Sahitya Akademi award winning Assamese poet and former bureaucrat Ajit Barua died tonight at his residence following a brief illness, family sources said.
He was 89 and is survived by a daughter and daughter-in-law while his only son had predeceased him.
Barua was admitted to a local hospital on March 12 after he complained of respiratory problem and was released after a week as his condition improved but his condition deteriorated since yesterday and he passed away tonight.
Barua had several publications of poems to his credit including 'Kichumaan Padya Aaru Gaan' and 'Brahmaputra Etyaadi Padya'.
He had translated Albert Camus' play Les Justes, and the novel 'The Plague' from French to Assamese.
Besides the Sahitya Akademi, Barua is also the recipient of Bhasha Sahitya Samman and Assam Valley Literary award among others.
Barua, an IAS officer, had retired as Commissioner Lower Assam Division.
