Eminent litterateur Tagang Taki is no more

ITANAGAR, 30 Jan: Eminent litterateur Tagang Taki passed away aged 83 years on 29 January at his residence in Pangin due to old-age related problems.

Taki, who is stated to be the first writer from the state, wrote and published his book Adi Asomiya Engraji Sabdamda in 1959 at the age of 19 years.

A person with multiple talents, Taki was also the first linguist, lyrist and dramatist of the state. He also became the first editor of a handwritten school magazine, Giribani, published by the government high school in Pasighat.

He wrote in Adi, Assamese and English languages. His book Nib Aru Robor Sadhu (1964) – a compilation of folktales written in Assamese and published by Assam Publication Board – is still very popular among readers.

His other books are Simantar Jui  (drama, 1962), Ahbaan – NEFA Adi-Mishing Chatra Samajoloi (1968), Adi Sadhu (1964), Prashad Opsaran (drama, 1966-67), Adi English Word Book (1971), Adi Doolung Kidii lok Deere Gumin Soyin (2011), Ang-gong Yoting (an anthology of poems, 2012) in Adi language, and The Solung Festival (1980) in English.

The Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society [APLS] expressed shock and grief over Taki’s demise.

 In a condolence message, APLS president Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi and general secretary Mukul Pathak described Taki’s demise as an irreparable loss to the state and said that “the void created by his death cannot be filled easily.”

“His name will be written in golden letters in the annals of the literary history of Arunachal Pradesh,” they said.

Taki was born in Pangin village in Siang district on 10 February, 1940. He dedicated his entire life to bring about a renaissance in the Adi society in particular and the tribal society of the state as a whole.

The song ‘Mimum Yaame noluwa banbo nyamne noluwa’ composed by him was recorded in 1963 at the Shillong station of All India Radio. It was the first Arunachali modern song recorded in an AIR studio.

During his days in Cotton College and the Guwahati University in Assam, he published short stories, articles and folktales in Navajug, Natun Asomia, Assam Bani, Deepak, Janambhumi and many renowned Assamese magazines of the ’60s.

He was a recipient of the Bhasha Samman Award of the Sahitiya Akademi in 2015. He had also received the lone literary award of the state, the Luminous Lummer Dai Literary Award of the APLS, in 2019.