GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, June 26, paid rich tribute to the Marwari community's centuries-old contribution to the state's growth, speaking at the 110th anniversary celebration of Marwari Hospital under the Marwari Charitable Dispensary in Guwahati.
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Addressing the gathering, Sarma sought to correct a common misconception that the Marwari community arrived in Assam only recently. "This 110-year-old hospital is a living testimony to how deep and enduring the Marwari community's relationship with Assam truly is," he said.
Drawing from historical records, the Chief Minister revealed that approximately 470 years ago, army chief Bijoy Singh became the first Marwari to set foot in Assam, arriving on the invitation of King Narayan of Cooch Behar.
He further noted that four Marwari business establishments were already present in Assam during the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, and a trading house named Puddar was recorded in Goalpara in the 18th century.
Sarma highlighted the towering legacy of the Agarwalla family, whose patriarch Nawrangaram Agarwalla rose to prominence as a successful businessman after settling permanently in Assam. Subsequent generations made landmark contributions to Assamese language and literature, producing luminaries such as Ananda Chandra Agarwalla, Chandrakumar Agarwalla, and the legendary filmmaker and cultural icon Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwalla.
The Chief Minister also noted that Gobindaram Choudhury, grandson of Bijoy Singh and son of Hari Prasad Choudhury, authored a book in the Assamese language as early as 1860, believed to be among the earliest literary contributions by a Marwari writer in Assamese.
"The Marwari people who came and settled in Assam have further enriched our diverse cultural traditions. From trade and commerce to healthcare, philanthropy, and literature, their contributions are woven into the very fabric of modern Assam," Sarma said, adding that it was important for the new generation to know and appreciate this shared history.