A museum named after late Malbhog Baruah – the proprietor of Rajabheta Tea Estate, Dibrugarh – was inaugurated in Dibrugarh University by noted litterateur and former Asom Sahitya Sabha president Prof Nagen Saikia at a solemn function on Saturday evening at Dibrugarh University.
The building, which was constructed by the family of Malbhog Baruah in 1889, was acquired by Dibrugarh University authority in 1966 to establish the University campus.
The building was the official residence and the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University and later it housed the office of the Registrar, Inspector of Colleges and the Distance Education Centre of the University at various points of time.
Over the years, the building remained abandoned and was in a state of dilapidation. The University authority has recently transformed the old building after renovation into a museum, aptly dedicated to the memory of late Malbhog Baruah as the ‘Malbhog Baruah Sangrahalay’.
Malbhog Baruah, who had a vision, did hard work in establishing the Rajabheta Tea Estate and a few more estates later in great competition with the British.
A good number of members of the civil society of Dibrugarh, members of the family of Malbhog Baruah, teachers and officers of Dibrugarh University attended the inaugural function.
Professor Nagen Saikia applauded the initiative of the University in preserving the heritage building of the University.
In his brief address, Professor Alak K Buragohain paid rich tribute to late Malbhog Baruah and mentioned the importance of museum as a powerful tool of education.
Jinti Aggarwal Baruah, a member of the illustrious Baruah family, addressed the gathering with reminiscences of her great grandfather and profusely thanked the initiative of the University.
