Assam: Ranjana Sarma’s Eight-Decade Memoir Unveiled

GUWAHATI-  At 89, when many choose a quieter pace of life, Guwahati resident Ranjana Sarma has authored and released a memoir documenting nearly eight decades of personal experience and social change. The book was formally launched on February 27 at the Guwahati Press Club, drawing attention from literary and community circles.

Written over a period of two years, the memoir traces Ranjana’s life journey from the 1940s to the present, offering a first-person account of India’s transformation across generations. Through recollections that span pre-Independence India to the contemporary era, the narrative blends personal memory with broader social history.

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Among the most evocative sections of the book is her recollection of the night of August 15, 1947. Ranjana writes about the anticipation leading up to midnight, recalling that people remained awake as India prepared to mark its Independence. She describes joining street celebrations and participating in a school procession the following morning, where students sang patriotic songs including “Saare Jahan Se Achha.” The memory, she notes, remains emotionally resonant decades later.

The memoir also reflects on the educational and social values of earlier decades. Sharma recounts an incident from her childhood when, while suffering from a high fever during examinations, her school principal personally escorted her to school on a bicycle and ensured she was cared for during the day. The episode, she suggests, exemplified a sense of responsibility and community spirit that shaped her formative years.

Another chapter details the day she secured the first rank in her district. According to Ranjana, the achievement was celebrated not only within her family but across the village, with neighbours visiting her home to offer blessings and share in the occasion. Such moments, she writes, reflect the collective ethos that defined rural and semi-urban communities of that era.

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Her association with writing began early. Known for her handwriting, she contributed to school magazines and later assisted her son with neatly written headings in his academic notebooks. The memoir marks the culmination of a lifelong engagement with the written word.

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Those attending the launch described the work as more than a personal chronicle, suggesting that it functions as an intergenerational bridge connecting lived experiences of the past with contemporary readers. Observers noted that narratives such as Ranjana’s offer insight into social transitions that may otherwise remain undocumented in formal histories.

By publishing her memoir at the age of 89, Sharma’s work underscores the continuing role of elderly voices in documenting lived history. Her story illustrates that creative expression and intellectual engagement can remain active pursuits across all stages of life.