HUGRAJULI, Jan 24 � Lokenath Borah, Headmaster of Rohiteswar Memorial Primary School, Hugrajuli, Sonitpur, with 118 students, met with an accident on December 27, 2010 at Kalakshetra, Guwahati. He lost his consciousness as a result of the internal haemorrage in his brain. He regained his senses after three days at GNRC Hospital Guwahati, after a brain operation. After 15 days treatment he was released from the hospital with an advise to take a long rest.
But thinking about his 118 students, he rejoined his job after two months. The trauma of his adbuction by a terrorist group in 2007, the pressure due to his anxiety about the well-being of his students and resumption of duty before total recovery seemed to take a toll on him and Borah again became senseless on December 26, 2011, and fell down inside his toilet. Because of his financial condition, instead of sending to a private nursing home, he was rushed to Bhogeswari Phukanani Civil Hospital, Nagaon where Dr. Ajit Goswami took charge of his treatment. The family members lost all hopes when Borah started behaving like a completely insane person, and even thought of admitting him in the Tezpur Mental Hospital. But Dr Ajit Goswami, with dedication and sensitivity, and Borah unbelievably recovered after seven days. He was advised to take rest in the hospital till January 20, 2012, the family numbers expressed thin gratitude to Dr. Goswami for giving Borah a new lease of life. It is important to note that the family, instead of taking him to a state-of-the-art private nursing home having specialists doctors and ultra modern facilities, preferred a government civil hospital with limited facilities, where a non-specialist doctor achieved unbelievable results. Such an achievement will definitely kindle hope in poor patients besides dispelling the bad name of government hospitals. What is equally pathetic is the fact that Borah is the lone teacher of his school. It tells a sad tale of the state of affairs in Assam and the plight of primary teachers who have to look after students single-handedly. In this context, the promise made by the State Education Minister about improving the primary education in the State rings hollow.
