The Assamese Community of North America mourns with rest of the world the passing away of Hemen Barooah, Assam’s illustrious son
Hemendra Prasad Barooah, the doyen of the State’s tea industry is no more (Assam Tribune, July 31, 2013).

Once late Dr. Bhupen Hazarika wrote, “Hemen—my close friend, a perfect synthesis of Eastern orientation and Western education. I can draw a parallel to our lives in more ways than one. He and I are products of the same era. Both of us were born in Assam in the same year, 1926, both had a very similar schooling and family up-bringing, both were exposed to University life outside Assam simultaneously, he at Calcutta Presidency College and me at the Benares Hindu University. Both of us went to the United States of America for higher education during the same period, entering prestigious Ivy League colleges, he at Harvard University, Boston for his MBA, me at Columbia University, New York for my Ph.D in Mass Communication. ………..”

After returning to India, Mr. Barooah quickly got involved with the family business and rapidly expanded his empire from two tea estates, producing 3 lakh kgs, to 10 estates as it stands today with 6 million kgs of production. His Company Barooah & Associates (B&A) Limited (erstwhile B&A Plantations & Industries Limited) was the first company owned by an Assamese to go public and be listed in the stock exchanges of Kolkata, Mumbai and Guwahati.

He diversified his product portfolio into other areas like tea broking with the incorporation of the first broking firm to be registered with Guwahati Tea Auction Centre - Assam Tea Brokers. Mr. Barooah played a pivotal role in the setting up of the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre. He also set up the pioneering packaging unit of the country — B&A Packaging India Limited.

His more recent endeavors include Heritage North East, which provides a boutique heritage hospitality chain by stringing together four heritage properties. He also set up the Kaziranga Golf Resort at Jorhat, which was conceived as a premium, futuristic abode for spending a holiday in a colonial Tea environment.

Mr. Barooah instituted in 1980 The Kamal Kumari Barooah Foundation in memory of his mother Late Kamal Kumari Barooah. This foundation earned widespread acclamation for its charitable activities and it instituted annual national awards in the fields of science and technology and art and culture. It has also been conferring the Siva Prasad Barooah National Award for Journalism and the Amit Barooah Award for Young Artists in memory of Mr. Barooah’s father Late Siva Prasad Barooah and Mr. Barooah’s son Late Amit Barooah respectively.

Mr. Barooah held the post of director of the State Bank of India for 11 years. He also held the posts of director of the Assam Financial Corporation, chairman of the Tea Research Association, chairman of the Indian Tea Association, president, Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Director of the Indian Airlines, Director of Assam Industrial Development Corporation, Member Central Advisory Council for Industries, Government of India.

The North Eastern Tea Association presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to him in 2007 the Association also conferred the Tea Doyen title on him in the same year. The Confederation of Indian Industry conferred on him the Visionary Business Leader – Assam title in 2010, the KC Das Commerce College presented the National Achiever Award 2010 to him. In 2011, he was felicitated by the Tea Research Association and in 2012 the Assam Cultural Trust also felicitated him. That year, he was presented the Journalist Kamala Saikia Memorial Trust Award. He was conferred the degree of Doctor of Science (Honorius Causa) the same year by the Assam Agricultural University. The Government of India conferred on him Padmashree in 2013.

Late Dr. Hemendra Prasad Barooah is first cousin of Mr. Nikhil Baruah, Columbus, OH. May his soul rest in peace!