Remembering Shri Nagendra Jamatia: A Trailblazer in Politics and Literature
Agartala, May 22: Today marks the birth anniversary of Late Shri Nagendra Jamatia, a visionary leader, prolific writer, and one of the foremost champions of Indigenous identity and Kok Borok literature in Tripura. Born in the modest village of Totakami, now under Gomati District, Shri Jamatia’s life is a testament to resilience, intellect, and cultural pride.
The third child of a poor farming family, his journey from the paddy fields of Totakami to the legislative corridors of Tripura is both inspiring and emblematic of his generation’s struggles. His mother, Late Smt. Gandhi Kanya Jamatia, though illiterate, was a revered storyteller in the village a living library in the pre-television era. Her tales, laced with wisdom and wit, made her a beloved grandmother figure not just to her family, but to every child in the neighbourhood.
His wife received the award on behalf of Nagendra Jamatia on Kokborok Day, 2018
His father, Late Shri Mohan Chandra Jamatia, was a hardworking and fiercely independent man, known for his fiery temperament. Villagers affectionately recalled him with the Kok Borok term “khechwra,” often used to describe those with a short temper. Even in his twilight years, with fading eyesight, he retained his spirit cooking simple delicacies like gudak and mosodeng to enjoy with warm rice.
Shri Nagendra Jamatia inherited both his mother’s literary acumen and his father’s fiery spirit. He began his education at Hadrai School and later studied at the esteemed Ramesh School in Udaipur, where he was deeply influenced by the legendary educator Late Shri Dhiren Datta. It was Datta’s mentorship that helped shape his early social and political consciousness.
A graduate of Maharaja Bir Bikram College (MBB), Agartala, Shri Jamatia’s activism began in earnest during his college days. He became the first General Secretary of the Tripura Students’ Federation (TSF), the state’s first powerful Indigenous student association. Under his leadership, the TSF became a platform for asserting the political and cultural rights of the Indigenous communities of Tripura.
He went on to serve five terms as the MLA from Ompi constituency, distinguishing himself not only as a political leader but also as a thinker and writer. Shri Jamatia’s literary contributions in Kok Borok stand as a lasting legacy his passion for the language and culture evident in every piece he wrote. His works continue to inspire a new generation of writers, scholars, and readers.
While political recognition may ebb and flow with changing governments, his place in the hearts of Kok Borok literature lovers remains eternal. As Tripura remembers Shri Nagendra Jamatia today, it honours not just a former minister and statesman, but a cultural icon whose words and ideas continue to resonate deeply within the Indigenous conscience of the state.
(Source: Kahamnok Jamatia)
