Educationist Dilip Kumar Barua dead

Guwahati: Noted educationist, economist, litterateur and quizmaster Dilip Kumar Barua died here on Friday after a brief illness, his family sources said.

Barua (73) was the principal of Cotton College here, north east's premier institution in 2000 and was the principal of Haflong Government College in 2001.

An alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics, HE had joined as faculty in the college's economics department in 1966.

Barua had also served as joint director of Assam Administrative College from 1989 to 1992 and was also a member of the Assam Planning Board and the second State Finance Commission (2001-2006).

He served as a consultant in state-level studies, Administrative Reforms Commission, Government of India, besides being a member in Independent Public Committee set up by the government for evaluating the management and implementation of solid waste management in Guwahati, State Audit Advisory Board and Assam State 7th Pay Commission.

He was actively associated with the functioning of Gauhati University, Indian Institute of Bank Management, the sources said.

Credited with being a pioneer in popularising the concept of quizzing in Assam, Barua often conducted such programmes for both students and adults.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in his condolence message said that Baruah was a thoughtful writer and his contributions as an academician and economist would always remain in the minds of the people of Assam.

His visionary leadership as principal of Cotton College had helped the institution to scale new heights of success and create a better academic environment, Sonowal added.