Himanta Biswa Sarma

Some Lesser Known Facts About Himanta Biswa Sarma

• Himanta Biswa Sarma is an Indian politician and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 23 August 2015. As of 2021, he is serving as the Chief Minister of Assam.

• Sarma’s paternal family hails from Latima in the Nalbari district.

  

• Biswa worked as a child artist in the Assamese film “Kokadeuta, Nati aru Hati” (1984).

• Biswa was the General Secretary (GS) of his college’s student union from 1991 to 1992.

  

• While in college, Himanta was good at debates and often participated in debate competitions. He once received the best debater award in the Manik Chandra Baruah Memorial debating competition in his college.

  

• After attaining a degree in law, Sarma practiced law at the Guwahati High Court for five years (from 1996 to 2001).

• In 2000, he joined the Indian National Congress (INC) and was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly from Jalukbari for the first time in 2001. He defeated Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, leader of the Asom Gana Parishad in the election.

• He consecutively got elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly three times- first in 2001, then in 2006, and then again in 2011.

• Biswa remained the Minister of Assam for Agriculture, Planning & Development, Finance, Health, Education, and Assam Accord Implementation from 2002 to 20014.

  

• Himanta was made the Cabinet Minister for Health in 2006 and in 2011, he was also handed the charge of the Education Department.

• While serving as the Education Minister of Assam, Biswa got medical colleges built in Jorhat, Barpeta, and Tezpur.

• It was during his tenure that the interview system was abolished and for the first time, 50,000 teachers were appointed through TET.

• Himanta had several disagreements with the former chief minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi and on 21 July 2014, he resigned from all his positions.

• On 15 September 2015, he gave his resignation as an MLA from Jalukbari constituency in Assam.

• In the same year, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Initially, he was appointed as the party’s Convener of the Election Management Committee in Assam.

  

• Himanta became the MLA from the Jalukbari constituency (from BJP) for the fourth time in May 2016.

  

• On 24 May 2016, Himanta was sworn in as the Cabinet Minister of Assam and was allotted portfolios like Finance, Health & Family Welfare, Education, Planning & Development, Tourism, Pension & Public Grievances.

• On 10 May 2021, Biswa became the 15th Chief Minister of Assam succeeding Sarbananda Sonowal. He was administered the oath by Governor Jagdish Mukhi.

  

• In addition to politics, he also has an interest in sports and was elected as the President of the Badminton Association of India on 23 April 2017. He was also the President of the Assam Cricket Association and the Vice-President of the Assam Cricket Association.

  

• Himanta likes to read and travel in his free time. He is also a sports enthusiast and loves playing and watching sports like Hockey, Badminton, and Cricket.

• He has also been the President of the welfare of the Deaf and Dumb society in Assam.

• Himanta has also written three books in Assamese- Samagata Samay, Bhinna Samay Abhinna Mat, and Eta Saponar Pam Khedi. He has also translated Amit Shah‘s biography ‘Amit Shah and the March of BJP’ in Assamese that was titled as ‘Amit Shah aru Agragami BJP.’

  

• During an interview, Biswa’s wife Rinki shared that she met Himanta for the first time while they were in college. She said when she asked him what would she tell her mother Biswa did? He replied,
  

  Tell your mother, I will be the chief minister one day.”

• In February 2024, Sarma criticized Rahul Gandhi in a tweet and mentioned the primary reason he left Congress. He recalled an incident where Rahul gave him a biscuit from his pet Pidi’s plate, which he refused and then resigned from the party.

• In June 2024, he said that Himanta, the chief secretary of Assam, and the public servants of Assan would pay their own electricity bills from July 2024. This step was taken to end the VIP Culture in Assam.

• He is often seen singing and dancing during election campaigns and rallies.

• Hemanta tendered his resignation to the President of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) in April 2025. According to the resignation letter, he was dissatisfied with the decision of the council to shift the premises of the High Court from the centre of Guwahati to an inaccessible area, which he believed would obstruct the court from doing its duties effectively.