29.Education Development and the Spread of Higher Education in Bam: Dr. Shaharul Islam Chowdhury

 

During the Cachari princely rule, modern education did not exist in Cachar. The society was agrarian. The barter system dominated the economy. Education was mainly limited to religious education provided by Muslims through madrasas and by Hindus in tols (traditional schools). The introduction of modern education through the school system in Cachar began only in 1863 with the establishment of the Silchar High Grammar School, later the Silchar Government Boys' High School. However, only a small number of local students from Cachar attended this school. According to available records, in 1885-86, out of 164 students at Silchar Government Boys' High School, only 22 were local students from Cachar – including both Hindus and Muslims. This indicates the low level of education among the indigenous people of Cachar (including present-day Hailakandi district) living in rural areas during the second half of the nineteenth century.

The history of the development of modern education in rural Cachar can be considered an interesting chapter. It is unknown whether any researcher has conducted such research. However, a case study of the expansion of modern education in the Bam region of South Cachar can provide an indication of the development of modern education in rural Cachar.

Land settlement in Bam began after 1885. Once Bam was opened for new settlements, people from different parts of the then Cachar district (including Hailakandi) came to Bam and settled there. Being a new settlement, the people of Bam had to start everything from scratch. The people of Bam did not wait long in the education sector. School education in Bam began in 1895 with the establishment of three lower primary schools.

 

At that time, there was no Middle English school in Bam. The nearest school was the Silchar Government Boys' High School, which was 23 kilometres away from the northern border of Bam. There was no road connectivity. The mode of transport was bullock carts. Therefore, education beyond the lower primary level was almost impossible for the students of Bam. In 1922, through the pioneering efforts of Krishnachandra Barman of Sadagram, Krishnajivan Purkayastha of Mahadevpur, and Krishnadhan Barman of Jivangram, and with the financial contribution of Nityananda Barman, the Bam Nityananda ME School was established near the present-day Dhalai market, on the border of Sadagram and Lantugram. Shri Manikya Chandra Nath Lasker was appointed as the first headmaster of the newly established Bam Nityananda ME School.

The Bam Nityananda ME School was upgraded to a high school in 1938, a long gap of 75 years after the establishment of Silchar Government High School in 1863. Bam Nityananda High School became one of the three oldest high schools in rural Cachar. Gradually, school education became popular, and students from South Bam started coming to the school, travelling distances of 15-20 kilometres.

Bam Bidyapeeth High School, located in Bhagabazar, is another major high school in South Bam that, like Bam Nityananda Multipurpose High School, has enlightened Bam with modern education. Starting as Bhagabazar ME School in 1952, it was upgraded to a high school in 1958. Mohiuddin Ahmed from Kazidahar village joined as the headmaster in 1958. He was the founding headmaster of Bam Vidyapeeth High School.

 

The role of Bam Nityananda Multipurpose High School and Bam Vidyapeeth High School in shaping the destiny of Bam in the field of education is immense. Without Bam Nityananda Multipurpose High School and Bam Vidyapeeth High School, Bam could not have become an educationally advanced region. The multiplier effect of the education provided by these schools for more than half a century is significant. Following in the footsteps of these two institutions, other schools have been established to make secondary education easily accessible to every student in the village. Including these two institutions, currently, Bam has 18 high schools, senior secondary schools, and one degree college. On average, there is one high school for every 1000 families in Bam.

The success of any school is measured by the achievements of its alumni and the extent of its influence on the socio-cultural life of the community. Many alumni of Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School and Bam Vidyapeeth High School have pursued higher education and made significant contributions in various fields at the state, national, and international levels. Furthermore, the influence of these two schools on the socio-cultural life of Bam is immense.

Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School and Bam Vidyapeeth High School have numerous alumni. Brief biographies of some of these alumni are given below.

 

Golap Sinha: Golap Sinha of Rajnagar in the Jatraput Pargana (later a resident of Pakoi Par) passed the sixth grade from Bam Nityananda ME School before it was upgraded to a high school in 1938. After passing from Bam Nityananda ME School, he joined Silchar Government Boys' High School and matriculated in the first division from there in 1935. He then obtained a BA degree from MC College, Sylhet in 1940 and joined Bam Nityananda High School as an assistant headmaster on March 15, 1940.

 

In his career, he obtained a BT degree from Gauhati University in 1952-53 and a Diploma in Physical Education from YMCA College of Physical Education, Madras in 1949. Golap Sinha was a brilliant student. Golap Sinha and Manikya Chandra Nath Laskar together successfully established Bam Nityananda High School as a leading school in Cachar district. After Manikya Chandra Nath Laskar's retirement in 1960, Golap Sinha became the headmaster and served in this position until 01/09/1978, becoming the longest-serving headmaster besides Manikya Chandra Nath Laskar. He was a pioneer in art, music, and sports. He passed away on August 25, 1997.

Rajmani Nath: Rajmani Nath, hailing from Panibhara, studied up to class VI at Bam Nityananda ME School before it was upgraded to a high school in 1938 and matriculated from Silchar Government Boys' High School. He completed his BA with honors and served briefly as a teacher at Bam Nityananda High School in 1939 before joining the Cooperative Department as an officer. He served in the Cooperative Department of the Government of Assam and retired as the Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Assam in 1973. He has passed away.

Nandamohan Barman: A resident of Jarailtala Bhagabazar. In 1944, he passed his Higher Secondary examination with a letter in Science from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School. Later, he graduated with honors and joined as an ACS officer. In 1978, he served as the Secretary of the North Cachar Hills District Council. He retired in 1986 and lived in Goalpara after retirement. He passed away in 2015.

Ramkumar Das: An alumnus of Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. A resident of Debipur, Dholai. He matriculated from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School around 1947. He was a highly educated person from the Bam region. When higher education was in its initial stages in Cachar, he was studying at the London School of Economics and, after completing his higher education, joined Cotton College as an assistant professor. Then, in 1960, he was appointed as the Deputy Inspector of Schools in Cachar district. He also served as the Principal of Cotton College in 1986-87. After that, he worked as an economic advisor to the Government of Assam.

