Sananta Tanty

Sananta Tanty (4 November 1952 – 25 November 2021) was an Indian poet of Assamese literature. Tanty was born to an Odia family in Kalinagar Tea Estate. Tanty completed his secondary education at a Bengali-medium school but continued his literary works in the mainland Assamese language.

According to the website Asymptote, Tanty is "a chronicler of the times and an advocate for the downtrodden" and "a poet of change and of unbridled optimism".

Early life and education Sananta Tanty was born on 4 November 1952 to Loke Nath Tanty and Baitarani Tanty in Kalinagar Tea Estate in the district of Karimganj of Assam, near the India-Bangladesh border. He started his education at a primary school in Kalinagar Tea Estate and finished his secondary education in the science stream at Ram Krishna Vidyapeeth Senior Secondary School, Ram Krishna Nagar located away from his home in 1969. Sananta Tanty then went to Shillong to study at St. Anthony's College but had to discontinue his studies because his parents were unable to afford his education.

Positions held Positions Tanty held: 2018, Sahitya Akademi Award Conferred by Sahitya Akademi, Government of India 2020, Meghraj Karmakar Sahitya Award, Conferred by Assam Tea Community Sahitya Sabha, Assam

Impact and legacy

While growing up, Sananta Tanty read a lot of Bengali literature at home. His left-wing radicalism and sensitivity made him a voice to be reckoned with.

During his time in Jorhat, Sananta Tanty came in contact with many prominent litterateurs of the state, which prompted him to learn the Assamese language. He began writing for a magazine, then edited by Dr. Nagen Saikia, for which he began to gain attention. Journalist Rajiv Konwar credits him with revolutionising the field of modern Assamese poetry, and he is considered by The Indian Express as one of the stalwarts in the state today in the field of literature.