Achintya Kumar Barua, one of the pioneers of Kaziranga wildlife tourism in the world, has passed away. The death of Achintya Kumar Barua popularly known as ‘Manjuda’ has cast a deep shadow of grief in Assam’s tourism industry as well as international wildlife and nature conservation circles. The death of Boroa, who built the first private sector tourist accommodation in Kaziranga in the 1990s, has been described as an irreparable loss to the overall tourism sector in the North East. Popular among wildlife lovers, naturalists, guides and tourists, Boroa has played a historic role in marking Kaziranga on the world tourism map.
Wild Grass Resort was established in Kaziranga in the 1990s when the tourism industry was in its infancy in Northeast India. It was the first private sector resort around Kaziranga National Park, which later laid the foundation for wildlife tourism in the region. His tourism philosophy was not just business-oriented, but a unique and persistent attempt to build human relationships with nature.
Achintya Kumar Barua was not only a successful businessman or entrepreneur, he was a rare personality full of human values and dignity. He felt deeply that the tourism industry depends not only on the owners or the tourists, but equally on the companions, drivers, guides and grassroots workers behind it. With this in mind, he built Sarothi’s rooms for drivers and guides at Wild Grass, with modern facilities like mattresses, beds and toilets. He did not charge for the accommodation of these fellow tourists and set a unique standard in the hospitality sector by treating them as an integral part of the family.
The entire wild grass field reflects the philosophy of living in harmony with nature. Unlike the modern luxury concrete resort, he transformed it into a botanical garden, preserving more than 40 species of trees and about 200 species of shrubs and vines. To give tourists a true taste of nature, the resort avoids the use of television or other technological media. The evening atmosphere at Wild Grass was very interesting, with tourists from all over the world flocking to listen to Manjuda’s insightful and exciting stories about Assam’s wildlife, forests and society.
According to veterans involved in the tourism sector, Barua was not a tour operator himself but his practical knowledge and integrity guided Assam’s tourism sector for a long time. He always emphasized on maintaining professional integrity in tourism. For example, informing tourists visiting Shillong or Cherrapunji in winter about the drying up of the falls and advising them to take food with them as there were not enough restaurants at that time testifies to his sincerity and foresight towards the tourists.
The death of eminent tourism and wildlife lover Achintya Kumar Barua ends a glorious chapter in Assam’s tourism industry. He was born in 1930 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was born in 1930 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was born in 1930 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. His message of conservation, integrity and humanitarian values will live forever in the hearts of thousands of nature lovers in Kaziranga Forest and around the world.
