from assam tribune of 07/07/07
Move to resurrect Lt Col Boras memories
By Ajit Patowary
GUWAHATI, July 6 Lt Col Sivram Bora was recognized as a medical genius
during his lifetime. He has left behind a rich legacy. But, the people of his
native place are oblivious of all these. However, one of his great grandsons
has come forward to resurrect his memories by sponsoring a research project.
Bora, the first Assamese MB from Glasgow University, who qualified for the
Imperial Medical Service (IMS) in 1874, is argued to be the first Indian to
qualify for this service.
The recent move to resurrect his memories started with an article by noted
writer Kumudeswar Hazarika. It was published in The Assam Tribune on March 27
last. It so moved his great grandson Rahul Roy, a former president of the
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, that he rushed to the city to meet
Hazarika. Hazarika also has an Assamese article on Lt Colonel Bora in one of
his books Chaiydha Goraki Bisistha Asomiya: Smritir Surabhi.
Rahul Roy wrote to Hazarika later,
I have grown up hearing stories about Lt
Col Sivaram Borah from one of his most beloved daughters, my grandmother
Your
research has opened the door to Alibabas cave for me and I am intrigued with
the unfathomed treasures within it
According to Hazarika, Bora was born on September 19, 1847 in North Guwahati.
His uncle Bolram Bora brought him up. He was admitted to Gauhati English School
todays Cotton Collegiate H S School. His classmates there included first
Assamese civilian Anundoram Barua and the first Assamese MD from London Col
Jalnur Ali Ahmed. The latter was the father of Late Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.
After passing the Entrance Examination in 1865, Bora proceeded to Calcutta
along with Anundoram Barua and Jalnur Ali Ahmed for higher studies and enrolled
himself in Calcutta Medical College.
Later, he was rewarded for his services to the Indian tea labourers on a sea
voyage to Mauritius as an attending doctor and was sent to London for higher
studies by the British authorities.
According to Rahul Roy, Lt Col Bora married Ursula Ujjawala Banerjee, one of
the 15 daughters of Mathilda Martha Griffiths, an Irish-Welsh lady and Rev
Taracharan Banerjee who was the uncle of WC Banerjee, the first president of
the Indian National Congress.
Bora, who later became a Lieutenant Colonel, had a sonDr Surendranath Bora. He
was a famous physician. Sushil Bora, Dr Surendranath Bora and Kunjalata
Bordolois son, is now living at Dibrugarh as a retired Superintendent of Assam
Police, Roy wrote to Hazarika.
Hazarika said, Lt Col Bora served in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Madras
Province, and as Civil Surgeon in the Naga Hills, at Guwahati, Tezpur and
Silchar. At Silchar he was in dual charge of the Civil Surgeon and Jail
Superintendent. After his retirement he moved to Calcutta for his childrens
education. Hazarika said that Bora had married a Christian girl while in Naga
Hills (now Nagaland).
Bora had a bungalow in Calcutta (now Kolkata) known as Borah villa. It has
fallen to the hands of the vagrants, said Rahul Roy.
Hazarika said, Lt Col Bora had donated a plot of his land for the establishment
of the citys Navagraha crematorium. He also owned a tea estate at Raraiya near
Jorhat.
Rahul Roy is willing to finance a research project on Bora. He has written to
Hazarika, Lt Col Bora rose from nowhere to conquer his destiny. In my humble
way, I have also in life risen from nowhere to become the youngest ever
president of a major professional institute in the world. I am reputed within
my community
I feel that this was only possible because of the blood of great
people like Lt Col Sivaram Borah and others in my veins. I will love to
resurrect his memory at least in the mind of the Assamese people whom he loved
so much
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