GUWAHATI, July 12 - The All Assam Koch Students� Union has mourned the death of Koch Ratna Sibendra Narayan Koch, who was an ideologue of the identity assertion movement of the Koches living in Assam and Meghalaya.
Sibendra Narayan Koch, a lawyer by profession, died at his Narikalbasti residence here at 5 am yesterday at the age of 88 years. Born in Guthulibari village of Garo Pahar District of then undivided Assam on May 21, 1937, Koch represented the Mendipathar Legislative Assembly Constituency in the Meghalaya Assembly in 1972. He was the founder general secretary of the Garo Pahar District Koch Sanmilan and it was due to his efforts that the Koches of Meghalaya were recognised as a Scheduled Tribe by the Meghalaya Government.
Koch has authored a number of books on the history, language and culture. His �Koch Janagosthir Atit Sandhanat Eti Khoj� is regarded to be a magnum opus in this regard. For this book, he was conferred the title �Koch Ratna� by the Brihattar Koch Janagosthiya Samaj and the Meghalaya Koch Sanmilan at the 2015 Dalu session of the Meghalaya Koch Sanmilan.
Koch leaves behind his wife, three daughters and a host of relatives. A two-member delegation of the All Koch Students� Union, comprising its working president Anupam Deka and assistant general secretary Kamal Narayan Koch, visited the residence of Koch and sympathised with his bereaved family members. The Students� Union also extended full support in performing his last rites at the Navagraha cremation ground, said the Students� Union in a press release.
The Sadou Asam Koch Sanmilan, Meghalaya Koch Sanmilan and Koch Sahitya Sabha have also mourned the death of Sibendra Narayan Koch.
