TEZPUR, Dec 10 � Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala�s youngest brother and prominent Assamese filmmaker, Hridayananda Agarwala passed away at about 11 am today at his residence, �Jonak�. He was 94.
Agarwala had carved a niche for himself in the cultural world here.
The print of the first Assamese film Joymati made by Jyotiprasad Agarwala in 1935 had got damaged. It was later reprinted due to persistent efforts of Hridayananda Agarwala for which the present generation is able to get access to it.
In the later part of his life, he dedicated himself to preserving Jyotiprasad Agarwala�s creations through the Padma-Hriday museum, Jyotiprasad Agarwala memorial stage, etc.
Moreover, Jyotiprasad Agarwala after building the first cinema hall of the State, �Jonaki� in the heart of the town in 1937, gave Hridayananda Agarwala the overall charge to look after the cinema hall after two years.
Besides, Kesa Xon and Dhumuha were two films produced by Hridayananada Agarwala.
Agarwala, born on July 21 in 1917 and son of Paramananda Agarwala, had played a key role taking forward each and every creations of the cultural icon.
Many organisations and persons including the Tezpur Sahitya Sabha, Sonitpur Press Club, Sonitpur Journalist Union, Bahbari Usah Natya Samaj, MLA Brindaban Goswami and others have condoled the death of the cultural activist.
Our Staff Reporter adds: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has mourned the death of cultural activist and social worker Hridayananda Agarwala.
An official statement conveyed the Chief Minister's heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family members. In the message, the Chief Minister recalled Agarwala's contributions in making films like Dhumuha, Kesa Xon, etc., besides his role as an assistant to Jyotiprasad during the making of the first Assamese feature film Joymoti and then Indramalati.
Various organisations have condoled the death of Agarwala. The Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, in a message, said that the State had lost a great cultural activist and would always remember his stellar contributions.