Igorsiw at 17:57, 3 July 2025

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{{Short description|Indian author from Assam (born 1987)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox writer
|name=Sarmistha Pritam
|image=শৰ্মিষ্ঠা প্ৰীতম.jpg
|image_size=
|alt=
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|pseudonym=
|birth_name=
|birth_date=18 December 1987
|birth_place=Phulaguri, Nagaon, [[Assam]]
|death_date=
|death_place=
|resting_place=
|occupation=Assamese writer
|nationality=Indian
|ethnicity=
|citizenship=
|education=|alma_mater=
|period=
|notableworks=''Atmakatha'' (autobiography)

|spouse=
|partner=
|children=
|awards=
|signature=
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}}

'''Sarmistha Pritam''' (born 18 December 1987) is an [[Assamese language|Assamese]] writer. She is also an advocate for people with [[spinal muscular atrophy]].

==Early life and education==
Sarmistha Pritam was born on 18 December<ref name="Gani 2021" /> 1987<ref name="Kashyap 2015" /> in Phulaguri, [[Nagaon]], [[Assam]].<ref name="Assam Tribune 2019" /><ref name="The Telegraph 2013" /> At age five, she was diagnosed with [[spinal muscular atrophy]],<ref name="The Hindu 2021">{{cite news |title=Assamese writer Sarmistha Pritam Baruah seeks government aid for medical treatment |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/assamese-writer-sarmistha-pritam-baruah-seeks-government-aid-for-medical-treatment/article36912473.ece |access-date=23 January 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=9 October 2021}}</ref> which by the age of eight caused significant physical impairments.<ref name="Kashyap 2015">{{cite news |last1=Kashyap |first1=Samudra Gupta |title=Wheelchair-bound author takes fight for NBT dues to PM Modi |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/wheelchair-bound-author-takes-fight-for-nbt-dues-to-pm-modi/ |access-date=23 January 2022 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=4 December 2015}}</ref>

She studied economics and graduated with good academic marks.<ref name="The Telegraph 2013" /> She started her schooling at Phulaguri L.P. school and later joined Phulaguri High School. She passed her higher secondary education from Raha High School and Higher Studies from [[Raha College]].

==Literary career==
She started her career as daily writer of various Assamese magazine and newspapers. By 2013, she had published a collection of articles, ''Daworiya Akaxor Beli'' (The sun in a gloomy sky), a collection of poems, ''Dokmokali'' (Daybreak), and an autobiography titled ''Atmakatha''.<ref name="The Telegraph 2013">{{cite news |title=Pens defy physical discomfort – Two young authors overcome disabilities to write children’s books |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/pens-defy-physical-discomfort-two-young-authors-overcome-disabilities-to-write-childrens-books/cid/325966 |access-date=23 January 2022 |newspaper=The Telegraph|location=India |date=18 March 2013}}</ref> Her fourth book was written for children, titled ''Aalphulor Xopun'' (Aalphul's dream).<ref name="The Telegraph 2013"/>

In 2015, she wrote to Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] for help with obtaining her royalties from the [[National Book Trust]] for the English and Hindi versions of her autobiography.<ref name="Kashyap 2015" /> By 2021, she had also written ''Anatahin'', ''Rang'', ''Balukat Biyoli Bela'' and ''Poran Nigore''.<ref name="Assam Tribune 2021" />

In 2021, filmmaker [[Bobby Sarma Baruah]] announced that her next film, ''Deoka'' (Walking in the Air), is based on the life of Pritam.<ref name="Gani 2021">{{cite news |last1=Gani |first1=Abdul |title=Film on writer Sarmistha Pritam announced |url=https://assamtribune.com/assam/film-on-writer-sarmistha-pritam-announced-1344595 |access-date=23 January 2022 |work=[[The Assam Tribune]] |date=19 December 2021}}</ref>

==Advocacy==
Pritam is a member of [[Ellora Vigyan Mancha]], an [[NGO]] that promotes science.<ref name="The Hindu 2021" /> In 2021, she advocated for people with [[spinal muscular atrophy]] and urged assistance from the government for the costs of treatment.<ref name="The Hindu 2021" /><ref name="Assam Tribune 2021">{{cite news |title=Prohibitive cost of SMA drug a challenge for patients like Sarmistha Pritam |work=[[The Assam Tribune]] |date=16 September 2021}}</ref><ref name="Assam Tribune 2022">{{cite news |title=Ailing writer Sarmistha to move CM for help through State's journalist fraternity |work=[[The Assam Tribune]] |date=11 January 2022}}</ref>

==Works==
* ''Atmakatha'' (autobiography)
* ''Aalfulor xopun'' (children novel)
* ''Antaheen'' (a biographical sketch on life and works of motivational speaker Nick Vujicic)
* ''Sun on my face'' (English translation of the autobiography written in Assamese, translated by Prafulla Katoky. Published by National Book Trust)
* ''Mera jiwon meri kahani'' (Hindi translation of ''Atmakatha'' by Gajendra Rathi. Published by NBT)
* ''Rang'' (novel)
* ''Balukat Biyali Bela'' (novel)

== Awards ==
* 2012: Munin Borkataki Award, for ''Atmakatha''<ref name="The Telegraph 2013" /><ref name="Assam Tribune 2019">{{cite news |title=Homen Bargohain Nyas Botas |work=[[The Assam Tribune]] |date=1 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://enajori.com/literature/literary-awards/ |title=Literary Awards |publisher=enajori.com |date=2011-05-05 |access-date=2013-04-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522172053/http://enajori.com/literature/literary-awards/ |archivedate=22 May 2013 }}</ref>
* 2015: State government literary award<ref name="Assam Tribune 2015">{{cite news |title=Literary, artist, family pension announced |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A425405559/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=4cf7b05b |access-date=23 January 2022 |work=[[The Assam Tribune]] |date=14 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Assam Tribune 2021" />
* Gitanjali Baruah Mili Literary award, 2017
* Devsons special Literary award, 2017
* 2017: K.K.Handiqui National Fellowship<ref name="NE Now 2017">{{cite news |title=KK Handiqui National Awards given away |url=https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/kk-handiqui-national-awards-given-away.html |access-date=23 January 2022 |work=NE Now News |date=11 December 2017}}</ref><ref name="Sentinel 2017">{{cite news |title=KK Handiqui Award & fellowships announced |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A516159253/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=725554f0 |access-date=23 January 2022 |work=[[The Sentinel (Guwahati)|The Sentinel]] |date=28 November 2017}}</ref>
* Homan Bargohani Bata Literary award, for ''Rang''<ref name="Borah 2021">{{cite news |last1=Borah |first1=Nilutpal |title=এগৰাকী অদম্য সাহসী অসমীয়া যুৱতী, বহুতৰ বাবে প্ৰেৰণা হৈ পৰা SMA যোদ্ধা শৰ্মিষ্ঠাক প্ৰয়োজন আপোনাৰ সহায়ৰ |url=https://assam.news18.com/news/assam/young-literary-woman-sarmistha-pritam-who-have-become-an-inspiration-for-many-need-your-help-nilutpal-gb-164977.html |access-date=23 January 2022 |publisher=[[News18 India]] |date=27 October 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pritam, Sarmistha}}
[[Category:1987 births]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women writers]]
[[Category:Journalists from Assam]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Nagaon district]]
[[Category:Women writers from Assam]]

Sarmistha Pritam - Revision history

Igorsiw at 17:57, 3 July 2025