Hiranmoy Nath: One of the prominent educationists. He passed his matriculation in 1948 from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School with distinction in two subjects. Later, he completed his M.Sc. in Physics and worked with distinction as an assistant professor at Karimganj College.

Alauddin Chowdhury – Alauddin Chowdhury was a resident of Jamalpur, Bhagabazar. He passed his higher secondary examination from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1948 and graduated in Arts from Silchar GC College in 1953. He joined the administrative department of the Gauhati High Court and retired after being promoted to the post of Deputy Registrar. After retirement, he joined the North-East Judicial Academy as Secretary and Administrative Officer and continued working there until he died in 2002.

Dwijendralal Purkayastha: He was born in Mahadevpur in 1930. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1948. He enrolled in Cotton College, Guwahati for higher education. While studying there, he joined the Indian Army. He received a medal for his meritorious service in the army. In 1960-61, he worked at the Indian Embassy in Rangoon. He retired from the Indian Army in 1979 and settled in Delhi.

 

Manmohan Sikdar: Manmohan Sikdar passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1948. Sikdar passed his IA from GC College and served as a teacher at Hawaithang High School in the 1950s. He passed his B.A. as a teacher candidate in 1956 and served as a teacher at Bam Nityananda High School. He joined the NF Railway in Maligaon in 1957 as an Upper Division Clerk and retired as a Senior Audit Officer from the Indian Railways in 1990. He lived in Bongaigaon and passed away in 2022.

Paresh Chandra Nath:Paresh Chandra Nath of Dulalgram passed his Matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1949. He passed his I.Sc from Cotton College in 1951 and his BSc from Surendranath College in 1953. In late 1953, he went to London and joined Air Service Training under the UK Air University for a Flight Navigation course. After completing the Flight Navigation course, he returned to Mumbai in 1955 and joined Air India International as a navigator. As a flight navigator for Air India for 20 years, he logged more than 14,000 hours of flight duty across 36 countries worldwide. After a long 35-year career with Air India, he retired and lived in London, Mumbai, and his ancestral village of Dulalgram in Bam. He is one of the few alumni of BNMP School who, despite his great success, remained connected to his birthplace and various NGOs. He married Sushanta Nath, the youngest child of Shri Manikya Nath Lasker, the founding headmaster of BNMP School. All four of their children are well-established. The eldest son, Purnendu Nath, lives in Mumbai and is a symbol of academic excellence – he holds a Master's degree in Engineering from Cambridge and a Master's and PhD in Finance from Oxford University, in addition to a degree in Actuarial Accounting.

Musleh Uddin Chowdhury: Musleh Uddin Chowdhury is known as the first highly educated person from the Muslim community of the Bam region. He was a resident of Bhagabazar. He passed his Matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1949. He passed his BA from Silchar Gurucharan College in 1956 and his MA from Gauhati University in 1959. In 1959, he joined Sonai Nitya Gopal High School as an assistant teacher. While in service, he completed his BT degree and was later promoted to Principal of the same institution in 1982. He retired in 1992. He passed away in 2003. Namdev Sinha: Namdev Sinha of Bekirpar passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda High School in 1950. Later, he completed his BA (Honours) and MA degrees and served as an Assistant Professor at Haflong Government College.

 

Dr. Dilip Kumar Purkayastha: He was a resident of Mahadevpur Dhalai. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1952.  He then passed his I.Sc. from Cotton College and subsequently obtained his MBBS degree from Dibrugarh Medical College. In 1960, he joined the Health Department of the Government of Assam and worked in various places across Assam.

 

Pulakeshi Sinha: He was a resident of the Bekirpar area. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda School around 1952. Later, he completed his MA and LLB degrees and started his career as a lawyer, becoming a member of the Silchar Bar Council. He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Dhalai constituency from 1962-1967.

 

Jatindra Nath Laskar: He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1953. He was a resident of Panibhara. After completing his MA and BT degrees, he joined Silchar BT College as a lecturer and later retired after teaching there for a long time.

Karunamoy Nath Laskar: Karunamoy Nath, son of Manickya Chandra Nath, the founding headmaster of Bam Nityananda Multipurpose High School, passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1953. He completed his BA from Cotton College and served as a teacher at Bam Nityananda Multipurpose High School, also obtaining a BT degree. He retired after serving as the acting principal of Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School.

 

Bimal Sinha: Bimal Sinha of Bekirpar passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School around 1953. He obtained his BSc from GC College and his MSc from Gauhati University, joining GC College as a lecturer and later retiring as the principal. Harendra Barman: He passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in approximately 1955.  He subsequently passed his B.A. and joined the Labour Department. Later in life, he retired as an Assistant Labour Commissioner.

 

Dinendra Purkayastha: Dinendra Purkayastha is from Mahadevpur. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1955 and his B.V.Sc. from Assam Veterinary College, Guwahati in 1959. After obtaining his degree, he served as an Extension Officer in the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department. He also served as an Assistant Veterinary Surgeon in the same department and as a lecturer at Gungoor Veterinary School, Silchar in 1972. He was promoted to the post of District Veterinary Officer in 1990. In 1993, he was promoted to the post of Joint Director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department. He retired in 1996. Dr. Purkayastha currently resides on Vivekananda Road, Silchar.

 

Sushil Sinha: He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1955. Later, he passed his M.A. and B.T. and worked with distinction as the principal of Kohima B.Ed. College, from where he retired.

Bhubanjoy Barman: Bhubanjoy Barman of Sadagram passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Secondary School in 1956 and after passing his B.A., served as a Block Primary Education Officer and subsequently retired.

