Silchar, Assam: Former Union Minister and revered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart, Shri Kabindra Purkayastha, celebrated his 94th birthday today, December 15th. The occasion was marked by warm wishes and a personal visit from a current member of the Assam Cabinet, underscoring the veteran leader’s enduring influence in the Barak Valley and state politics.
Minister Kaushik Rai Visits and Seeks Advice
Assam Minister for Food, Public Distribution & Consumer Affairs, Mines and Minerals, and Barak Valley Development, Shri Kaushik Rai, personally visited Shri Purkayastha at his residence this morning to offer his birthday greetings.
Minister Rai highlighted the significance of the veteran leader’s guidance in a social media post, stating:
“আজ প্রাক্তন কেন্দ্রীয় মন্ত্রী ও বিজেপির বরিষ্ঠ নেতা শ্রী কবীন্দ্র পুরকায়স্থ মহাশয়ের বাসভবনে গিয়ে উনাকে জন্মদিনের শুভেচ্ছা জানাই এবং উনার আশীর্বাদ গ্রহণ করি। উনার সুস্বাস্থ্য ও দীর্ঘায়ু কামনা করি। উনার উপদেশ আমাদের জন্য চির প্রেরণার উৎস।”
(Translation: “Today morning, I visited the residence of former Central Minister and senior BJP leader Shri Kabindra Purkayastha to wish him on his birthday and receive his blessings. I pray for his good health and long life. His advice is a source of eternal inspiration for us.”)
A Pillar of the BJP in Assam: A Life of Service
Shri Kabindra Purkayastha was born on December 15, 1931, in Kamarkhal, Sylhet district (now in Bangladesh). Having witnessed a crucial period of history, his decades of public service have established him as one of the most respected figures in the BJP’s history in Assam. His career is distinguished by several key contributions:
- Former Union Minister: He held the crucial position of Minister of State for Communication in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1998 to 1999, a period that laid significant groundwork for India’s technological advancement.
- Multiple Term MP: Shri Purkayastha was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) to the Lok Sabha from the Silchar constituency on multiple occasions (1991, 1998, and 2009), consistently demonstrating the public’s trust in his leadership.
- Party Patriarch: Though he has stepped back from active political campaigning, he is widely regarded as the patriarch of the Cachar BJP unit, with his counsel continuing to shape the party’s strategy and ideological direction in the region.
Enduring Legacy and Political Respect
The birthday visit by Minister Kaushik Rai, along with a stream of wishes from other prominent political figures, reflects the nonagenarian leader’s towering political stature. His dedication to public service and his role in establishing the BJP’s footprint in Assam serve as a continuous source of inspiration for both senior and emerging party workers.
The entire political fraternity and the people of Barak Valley join in wishing Shri Kabindra Purkayastha a very happy birthday and good health.
