Assam: Renowned Assamese poet Anubhav Tulsi dies at 67 after brain stroke

Guwahati: Renowned Assamese poet Anubhav Tulsi passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 67 after suffering a brain stroke. He passed away around 10 am at GNRC Hospital in Assam, where he had been admitted late Monday night, doctors confirmed.

Tulsi carved out a lasting legacy in Assam’s literary world, not just as a poet but also as a storyteller, editor, and film critic. Since the late 20th century, his voice and vision have helped shape the contours of modern Assamese literature.

After earning a postgraduate degree in English Literature from Gauhati University in 1984, Tulsi went on to teach at Swawal Kuchi Budharam Madhab Satradhikar College, where he worked until his retirement in 2018. His debut poetry collection, Najma, launched a prolific literary career that spanned 20 poetry volumes and more than 30 books across genres.

Academic institutions such as Gauhati University and Cotton University have included his works in their curricula. Leading publishers, including Oxford University Press, Penguin, Sahitya Akademi, and the National Book Trust, have featured his poems in their publications. His literary contributions reached global audiences through translations in German, French, Hungarian, Uzbek, and several other languages.

Tulsi represented Assam at major international literary festivals in Istanbul, Austin, Athens, and Dhaka, showcasing the richness of Assamese literature on the global stage. Over the years, he received multiple accolades, including the Munin Barkotoki Award, a senior fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, and literary awards from the Assam Sahitya Sabha.