Muslim body condoles poet's demise
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 19 2013:
All Manipur Muslims (Meitei-Pangal) Welfare Association expressed deep condolence on the untimely demise of Kheiruddin Choudhury, a prominent Manipuri Muslim poet of Barak valley of Assam, who passed away on December 14, 2013 .
He was 74 .
A condolence meeting of the Association held today at its office in Babupara, also resolved to convey the members' solidarity with the suffering of the bereaved family through a letter of condolence.
Recounting that Kheiruddin Chowdhury wrote more than a dozen books, including six books of poems, in between 1976 to 1999, members present also noted the literary figure's contribution on various themes in many journals.
He was associated with Manipuri Sahitya Parishad (Assam), Manipuri Muslim Development Organization (Assam) and Gramin Vikas Parishad (Assam), said a AMPWA release adding that after his retirement, Kheiruddin served as President of Gramin Vikas Parishad in addition to being the Principal of Vishya Niketan, an institution of the Parishad.
For his contribution in Manipuri literature Kheiruddin was given numerous awards by various literary bodies of Assam and Manipur, which include the Kamini Kumar Award - Gold Medal (1977) for his collection of poems, Minok Piranggi Mitkup Anidang by the Manipur Sahitya Parishad, Imphal.
He was also given the ICRA Award with the title "Saire Azam" by Islamic and Cultural Research Association in 1995, the Kabya Bhusan (2002), Sahitya Bhusan (2004, Assam), Sahityik Pensioner by Assam Government (2003), Man Patra by the organizers of Silchar Pourasbhana Gandhi Mela, among others.
Manipuris fondly called him "the poet of Barak valley", said the release.
Kheiruddin was born on November 29, 1939 in Badripar in Cachar District of Assam to Md Nurjaman Chowdhury and Maherjan Begum and after passing his Matriculation Exam from Silchar Government High School, studied at GC College, Silchar and also for a short duration at DM College, Imphal.
He got his Graduation Degree in 1963 and Masters Degree in Political Science in 1966.He also cleared B.T Exam in 1975 and joined the Education Department of Assam.