Private company

Asam Sahitya Sabha

Logo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Literary organisation in Assam

The Asam Sahitya Sabha is a non-government, non-profit, literary organisation of Assam. It was founded in December 1917 in Assam, India to promote the culture of Assam and Assamese literature. A branch of the organisation named Singapore Sahitya Sabha was launched in Singapore on 28 July 2019.2 It is headquartered in Chandra Kanta Handique Bhawan.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1917Founded1
Asam Sahitya Sabha Jorhat Office
Photo: JyotiPN, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

The Asam Sahitya Sabha (Assamese: অসম সাহিত্য সভা, pronounced [ɔxɔm xaɦitːjɔ xɔbʱa], lit. 'The Literary Society of Assam') is a non-government, non-profit, literary organisation of Assam. It was founded in December 1917 in Assam, India to promote the culture of Assam and Assamese literature. A branch of the organisation named Singapore Sahitya Sabha was launched in Singapore on 28 July 2019. Other foreign branches are located in London, Phoenix and Chicago.2

The story

Till 1826 AD, Assam Territory was ruled mainly by Kachari, Ahoms in the entirety of Brahmaputra Valley and Koch. In 1826, after the Treaty of Yandabo the administration of Assam was passed down to the British, till independence in 1947. Since then Assam has been an integral part of India.

However, the history of modern Assam, modern Assamese language and literature and culture found their starting points in the early part of the 19th century. Since 1872 some efforts were made to build up some organisations to work for the development of Assamese language, literature and culture of the modern period.

Before the formal formation of Asam Sahitya Sabha, Sahitya Kandari Padmanath Gohain Baruah had established Kohima Sahitya Sabha at Kohima, Nagaland, in the month of December 1895. Padma Nath Gohain Baruah was Founder Secretary and a Bengali Gentleman, Mr. Nabin Chandra Bhattacherjee was the Founder President. There was an Office Building at the Heart of the Kohima Town, which was known as "LAL GHAR" due to painting with Red color. ( See Mor Xuworon, biography of Padma Nath Gohain Baruah). Late Govinda Chandra Paira, Dhan Bahadur Sonar and Hari Prasad Gorkha Rai were the main product of Kohima Sahitya Sabha, who were Honored by awarding Literary Pension by the Assam Government. The Kohima Sahitya Sabha is still alive (till November 2013). It has an own Bhawan at P.R.Hill, Kohima, Opposite Nagaland Police Headquarters. The Bhawan was exchanged by the Nagaland Government with the earlier one, which was known as LAL GHAR and taken by the Nagaland Government in the year 1978.

From Wikipedia’s article on Asam Sahitya Sabha, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1917Founded Founded1

Sources

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