 

 Bani Kumar Sinha: Bani Kumar Sinha of Bekirpar passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda High School in approximately 1956. He earned his MSc from Delhi University and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. He served as a professor of Operations Management at IIM Calcutta and was an Emeritus Professor at IIM Calcutta. He passed away in the United States in 2022.

 

Nikhil Baran Das: He was a resident of Mahadevpur. He passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda High School in 1956. Later, he completed his MA and joined the service as an ACS officer. After serving for some time as the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Cachar district, he retired. Before joining the ACS, he worked as a subject teacher at Bam Nityananda High School.

Adhar Chandra Barman: Adhar Chandra Barman of Gazalghat passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda High School in 1956 and worked in the Assam Forest Department, retiring as an Assistant Conservator of Forests.

 

Dr. Dinesh Chandra Nath: He was a resident of Malugram. He passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda High School in 1956. Later in life, he obtained a BVSc degree from Guwahati Veterinary College and joined the Animal Husbandry Department of the Government of Assam, retiring as a Joint Director in the same department.

 

Jayprasad Goala: He was a resident of Suktala Rakhal Tila. He passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda High School in 1957. Later, he completed his MA (double) and joined Bam Nityananda Multipurpose High School as a subject teacher. He passed away after his retirement.

Kalachand Sinha: Kalachand Sinha was born in Ramprasadpur. He passed his matriculation examination from Bam Nityananda High School in 1958. He later completed his MA and served as a subject teacher at the same school before retiring. Deendayal Purkayastha: Deendayal Purkayastha of Mahadevpur passed his matriculation in 1957 from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School and enrolled in St. Edmund's College in Shillong, where he studied until 1960. He passed his BA from GC College in 1961. He joined Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School as an assistant teacher in 1962. In 1991, he was promoted to Vice Principal and in 1994, he was appointed as the acting Principal, a position he held until his retirement in 1999. He resides in Mahadevpur village.

 

Digendra Chandra Purkayastha: He was born in Mahadevpur in 1937. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1953. He passed his BA from Pragjyoti College, Guwahati in 1958. He passed his MA in Political Science from Gauhati University in 1961. Later, he passed his LLB from AK Chanda Law College, Silchar. In 1962, he joined as the headmaster of Hawaithang High School. From 1972 to 1978, he played a strong role as a Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly. Besides this, he worked selflessly with other service-oriented organizations.

 

Ganendra Chakraborty: He was a resident of Sadagram Dhalai Bazar. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1958. Later, he passed his MA and BT and worked in the education department in Tripura, where he was promoted to the post of Assistant Director before retiring.

 

 

Dr Parimal Shekhar Das: He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1958. He passed his BVSc from Assam Veterinary College in 1965. In the same year, he joined as an Assistant Veterinary Surgeon and worked in various places in Assam. In 1987, he was promoted to District Veterinary Officer of Cachar. He retired in 2001. He currently resides on Kanakpur Road.

 

Mahananda Roy: Mahananda Roy was born in Sada village, Dholai. He began his educational journey from his birthplace. He passed his higher secondary examination from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School. Later, he completed his MSc and taught at the same school until his retirement.

 

Suniti Kumar Barman: Coming from Gazalghat, he passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1958 and pursued higher education. He served as the District Adult Education Officer and retired in 1999.

 

Dr. Harendra Biswas: Dr. Harendra Biswas was a resident of Gazalghat. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1958. Later, he obtained an MBBS degree in medical science and joined the Health Department of the Government of India. He was later promoted to the post of Assistant Director and retired.

Dr. Vivekananda Das: Dr. Vivekananda Das of Frenchnagar passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1958 (approximately) and joined the first batch of Silchar Medical College in 1960. He passed his MBBS and worked in Tripura, from where he retired. His detailed life story is not available.

Gadadhar Barman: Gadadhar Barman, a resident of Sheorartal, passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1959. He later obtained a BA degree and worked in the education department, retiring as a School DI (District Inspector). Earlier, he had served as a teacher at Hawaithang High School. Sadullah Chowdhury: A resident of Rajghat, he studied at Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School from class five to ten and passed his matriculation from Sonai Nitya Gopal Higher Secondary School in 1960. Subsequently, he completed his MA and BT degrees and worked as a teacher at Silchar Government Higher Secondary School, Karimganj Government Higher Secondary School, Hailakandi VM Government School, Bam Higher Secondary School, and Silchar Normal School. He also held other high-ranking positions in the education department and performed important duties. Finally, he retired in 1999 after working as a senior professor at Udharband DIET.

Dinabandhu Purkayastha: He was a resident of Mahadevpur. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School in 1960. He then passed his ISc from St. Edmund's College in Shillong. After that, he passed his BSc (Agri) from Assam Agricultural University and joined the Assam Government's Agriculture Department as an Agricultural Extension Officer in 1967, working in various parts of Assam. Later, he was promoted to the post of Additional Director and retired in 2002.

Rabijul Ali Laskar: Rabijul Ali Laskar of Bangram passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1960. After graduating from GC College, he passed his LLB from Arun Chandra Law College and joined the Silchar Bar. He soon entered electoral politics and was elected as a councilor from Bhagabazar GP. He died prematurely in a road accident in 1976, leaving behind a promising legal career and public life unfinished.

Jaykishore Barabhuiya: He was a resident of Mahadevpur. In 1961, he passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School. After completing his BA, he joined the Indian Postal Department and retired from Silchar after working as a Senior Superintendent.

Kalpataru Nath: Kalpataru Nath of Dulalgram passed his matriculation examination in 1961 from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School. He later passed his BA and BT degrees and served as a teacher at Swarna Lakshmi High School, Narsinghpur, retiring as the school's principal.

 

Dr. Anjali Biswas: In 1961, she passed her matriculation from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. She was a resident of Dhalai Bazar. Later, she obtained her MBBS degree in medicine, which was a significant inspiration for women's education at that time.

