Sarmistha Pritam Explained

Sarmistha Pritam (b. 18 December 1987) is an Assamese writer. She is also an advocate for people with spinal muscular atrophy.

Early life and education

Sarmistha Pritam was born on 18 December 1987 in Phulaguri, Nagaon, Assam. At age 5, she was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy,^[1] which by age 8 caused significant physical impairments.^[2]

She studied economics and graduated with good academic marks. She started her schooling at Phulaguri L.P school and later she joined Phulaguri High School. She passed her higher secondary education from Raha High School and Higher Studies from Raha College.

Literary career

She started her career as daily writer of various Assamese magazine and newspapers. By 2013, she had published a collection of articles, Daworiya Akaxor Beli (The sun in a gloomy sky), a collection of poems, Dokmokali (Daybreak), and an autobiography Atmakatha.^[3] Her fourth book was written for children, titled Aalphulor Xopun (Aalphul's dream).^[3]

In 2015, she wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help with obtaining her royalties from the National Book Trust for the English and Hindi versions of her autobiography. By 2021, she had also written Anatahin, Rang, Balukat Biyoli Bela and Poran Nigore.

In 2021, filmmaker Bobby Sarma Baruah announced her next film, Deoka (Walking in the Air) is based on the life of Pritam.^[4]

Advocacy

Pritam is a member of Ellora Vigyan Mancha, an NGO that promotes science. In 2021, she advocated for people with spinal muscular atrophy and assistance from the government for the costs of treatment.^{[5] [6]}

Works

• Atmakatha (autobiography)
• Aalfulor xopun (children novel)
• Antaheen (a biographical sketch on life and works of motivational speaker Nick Vujicic)
• Sun on my face (English Translation of the autobiography written in Assamese, Translated by Prafulla Katoky. Published by National Book Trust)
• Mera jiwon meri kahani (Hindi translation of atmakatha by Gajendra Rathi. Published by NBT)
• Rang (Novel)
• Balukat Biyali Bela (Novel)

Awards

• 2012 Munin Borkataki Award, for Atmakatha^{[7] [8]}
• 2015 State government literary award^[9]
• Gitanjali Baruah Mili Literary award, 2017
• Devsons special Literary award, 2017
• 2017 K.K.Handiqui National Fellowship^{[10] [11]}
• Homan Bargohani Bata Literary award, for Rang^[12]

Notes and References

1. News: Assamese writer Sarmistha Pritam Baruah seeks government aid for medical treatment . 23 January 2022 . . October 9, 2021.
2. News: Kashyap . Samudra Gupta . Wheelchair-bound author takes fight for NBT dues to PM Modi . 23 January 2022 . . December 4, 2015.
3. News: Pens defy physical discomfort - Two young authors overcome disabilities to write children’s books . 23 January 2022 . . March 18, 2013.
4. News: Gani . Abdul . Film on writer Sarmistha Pritam announced . 23 January 2022 . . December 19, 2021.
5. News: Prohibitive cost of SMA drug a challenge for patients like Sarmistha Pritam . . September 16, 2021.
6. News: Ailing writer Sarmistha to move CM for help through State's journalist fraternity . . January 11, 2022.
7. News: Homen Bargohain Nyas Botas . . February 1, 2019.
8. Web site: Literary Awards . enajori.com . 2011-05-05 . 2013-04-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130522172053/http://enajori.com/literature/literary-awards/ . 22 May 2013 . dmy-all .
9. News: Literary, artist, family pension announced . 23 January 2022 . . August 14, 2015.
10. News: KK Handiqui National Awards given away . 23 January 2022 . NE Now News . December 11, 2017.
11. News: KK Handiqui Award & fellowships announced . 23 January 2022 . . November 28, 2017.
12. News: Borah . Nilutpal . এগৰাকী অদম্য সাহসী অসমীয়া যুৱতী, বহুতৰ বাবে প্ৰেৰণা হৈ পৰা SMA যোদ্ধা শৰ্মিষ্ঠাক প্ৰয়োজন আপোনাৰ সহায়ৰ . 23 January 2022 . . October 27, 2021.