Assam: Former Tezpur MP Iswar Prasanna Hazarika passes away

North Lakhimpur: Eminent bureaucrat, politician, management consultant, lawyer and senior citizen Iswar Prasanna Hazarika, passed away in a private hospital in New Delhi at 9.30 am on Monday following a prolonged illness. He was 87.

Born in North Lakhimpur in 1937 Hazarika rose to prominence in his early life in 1951 when he stood first in the Matriculation examination in then undivided Assam state.

He did his higher studies at Benaras Hindu University and from Delhi School of Economics before obtaining a Bar at Law from the prestigious Lincoln's Inn in London.

Hazarika had a splendid public service career in various capacities during his tenure.

He was Executive Vice-Chairman, the Standing Conference on Public Enterprises (SCOPE) and Member, Executive Board of SCOPE, 1981-89; Director, Boards of NTPC, STC and MMTC of India, 1981-88; Member, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, 1987-94; President, Bharat Diamond House Bourse, Bombay, 1988-89; Chairman and Managing Director, M.M.T.C. of India, 1988-90; Member, State Planning Board, Assam, 1994-96, Chairman, Assam State Electricity Board, 1995-96 among others.

A widely travelled professional Hazarika was Member of, the Indian Delegation to the I.L.O. Conference, Geneva, 1982, World Diamond Congress, Antwerp, 1984, Association of State Trading Organization, Belgrade, 1986,  International Fertilizer Conference, Budapest, 1989 and New York 1990 and Trade Delegations to DPR Korea, Brazil, Romania, Thailand, USSR, Zimbabwe, etc.

Hazarika was also elected to the Parliament from Tezpur HPC under the Congress party from 1996 to 1998.

He was cremated in Lodi Road Crematorium in New Delhi on Monday.

Hazarika leaves behind his wife, two sons and a daughter.

His death is widely mourned across the nation.