Nishikanta Laskar: Nishikanta Laskar of Mahadevpur passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School in 1962 and his Pre-University from Cachar College, Silchar in 1963. He got a job in 1964. In 1966, he passed his BA from St. Anthony's College, Shillong. In Shillong, he served as a Lower Division Assistant and then as an Upper Division Assistant. In 1971, he joined the Assam Subordinate Accounts Service in Guwahati. He then joined the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Service and worked in districts including Tuting, bordering China. In 1995, he was transferred to the Civil Secretariat, Itanagar, and in 1996 to Raj Bhavan, Itanagar. He joined the Census Organization under the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2000 and was appointed as the Director of Census Operations for Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, successfully conducting the census in both states in 2001. During this period, he was a member of various committees.

He worked for Donyi-Polo, a lesser-known religion practiced by the Adis of Arunachal Pradesh, and Songsurek, another lesser-known religion practiced by the Garos in Meghalaya. He also served as the CRS Coordinator for the North-Eastern states of India under the Registrar General of India. He retired in 2004. After retirement, he became involved in social service and participated in social activities such as birth and death registration, awareness about children's health, child rights, AIDS, environmental protection of forests and wildlife, and tree plantation. He was the editor of the first issue of "Bamsri," the Bam Nityananda High School magazine, published in 1961.

Jugendra Chandra Barman: He is a resident of Gazalghat. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1962. Later, after completing his BA, he joined the school as a teacher and served as the acting principal before retiring in 2007.

Jiauddin Chowdhury: Jiauddin Chowdhury is a resident of Bhagabazar-Rajghat. He was a student of the first batch of Bam Bidyapeeth when it was established in 1958. Later, after passing the eighth grade from BNMP, he enrolled in the ninth grade at Sonai Nityagopal High School and passed his matriculation in the first division in 1963. He obtained a BA degree with honors in Economics from Gurucharan College, Silchar in 1968. Subsequently, he obtained MA and LLB degrees in Economics from Gauhati University. He worked in the Assam Cooperative Department and retired from a high position in the department in 2007. Since his retirement, he has been engaged in various social services. His established Hafsa Foundation for Social Advancement is a well-established non-governmental social voluntary organisation engaged in spreading education and social tree plantation in the Bam region. The foundation's activities can be seen at www.hafsafoundation.in.

Nalini Kanta Sinha: He is a resident of the Bekirpar area. He passed his higher secondary examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1966. He passed his BA Honors from DM College and his MA from Gauhati University in 1972. After completing his MA, he taught at Adharchand Secondary School and Narsing Higher Secondary School in Silchar. In 1975, he joined PM College in Aizawl as a professor and, after obtaining a PhD degree from NEHU, joined the geography department of the same university in 2004. In 2012, Nalini Kanta Sinha retired as an Associate Professor. He currently lives in Guwahati.

Indrakumar Sinha: Indrakumar Sinha is a resident of Bekirpar. In 1967, he passed his HS (Higher Secondary) examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. Later, he completed his BSc and joined the Indian Meteorological Department. He retired from Borjhar.

 

Ashik Uddin Majumdar: He is a resident of Hawaithang village. In 1968, he passed his HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) examination from Bhagabazar Bam Vidyapeeth High School. Later, he completed his BA from Silchar GC College. In 1974, he passed his MA in Persian Literature with first class from Aligarh Muslim University. He also obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration and a PGDBM from the same university. In 1974, he joined Hailakandi SS College as an Assistant Professor in the Persian department. Subsequently, he served as the Head of the Department and Acting Principal before retiring. Besides, he conducted research on Persian language and literature and authored many books. His books are used as reference books by school and college students.

Pradip Kumar Das: A resident of Debipur. In 1968, he passed his HS examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. In 1974, he completed his BSc from Shillong. In 1973, he completed his MSc in Botany. Later, in 1975, he joined Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary School as a subject teacher.

 

Biman Bihari Sinha: Biman Bihari Sinha of Bekirpar passed his HS (Higher Secondary) examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in approximately 1968. He completed his MSc in Mathematics from Delhi University. He joined the World Bank and worked in Australia.

Arun Kumar Sinha: He passed his HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1968. Later, he obtained an MA degree in Economics and joined Gauhati Medical College as a lecturer in the Humanities department, from where he retired.

Mukul Ranjan Barman: He hails from Sheorartal. He passed his Matriculation from Hawaithang High School in 1968 and studied at GC College. He started his career at All India Radio in Silchar and retired as an Assistant Director in 2012. After retirement, he dedicated himself to community work. He played a significant role in organizing the centenary celebrations of his village, Sheorartal, in 2016. He was the president of the celebration committee and the editor of the centenary souvenir. He currently lives in Silchar.

 

Nazim Uddin Chowdhury: He is a resident of Rajghat. In 1969, he passed his HSLC (High School Leaving Certificate) from Bam Vidyapeeth High School. In 1970, he passed his PUC (Pre-University Course) from Gurucharan College and completed his BA from the same college in 1973. In 1976, he was appointed as a Persian teacher at Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School and retired in 2015 after serving as the acting principal.

Sudipta Das: Sudipta Das of Mahadebpur passed her HS (Higher Secondary) examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1970. She completed her BSc in English from Lady Keane College, Shillong in 1972. In 1975, she completed her MSc in Chemistry from Gauhati University. She served as a subject teacher at Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1975, then she joined ONGC and retired as a Deputy General Manager from ONGC in Vadodara. She now lives in Vadodara. Dr. Nabendu Das: Dr. Nabendu Das of Mahadevpur passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1970 and his MBBS from Gauhati Medical College in 1981. He served as a medical officer in various places in Arunachal Pradesh. He retired as a Senior Medical Officer in 2011. Dr. Das received the Best Doctor Award from the Indian Medical Association in 2018. He lived in Likabali, West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. He passed away in 2022.

