in that period while her poems, plays, short stories and
articles were being published in many magazines and
newspapers. Her works contributed a lot to the field of
Assamese literature. They are a part of the wealth in the
reassure of Assamese literature. Her article entitled
�Jorhator Samaj, Sahitya Sanskriti Mohilar Abadan, published
in �Jorhat 200� in the year 1997 gives a vivid and accurate
scenario of the women in Jorhat at that time. She also
contributed a lot to the Hindi literature by composing poems
and articles in Hindi. She was awarded the �Vidyalankar� by
Vishwabharati Vidyapith of Agra in the year 1975 for her
immense contribution to the national integration of India. She
published two books in English while a few of her articles are
yet to be published. The names of the published books of Dr.
Saikia are as follows:-
1.Sundarar Saundarya Bisari (1985)
2.Amak Puhor Diya (1985)
3.Sonar Champaphul (11 February,1988)
4.Amak Amrit Diya (11 February, 1988)
5.Maramar Mou Mitha Axomiya Bhaxa (1922)
6.Smritir Arghya
7.Shishu Kalyan Aru Puak Prathaamik Shiksha Putiska
8.Development of Elementary education in Khasi and
Jaintia Hills (1984)
9.A Profile of Meghalaya (1984)
There are eighteen poems in the book �Sundarar Saundarya
Bisari�. Among them the poem �Naba Jugamiya Kari Itihash
Rosibo Dhunia� is remarkable. The poem seems to be an outcry
of the poetess� inner grief and anger in restless society �
�Sabhyatar ajir jugato
Muhuhar
hato aji
Tejere
rangoli
Seka
laga aji manuhor pran
Tothapio
manuhor gay joygan.�
Dr. Saikia�s poems are the portrayal of pure and
genuine feelings of true human life. This is what she draws
very effectively in the poem �Anubhav� in the same book-
�Tumito
dekhisa robhu
Manuhe
je manuhor
Manobota
budh aji
Pelale
pahori
Nijor
sontane ahi
Matrik
kore apaman�
There is another poem in the book, entitled Prithibihkhon
Jilike�,where she says-
Narir
astitwa mathu
Naritie
loy pay
Kotojoni
gabhoru nariye
Puruxor
nishpeshan
Shahi
oktore
Kandi
kai
Ojagore
xomoy kotay.
Her book �Amak Puhor Diya�, a collection of eighteen short
poems, is a perfect representation of the simplicity,
thoughts, views and notions of a child�s mind. In her own
words, �boga podumor pahir dore pabitra kumol monor
shishuborak mosi ataitkoi bhal paun�, she expresses her deep
love for children.
The last poem of this collection is remarkable
where the poetess represents herself as a child to express the
inner feeling of her heart in the following way-
Kator
bhabere minoti korisu
Sundarar
phul
Sakoloke
tumi diba
Prithibit thoka pratikhoni ghar
Tumar
jyotire
Tumiyei
puboraba
�Amak Amrit Diya� is another collection of poems by Dr. Saikia
where she composes twenty-eight short poems. All the poems in
the book are a glowing tribute to the renowned children
litterateur, poet and artist � Bokurani Phukan. Dr. Saikia
pays her homage to this poet through the poems in the book.
All the poems in the book are based on child psychology.
Morom
monere thakiba hodai
Monot
nethake dukh
Morome
tumak dibohi xahox
Hepahe
dibohi xukh.
There is another collection of poems by Dr. Saikia entitled
�Moromor Mou Mitha Axomiya Bhaxa�. The most striking feature
of this book is that each of the poems is written in four
lines. The most remarkable poems among them are Moromor Mitha
Bhaxa, Natun Jun, Uronia Sorai, Morom Bilaba, Ramdhenur Rang,
Moromote Xukh Paba, Xukhor Thai, etc. All these poems are the
manifestations of various themes and subjects.
Development of Elementary Education in Khasi and
Jaintia Hills� is a research book of Dr. Debika Saikia. There
are six data based, theoretical chapters in this book which
gave us numerous information about the system of primary
education, curriculum, training of education of Khasi and
Jaintia Hills. In addition to this, �A Profile of Meghalay�
is a similar book of Dr. Saikia which provides documentaries
of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills and Meghalaya with maps and
five data based lists.
Dr. Debika Saikia, the woman who gave human values
always a superior position in her life, who was a source of
indomitable work power, died on 11 June, 1997 when he was 63
years old. But death could not shadow her greatness and
qualities as a true human being. In the words of the poet
Hiren Bhattacharya:-
