Himanta Biswa Sarma: From Student Leader to Assam's CM

01 FEB 2024

Credit: Google Images

Credit: Google Images

Himanta Biswa Sarma is the 15th Chief Minister of Assam

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Himanta Biswa Sarma was born on 1 February 1969 at Mission Hospital, Jorhat, Assam, India to Kailash Nath Sarma and Mrinalini Devi.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma also acted in an Assamese movie Kokadeuta Nati Aru Hati (1984)

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Himanta Biswa Sarma passed his senior secondary examination from Guwahati's Kamrup Academy School in 1985

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Himanta Biswa Sarma completed his graduation and post-graduation in Political Science from Cotton College, Guwahati in 1990 and 1992 respectively

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Besides being a frontline leader of the All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu), Himanta was a three-time general secretary of Cotton College Union Society (CCUS) in 1988-89, 1989-90, and 1991-1992.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma earned his L.L.B. degree from Government Law College, Guwahati, and obtained a Ph.D. degree from Gauhati University

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Himanta Biswa Sarma married Riniki Bhuyan Sarma in 2001, with whom he has a son, Nandil Biswa Sarma and a daughter, Sukanya Sarma

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Himanta Biswa Sarma was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly from Jalukbari Assembly Constituency for the first time in 2001 and was re-elected from the same constituency in 2006, and 2011 on the Congress ticket and in 2016, and 2021 on BJP's ticket

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The third term of the Tarun Gogoi government saw Himanta Biswa Sarma's stature further rise with many seeing him as a possible successor to Tarun Gogoi. It was also during this period that politicking within the party was witnessed that sought to make him as the next Chief Minister after Tarun Gogoi. This however led to frictions between Sarma and his one-time political mentor Gogoi.

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Following Himanta Biswa Sarma's divorce from the Congress, talks began fast and he was soon inducted into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

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With Sarbananda Sonowal being sworn-in as the Chief Minister in 2016, Himanta Biswa Sarma began a new inning in the saffron government as he was appointed as a cabinet minister and also made the Convenor of the NEDA making him the de facto boss within the political alliance that the BJP-led-NDA had in the Northeast.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma held several portfolios (both state and cabinet) such as Minister of State for Agriculture, Planning & Development, Finance, Health, Education, and Assam Accord Implementation from 2002 to 2021

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During his tenure, more than 50,000 teachers were appointed for the first time through TET after he abolished the system of interviews

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Not just politics, but Himanta Biswa Sarma is also someone who has keen interest in sports and has been associated with sports associations.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma, over the last few years, has emerged as a poster boy for Hindutva politics all over the country. His strong stand on several controversial issues has won a huge fan following among the right-wing lobby across India, while making him a figure of controversy and speculation as well.

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Since 2021, Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Minister of Assam has marked a place for himself, not just in the politics of Assam, but on the national arena as well. In 2023, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma penned his first book titled “Chief Minister’s Diary” as the CM