 

Neel Kanta Das: Neel Kanta Das of Mahadevpur passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1971 and his BA from GC College, Silchar in 1975. He joined the Food Corporation of India and worked in various places in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram. He retired as an Assistant General Manager in 2013 and is now involved in social work. He lives on 1st Link Road, Silchar.

Majir Uddin Majumdar: He is a resident of Hawaithang village. He passed his HLCE from Bam Vidyapeeth in 1971. He passed his B.Com from Gurucharan College, Silchar in 1975. In 1976, he completed his M.Com and MBA from Aligarh Muslim University, along with various diploma courses. In 1984, he joined NEEPCO as a Senior Accounts Officer. Progressing through the ranks, he retired as the Executive Director of NEEPCO in 2016.

Nandakishore Sinha: Nandakishore Sinha of Bekirpar initially studied at Bam Nityananda ME School and later joined politics, becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 1952 and 1957.

Kanan Nath Majumdar:

Hailing from Panibhara, she completed her higher secondary education from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1972. She graduated from Janata College and worked as an assistant teacher at Bam Nityananda Multipurpose and Higher Secondary School and Rangpur B. C. Roy Memorial Academy. Later, she joined the Indian Railways. Subsequently, she left her railway job to focus on family responsibilities and literary and cultural activities.

Besides writing for various newspapers and magazines of the Barak Valley, and souvenirs published by various government and private organizations, including "Sharadiya Srihatta Jyoti" and "Annual Katyayani," she is a regular contributor to various issues of the little magazines "Naba Jugantar" published from Kolkata and "Bangadesh" published from Nadia.  She also earned considerable acclaim for editing the Sharadiya magazine titled "Baijayanti". Her novel "Manush Manusher Janya" (Man is for Man) is highly praised in intellectual circles.

Baratuddin Lasker: Baratuddin Lasker of Bangram passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in approximately 1972. He passed his MA in Persian from Aligarh Muslim University in 1979 and joined M.C. Das College in Sonai as an assistant professor, retiring in December 2016.

 

Dr. Ramendu Chowdhury: He is well-known in the Bam region as a physician. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1973. Subsequently, he passed his MBBS and served as a medical officer at Dhalai Hospital for a long time.

 

Dilip Das: A resident of Saptagram, he passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1974. Later, he passed his BSc and joined the Assam Forest Department as an ACF. He gradually progressed and retired after serving as the Chief Conservator of Forests.

Dr. Bidhan Chandra Deb: Dr. Bidhan Chandra Deb passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1974. He completed his MBBS. He practices medicine in Natun Bazar. He is the first doctor from his school.

Kamrul Islam Laskar: He was a resident of Hawaithang village. He passed his HSLC in 1974 from Bam Vidyapeeth High School. Later, he passed his BA from Silchar Gurucharan College, MA from Gauhati University, and BT from Assam University. He worked as an assistant teacher at Bam Vidyapeeth for a long time and then served as the headmaster of the school, retiring in 2017. After retirement, he was elected as a member of the Zilla Parishad of South Dhalai and passed away in 2020.

Faizul Haque Laskar: He was a resident of Channighat. In 1975, he passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School. In 1979, he passed his BA from Silchar Gurucharan College. In 1982, he took charge as the founding headmaster of Silchar Yasin Chowdhury High School. During his service, he passed his B.Ed from Silchar TT College under Assam University. He died in a tragic road accident in 2008.

Jalal Majumdar: Jalal Majumdar of Rajghat passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1975. He joined active politics and held positions in the Indian National Congress party from the local to the state level. He also served one term as the Chairman of the Silchar Development Authority from 2015 to 2020.

Sulekha Dubey: She passed her HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1976. In 1981, she passed her BA from Janata College and BT from TT College and was appointed as a teacher at Bam Vidyapeeth High School. Later, she served as the headmistress and retired in 2020.

Rezamand Ali Barbhuiya: In 1976, he passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School and subsequently passed his BA and LLB, and took up the legal profession at the Silchar Bar. As a left-wing political leader, he was elected as a member of the Zila Parishad (District Council) from the South Dhalai area from 2008 to 2013. He has been serving as a state-level member of the All India Left Front and as the chairman of the Cachar district committee of the All India Kisan Sabha.

Sabir Ahmed Chowdhury: He is a resident of Bhagabazar. He passed his higher secondary examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1976. He completed his B.A. with Honors in English Literature from Silchar Gurucharan College in 1982. He obtained his M.A. in English Literature from Gauhati University in 1986. Subsequently, he joined the English department of Sonai Madhab Chandra Das College as an assistant professor. Later, he was promoted to associate professor, vice-principal, and acting principal of the same college, and retired in 2022. Sabir Ahmed Chowdhury has made significant contributions to the field of education as well as in social service.

Ziauddin Laskar: Ziauddin Laskar from Bangram passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapith High School in 1976, graduated from Cachar College, and completed his M.A. from Allahabad Agricultural University. He is an institution builder and social worker. He is the founding headmaster of the provincialized Haji Mujahid Ali Rural Higher Secondary School established in 2013 in Islamabad, near Bhagabazar.

Bank Bihari Singh: Bank Bihari Singh, who hails from Jibangram, passed his HSLC from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1977 and completed his MSc with a specialization in Entomology and Silkworm Breeding. He began his career at the Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

Abdul Majid Barbhuiya: He is a resident of Bhagabazar. He passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1978. In 1983, he completed his BA from Aligarh Muslim University. In 1987, he obtained his LLB from the same university. He is currently working as a prominent lawyer at the Silchar Bar.

