A few lines on our most esteemed colleague, Sudarshan Gupta, writes Dr. Arundhati Dutta Choudhury

//Dr. Arundhati Dutta Choudhury//

“Because I could not stop for Death
He kindly stopped for me”
— Emily Dickinson

The memory-back pathways narrate only recollections of the past which we crossed in many a crossways of life. Amidst many and sundry acquaintances and known faces, a few remain as never forgetting selves with whom perhaps we grow bonding of unusual order. Sudarshan Gupta, the deceased Head of the Department of History, Radhamadhab College, Silchar, was primarily a colleague of mine who I witnessed in the course of years till the end to become a genuinely benevolent soul which cannot be outlined in any given set of relationship. Sudarshan Gupta was like a younger brother whose blithesome disposition was a constant source of joy in the campus of Radhamadhab College. His very presence was enough to build an air of confidence and trust that led us to execute any strategy, any plan of action be it academic or extra-academic. Such a soul is rare whose instructions we abided by with whole hearted agreement in our Council Meetings or Teachers’ Union forums. A man of unusual foresight and inventive intelligence, Sudarshan was our steering captain who led us through all doubts, crisis and troubles always with triumphant blows, charming wit and skill.

On 14th January, 2023, Sudarshan left us for his heavenly abode, being defeated in the struggle of life and death and immediately we felt a sense of an all-encompassing purposelessness of life. He was a trusted warrior who represented the teaching fraternity of this valley for the last two decades with strength and might. He was the most acclaimed orator in multiple scenarios of socio-cultural platforms with soothing eloquence, he was the organizer of manifold diversities, he was the spokesperson of our views, our promises and so he was felt deeply in us. Though suffering is an individual crisis, the collective pang perceived in his demise has merged all our woes into a common concern.

Sudarshan’s passion for life was tremendous and he lived life to the core even if he had cut short the journey of life all of a sudden. His intense involvement with life’s multitude, with people, the surge of action and functional social presence enlarged his spectrum to an unbounded mass and we have witnessed his growing panorama with all admiration. We were proud of Sudarshan, proud of his versatility, his charismatic spirit and we were delighted to have him amongst us. Keeping all professional acumen, all the glories that he carried being a governing representative of ACTA, Cachar Zone aside, let us today praise the jovial spirit of Sudarshan that never hankered after any allocades, who had never any pride for his superior stratagem or his affairs of negotiations.

Let us remember his presence with an ever innocence note and pray to the Almighty for his eternal peace and rest. Sudarshan wanted to walk miles before his final sleep, he had dreams to reach the summit, he had plans for our college, he had mottoes unrevealed and yet he had to stop, as we all shall have to, in front of the super signal of Time, the allotted course of destiny. We shall remain ever mournful for such a stupendous loss and gravely recollect the fond memories of Sudarshan which are now our only treasure.

(Dr. Arundhati Dutta Choudhury is the Head of the Deptt. Of English, Radhamadhab College, Silchar)