HISTORY

The Department of History, Gauhati University, was started in 1948 at the Cotton College Campus with around thirty students during the session 1949-50. A decade later, in 1959, the Department was shifted, along with other departments, to the newly constructed building of the University Campus at Jalukbari. The strength of both the students and teachers gradually increased within the next few years. In 1962 there were around 100 students and 5 teachers; in 1970-71, 129 students and 7 teachers; and in 1988, 200 students and 8 teachers. The present strength of the students is 120 while the teaching faculty consists of ten members.

We recognize with pride the contributions of those who have helped in the growth and development of the Department since its inception. Among the stalwarts mention may be made of Prof. K.K.Handique, the first and renowned Vice-Chancellor of this University, Prof. Sachidananda Bhattacharya, who was the Head of the Department in 1949 and Prof. Ananta Rao Baji who later joined as Deputy Director of the Research and Reference Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Another Vice-Chancellor, Prof. S.K.Bhuyan, a renowned historian in his own right, contributed immensely towards the growth of the Department. His path breaking work, Anglo-Assamese Relations, still continues to be a very important reference book for the study of the history of Assam. His other important works include edited works and translations of a large number of medieval Assam chronicles. Among the early contributors in the building up of the Department of History, was Prof. Dr. P.C.Choudhury, an alumni of London University, who joined the Department as a teacher but later went on to become the Director of the Directorate of Historical and Antiquarian Studies. Prof. V.Venkata Rao was also a member of this Department before taking over as the Head of the Department of Political Science.

Prof. Padmeswar Gogoi, whose Tai and the Tai Kingdom is a pioneering work on the Ahom administration, served the department during its formative period. Prof. D.P.Barooah, one of the first students of this University, later joined the Department of History and eventually retired as the Vice-Chancellor of the University. Among his major contributions in the academic field is his work Indo-British Relations. He is an authority on Human Rights. Prof.N.N.Acharya of this Department, who worked under the supervision of Prof.Basja,. distinguished himself as an authority on the medieval history of Assam. Dr.H.V.S.Murty, a renowned scholar of Ancient Indian History, co-edited, together with Prof.B.K.Barua, Edward Gait's A History of Assam. A brilliant product of Benaras Hindu University, V.B.Mishra joined the Department at an early age and went on to become Professor, Head of the Department and Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University. Other former important members of the faculty include Prof.B.B.De, Prof. H.K.Barpujari, Prof. S.K.Barpujari and Prof. J.N.Phukan. A triple P.R.S. from Calcutta University, Prof. B.B.De is a distinguished scholar of Ancient Indian History and served this Department for nearly two decades. Prof. S.K.Barpujari is an authority on the Dimasas of North Cachar Hills. He has contributed substantially in the formation of the North-East India History Association. Prof. J.N.Phukan, a scholar of the Tai language, has contributed immensely to the study of Ahom rule in Assam.

The name of H.K.Barpujari stands out for his contribution to the study of the history of this region in the modern period. He has been associated with this Department since 1963 when he joined as Professor and Head of the Department. From 1976 to 1981 he was U.G.C. Professor, Gauhati University. Prof. Barpujari was an erudite scholar with 21 books and innumerable articles and reviews in research journals to his credit. For the promotion of advanced studies in Indian History, especially of the North-East, he has created an Endowment Trust and has made provisions for a permanent Chair in Modern Indian History, Gauhati University, biennial lectures at several Universities and Associations of Eastern India and a National Award in History under the auspices of the Indian History Congress. Prof. Barpujari has been associated with practically all the important national historical associations and was the President, Indian History Congress in the 1995-96 session.

The contribution of all the above faculty members of this Department in the study of the history of this region is invaluable. In fact their numerous books and publications have formed the springboard for historical research in this region.