 

Debatosh Nath: Debatosh Nath, hailing from Panibhara, completed his Higher Secondary education from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1979. He earned his BA (Honours) in Economics from Cachar College. He completed his MA in History and Bengali from Gauhati University. He received training in Kathak dance from Pandit Satish Shukla, Pandit Munna Shukla, and Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Debatosh Nath, a shining star in the dance world of the Barak Valley, is equally renowned in the literary world. Besides various writings on music (Kathak, Rabindra Nritya, Tabla), his historical and mystery novels have also won the hearts of readers. His research-based book "Indian Art Practitioners" (three volumes) is soon to be published.

 

Nakul Chandra Biswas: He passed his Higher Secondary examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1980. Later, he passed B.E. from Silchar REC. Subsequently, he joined the Irrigation Department of the Government of Assam and retired after being promoted to Additional Chief Engineer.

 

Diptendu Shekhar Pal: A resident of Dhalaibazar, he passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1981 and joined NEHU, passing his MSc in 1990, securing first position in the first class. He then joined ONGC and retired as a General Manager. He currently lives in Mumbai.

Apu Ranjan Das: Apu Ranjan Das, from Sadagram, passed his HSLC from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1982 and his HS from the same school in 1984. He then completed a diploma in Mechanical Engineering and obtained a B.Tech (Electrical) degree from Rajasthan University. Currently, he is working as a Deputy General Manager at Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, a Maharatna PSU, in Guwahati.

Dr. Surya Kumar Singh: Surya Kumar Singh, from Malugram, passed his HSLC from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1982. He completed his B.Sc. from GC College in 1989, M.Sc. from Gauhati University in 1992, and Ph.D. in Physics from Assam University in 2016, and works as a Selection Grade Lecturer at St. John's HR Secondary School in Kolasib, Mizoram.

Randhir Borbhuiya: A resident of Mahadebpur. He passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1982. Later, he completed his B.E. from Silchar REC (now NIT). He then joined SAIL in Rourkela and worked in various positions, eventually retiring as a Divisional Manager.

Ravidyuti Biswas: He is a resident of Sadagram. Ravidyuti Biswas passed his HSLC from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1982 and Pre-University from GC College. He completed his B.E. from NIT Silchar, M.Tech from IIT Kharagpur, and Ph.D. from IIT Roorkee. He is currently working as a Professor and HOD at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He is one of the many alumni of Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School who have achieved high academic distinction.

Khairul Islam Laskar: He is a resident of Hawaithang village. He passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1983, PUC from Cachar College, Silchar in 1985, and B.A. with Honors from Gurucharan College, Silchar in 1989.  He then completed his M.A. in Political Science from Cotton College under Gauhati University. In 1995, he completed his B.Ed. from Silchar T.T. College under Assam University. In 1993, during the initial phase of the establishment of M.A. Laskar Junior College, he served as the principal of the college for several years. Later, in 1998, he joined the Dholai Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School as a permanent subject teacher of Political Science. He is currently working in the same position.

Sahab Uddin Laskar: Originally from Bongram, Bhagabazar, Sahab Uddin Laskar passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1983 and obtained his BA degree with Honors from Janata College in 1991. Subsequently, in 2002, he received a diploma in Production from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

Laskar began his career as the headmaster of Kokaipunji M.E. School in Tilanagar. He then joined Doordarshan Kendra Silchar as a Production Assistant. Due to his exceptional skills and dedication, he was promoted to the position of Program Executive in 2013.

In November 2020, Laskar joined DD Assam in Guwahati as a Program Executive, where he is responsible for DD News and various productions. In his illustrious career, he has produced numerous documentaries, telefilms, sports events, and special programs.

Laskar's parents, the late Haji Shafi Uddin Laskar and Khudeja Begum Laskar, instilled in him the values ​​of hard work and dedication. His success continues to serve as an inspiration for aspiring broadcasting professionals from Bam.

Ziauddin Laskar: He is a resident of Vidyaratnapur. He passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1983. He passed his BA from Gurucharan College, Silchar in 1988. He passed his MA from Aligarh Muslim University in 1993 and subsequently obtained an LLB degree from Arun Chandra Law College. Currently, he is working as a lawyer and notary in the Silchar Bar Association.

Sajjadul Haque Chowdhury:Sajjadul Haque Chowdhury was born in Bon Gram, Bhagabazar. His father was Maulana Faizul Haque Chowdhury, who was a Persian teacher at Bam Vidyapeeth High School and later retired as its headmaster. Sajjadul Haque Chowdhury passed his HSLC examination from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1984. He earned his graduate degree from Janata College, Kabuganj, and completed a diploma in Stenography from Srikona ITI. He also obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication (PGJMC) from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

Sajjadul Haque started his career as a translator and has been working in the Information and Public Relations Department of the Government of Assam since 1994. In 2003, he was promoted and appointed as the Information and Public Relations Officer of Lakhipur subdivision in Cachar district. In 2010, he took charge as the District Information and Public Relations Officer in Karimganj district.

By government order, in May 2021, he was given the responsibility of Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations for the Barak Valley region. However, he was relieved of this responsibility in May 2023. Currently, Sajjadul Haque Chowdhury is serving as the District Information and Public Relations Officer of Hailakandi district.

Shamsul Haque Borbhuiya: A resident of Loknathpur. He passed HS from Bam Nityananda Higher Secondary Multipurpose School in 1985. He completed his BSc from SS College. He joined Bam Vidyapeeth High School as an assistant teacher in 1992. During his service, he completed his B.Ed. He was promoted to the position of Headmaster of the school in 2020 and is still serving in the same position.

Dr. Baharul Islam Laskar: He is a resident of Channighat. He passed HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth in 1985. He passed Higher Secondary from Moinul Haque Chowdhury HS School in 1990. Later, he obtained a graduate degree from Aligarh Muslim University and passed MA from the same university in 1997. From 1997 to 2012, he worked as an Assistant and Associate Professor at South Aizawl College in Mizoram. He obtained his PhD degree from Mizoram University in 2009. Currently, he is working as the Principal of Sonai M.C. Das College.

