Born in Sivasagar, Namti educated in Jorhat and Dibrugarh, and presently based in Guwahati, Papori Soukadhara Barthakur has been working relentlessly to spread awareness about the need to spend some more time with the elderly for the last couple of years through her novel initiative. Although she started her professional career as a lawyer in Dibrugarh, the legalese and the attendant subtleties of the profession could not satisfy her longing for doing something different for the benefit of the common people. She later on shifted to the corporate world and gathered valuable experience in reputed companies like ICICI and Bajaj Allianz in Jorhat. Finally she came and settled in Guwahati and started working in Mono Motor Works – a Maruti authorized service station. In spite of the pressure of a demanding job, she kept her academic aspiration alight and completed her MBA in Human Resource Management. Currently she is holding the position of HR Manager in the same company.

Papori Soukadhara Barthakur has been more in love with the writing-related extracurricular activities than pure academic excellence since her early childhood. Her thought-provoking essays encompassing different slices of human life started getting published in various prestigious newspapers and magazines of Assam from her school days. She took part in various competitions like essay-writing, quiz, debate and extempore speeches and got many prizes.

Her book titled ‘Aamar Soupaxor Bhal Manuhbur’ published by the reputed publication house ‘Aank Baak’ contains many an essay which effortlessly establishes a connection with the readers’ heart. Most of her articles pulsate with thoughts and insights underlining the innate goodness and kindness of human beings. As an out and out optimist, she always finds silver lining amid dark clouds and if needed, she doesn’t step back from highlighting or amplifying those bright spots. Due to these positive vibes of her persona, her articles and radio/television talks become an instant hit with the public. She dons the role of both anchor and participant in many television/radio talk-shows or other in-person meeting with equal ease and poise. Papori Soukadhara Barthakur occasionally hosts programme for All India Radio as a guest anchor.

Continuously disturbed by a feeling of guilt for not being able to help lonely people in urban areas, Papori Soukadhara Barthakur has started a unique initiative called – ‘Antorik Sonjog’ mainly to give company to the elderly people suffering from crippling loneliness. The urban landscape is replete with stories of affluent elderly people who could possibly afford everything in this world except human company. With their next generation mostly in pursuit of material wealth, many parents often feel inadequately acknowledged or blatantly ignored by their grown-up children. By chiding and chastising their sons and daughters, the society can score some brownie points. But ultimately those points fail to assuage the feelings of the elders and allay their genuine fears.

Therefore, instead of cursing the darkness, Papori Soukadhara Barthakur has tried to light a candle through an innovative initiative. ‘Antorik Sonjog’ under her able stewardship has tried to usher in an eco-system in which the affluent elderly people don’t feel unwanted or ignored by their close relatives on the one hand and the elderly among the economically weaker section could continue to earn their livelihood on the other. The plight of the part-time workers becomes pitiable once they are past their prime. Mostly ignored by their children due to abject poverty, they are forced to lead a miserable life bereft of any hope or positivity.

Leveraging on Papori Soukadhara Barthakur’s great networking skills with all sections of the society; ‘Antorik Sonjog’ has built a professional network revolving around family-centric ethos of yesteryears. She is confident that both the elderly sections – the affluent as well as the poor would immensely benefit from this earnest effort.

Under the close supervision of ‘Antorik Sonjog’, an elderly woman would be given the responsibility of spending her time in a household in which her dignity as a fellow human being would not allowed to be diluted, distorted or downgraded. She may do some light household work. But she would mostly concentrate on giving some quality time to the aging grandfather/grandmother or both so that they don’t feel like prisoners in this heartless concrete world.

From such a novel approach, the son and the daughter-in-law can also reduce their feeling of guilt for not being able to spend some more time with their parents/parents-in-laws. In the process, they would also have the satisfaction of helping a poor household in times of need. Through this masterstroke, it is hoped that the dignity of all elderly people irrespective of their economic status would be restored at least to some extent.

‘Antorik Sonjog’ in association with the conscious section of our society is poised to change the canvass of the urban world in Guwahati and other urban centres especially for the elderly. We solicit your frank opinion and cooperation in order to serve you and your elderly parents/parents-in-laws better in future. Please come and join in our effort.