Snehashish Das: Snehashish Das from Debipur passed HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1985 and completed his B.Tech from NIT Kurukshetra. He is currently working as a Senior Director at Fidelity in Mumbai.

Jutika Das: She is a resident of Channighat. She passed HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1986. She completed her BA from Kabuganj Janata College and later obtained an MA degree from Assam University. Currently, she is working as a Bengali language teacher at M.A. Laskar Senior Secondary School.

Kalyan Kumar Das: He was born in Aradhanpur village. He passed HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1986 and Higher Secondary from Silchar Narsing Higher Secondary School. He obtained a BA degree from Silchar Radhamadhab College in 1993 and an MA degree in Economics in 1996. Currently, he is working as a subject teacher at M.A. Laskar Senior Secondary School. Arijit Das: Arijit Das from Mahadevpur passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1986 and completed his BE from REC Silchar (now NIT). He works as an Assistant General Manager at APDCL.

Dr. Saurabh Chowdhury: Hailing from Debipur, he passed his HSLC from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1987 and his HS in 1989. He joined NIT Silchar and obtained his BE (Electrical Engineering) in 1993. He completed his postgraduate studies at IIT Kharagpur, earning an M.Tech (Microelectronics VLSI) degree in 2001 and a PhD from IIT Kharagpur in 2009. He is currently a professor of Electrical Engineering at NIT Silchar. He has been working at NIT Silchar for 27 years.

Raju Gardia: He is a resident of Bhagabazar. He passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1987. Subsequently, he obtained a B.Com and later a CA degree. He is currently working in Kolkata.

Dr. Abdul Hannan Laskar: He is a resident of Rajghat village. He passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth in 1987. He passed his HS from Janata College in 1987. He passed his BA from Silchar GC College in 1989 and his MA from NEHU in 1992. Later, he passed his LLB in 1999 and obtained an M.Phil degree from Madurai University in 2008. He received his PhD degree in 2014. He worked as an Assistant and Associate Professor at Kamla College in Mizoram. Currently, he is serving as the Principal of Saiha College in Mizoram.

Abdul Kuddus Barbhuiya: He is a resident of Bangram, Bhagabazar. He passed his matriculation from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 1987. Later, he enrolled at Aligarh Muslim University for higher education. He passed his Higher Secondary examination from Aligarh Muslim University in 1991. Subsequently, he completed his B.A. in 1994 and M.A. in English Literature in 1996 from the same university. Currently, he is working as an English teacher at M.A. Lasker Senior Secondary School.

Pallab Chowdhury: He passed his Higher Secondary examination in 1988 from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School and subsequently completed his ME (PH & Env). He is currently working as a Scientific Officer at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam (DAE), Tamil Nadu.

Bishnuranjan Dhar: He is a resident of Dhalaibazar. He passed his Higher Secondary examination in 1988 from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. In 1991, he passed his B.A. from Kabuganj Janata College and enrolled at Gauhati University for higher education, where he completed his M.A. in Bengali Literature in 1994. Later, he joined M.A. Lasker Senior Secondary School in Bhagabazar-Rajghat as a Bengali subject teacher. Currently, he is serving as the principal of the said school.

Purnendu Das: Purnendu Das, a resident of Jivangram, passed his HSLC examination in 1988 from Bam Nabakumar High School and joined Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, where he passed his Higher Secondary examination in 2000. Subsequently, he completed his B.Sc. in Mathematics from G.C. College in 2004 and M.Sc. from Assam University in 2006. After clearing GATE, he enrolled in the Ph.D. program at IIT Kanpur. In 2010, he started working as an Assistant Professor at Tripura University. Due to a personal reason, he discontinued his PhD program at IIT Kanpur and enrolled in a PhD program at Tripura University, which he completed in 2016. Meanwhile, he joined Assam University as an Assistant Professor in 2012. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Assam University, Silchar.

 

Himadri Kumar Nath: A resident of Dulalgram, he passed his HSLC in 1989 and HS in 1991 from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. He then joined Jorhat Engineering College and obtained his BE (Civil) degree in 1997. He pursued a career in the Irrigation Department of the Government of Assam and currently holds the position of Assistant Executive Engineer.

 

Roshen Ahmed Barbhuiya: Hailing from Saptagram, he passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1991 and joined NIT (REC) Silchar, earning his BE degree in 1995. He is currently working as a Manager at Shri Gautam Construction Company Limited in Guwahati. In the history of BNMP School, he had achieved the highest number of letter marks in various subjects up to his time.

Shibu Pal: A resident of Bhagbazar, Shibu Pal passed his Higher Secondary examination from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 1994. He obtained a first-class Bachelor's degree with Honors in Chemistry from GC College in 1999 and joined the Indian Railways. Later, he was promoted to the position of Chief Welfare Officer of Indian Railways in Maligaon. However, his promising career came to an abrupt end in an accident on November 26, 2024.

 

 

 

Shirshendu Das: He hails from Jibangram (Bamankhal). After passing his HSLC from Bam Nabakumar High School, he joined Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School and passed his Higher Secondary examination in 2002. He completed his MSc in Computer Science from Assam University in 2007, MTech in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Guwahati in 2010, and received his PhD from IIT Guwahati in 2016. He served as an Assistant Professor at IIT Guwahati from 2015 to 2018 and at IIT Ropar, Punjab, from 2018 to 2022. Currently, he is working as an Assistant Professor in the CSE department at IIT Hyderabad. His research area is Computer Architecture and Hardware, and he has published many research papers. He is an adventure enthusiast and has travelled extensively.

Dr. Saharul Islam Chowdhury: He is a resident of Hawaithang village. He passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapeeth High School in 2006. He passed his Higher Secondary examination from M.A. Lasker Junior College in 2008. Later, he completed his BA with Honors from Gurucharan College, Silchar. He obtained his MA degree from the Persian department of Gauhati University in 2014. He received his PhD degree from the same university in 2020. Currently, he is working as an ad-hoc Assistant Professor at Gurucharan College. He has qualified the UGC-approved NE-SLET examination three times.

 

Dr. Himanshu Mishra: He is a resident of Shantipara, Bekirpar. He passed his HS from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School in 2007. He completed his BSc (Agri) in 2011, MSc (Agri) in 2013, and PhD (Entomology) in 2018 from Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat. Currently, he is working as a Plant Protection Specialist at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Cachar.

 

Yahiya Bakhtiar Lasker: He is a resident of Hawaithang village. He passed the HSLC examination from Bam Vidyapith High School in 2008 and the Higher Secondary examination from Holy Cross School, Silchar. He obtained his BSc degree from Gurucharan College, Silchar, and his MSc and PhD degrees in Biotechnology from Assam University. Currently, he is working as an Assistant Professor in the Zoology Department at Ramanuj Gupta Degree College, Silchar.

Rebati Mohan Sinha: He is a resident of Bekirpar. He passed his matriculation from Bam Nityananda High School. He joined the Indian Air Force and worked as a Naval Engineer, retiring after serving as a Naval Commander.

Nurul Amin Laskar: A resident of Bangram. He passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapith High School and his HS from Bam Nityananda High School, and obtained his BSc degree from St. Edmund's College, Shillong. He then joined Bam Vidyapith High School as a teacher. In 1999, he was promoted to Headmaster of the school and retired in 2010.

Dr. Boni Amin Laskar: Dr. Boni Amin Laskar of Saptagram passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapith. He completed his BSc (Honours) from Cachar College and his MSc from Assam University in 2000. He obtained his PhD in Zoology from Rajiv Gandhi University in 2010. He had a post-doctoral fellowship in Itanagar for over five years. He worked on the DST Fast Track project for young scientists at CDT, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, and subsequently joined the Zoological Survey of India as a Scientist E.

Abdul Jalil Laskar: He was a resident of Jamalpur. Abdul Jalil Laskar passed his HSLC from Bam Vidyapith High School. He obtained a BE degree in Civil Engineering and worked in the Assam PWD, where he was promoted to the post of Executive Engineer. He died prematurely while still in service.

Dipak Ranjan Pal: He is a resident of Dhalaibazar. Bama Nityananda passed his secondary and higher secondary examinations from Bama Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. Later, he completed his M.Sc. and is currently working as a subject teacher at the same school.

Sudipta Khersha: She is a resident of Sadagram. She studied at Bama Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. Later, after completing her M.A., she is working as an assistant professor at Janata College.

 

Nikhil Ranjan Barman: Nikhil Ranjan Barman of Sadagram studied at Bam Nityananda Multipurpose HS School and later passed BA and BT, and retired as the headmaster of Ganganagar High School.

 

Sujoy Barman: Sujoy Barman of Gazalghat studied at Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School and after graduation, joined the health department and retired as the District Assistant Malaria Officer of Cachar.

Binay Bhushan Sinha: He is a resident of the Bekirpar area. He passed his higher secondary from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School. He passed his M.Sc. in Mathematics from Delhi University and worked in the USSR, China, and Indonesia before returning to India. He currently lives in Mumbai.

Manoranjan Das: Manoranjan Das of French Nagar left his village for Guwahati at a young age and studied there as a working student, completing his postgraduate studies, and worked as a professor at a college in Guwahati. His detailed life story is not available.

 

The above are brief descriptions of some notable highly educated personalities who passed their secondary and higher secondary examinations from Bam's school and are or were dedicated to serving society at various levels.

In fact, some renowned educational institutions of the Bam region, carrying the torch of education, are continuously working with the vow to illuminate the entire region with the light of knowledge. Many alumni of these institutions, later receiving higher education from various parts of India, have dedicated themselves to the service of the country. In every field—education, health, science, agriculture, politics, literature, social service—the alumni of these institutions have glorified this region through their competence. Many have also worked in various ways for the development of this region. Currently, many are tirelessly working for the development of the area.

Through their efforts, many primary schools, high schools, junior colleges, and colleges have been established. Currently, in the educational landscape of Bam, 85 primary schools, 14 ME schools, 4 MV schools, 18 high schools, and 1 senior secondary school in the government sector are spreading the light of knowledge.  Besides these, there are many educational institutions in the private sector, including a degree college. Only a few names of alumni from Bam Nityananda Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, Bam Vidyapeeth High School, and Hawaithang High School are mentioned here. Due to time constraints, it was not possible to collect personal information from many individuals, or some did not wish to provide their personal information. I strongly hope that this article will guide future college or university researchers in conducting continuous research on Bam or the expansion of modern education in Bam.

The indifferent attitude of the Muslim community in Bam towards modern education has slowed down its progress. Although modern education was introduced in Bam earlier than in many rural areas of Cachar, the Muslims of Bam could not take advantage of it in the initial stages. They prioritized Madrasa education and established the Darul Faiz Madrasa in Rajghat in 1917, which continues to provide Madrasa education to this day. Bam has a significant Muslim population. However, in the mid-1950s, the number of Muslim students in Bam Nityananda High School was not more than 2% or 3%. Muslims in Bam began to embrace modern education in the early 1950s. If the Muslims of Bam had pursued modern education alongside other communities from the time Bam Nityananda ME School was established, Bam would be much more advanced educationally today.

Note: If any information in this article is distorted or misrepresented, please forgive us and oblige us by providing the correct information.

 

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About the author: Dr. Saharul Islam Chowdhury: He is a resident of Hawaithang village. He completed his BA with Honours from Gurucharan College and obtained his MA degree from the Persian Department of Gauhati University in 2014. He received his PhD degree from the same university in 2020 and is currently working as an ad-hoc Assistant Professor at Gurucharan College.