Literature : Assamese Sankaradeva (1449): The neo-Vaishnavite movement started by Ramanuja, Ramanandand and Kabir found eloquent poetic expression in the hands of Sankaradeva who propounded monism by introducing Ekasarana Nana Dharma (The Religion of Total Surrender in the Name of God) based on the authority of hte Bhagvata Purana and the Gita. Sankaradeva, blessed with a versatile scholarship in the different branches of Indian literarure and theology, aimed at profound religious and social reforms. He composed as many as seven Kavyas (poems) of which the Rukmini-Harana (Elopement of Rukmini) is the best. His other works are Bhakti Ratnakara which advocates his Bhakti doctrine and Kirtana Ghosha. He established himself as the pioneer of a certain type of drama known as the Ankaya Nat (one-act play) introducing theirin the Brajawali language and prose dialogue. Mahadeva (1489-1596): Mahadeva is one of the leading figures of Assam's Bhakti movement. A disciple of Sankaradeva , Mahadeva composed Namagosha, Rajasaya Kabya, Bhakti Ratnavali (translation of Vishnupuri Sannyasi's Bhakti Ratnavali), Janma Rahasya, Nam Malika and Adikanda Ramayana. He wrote dramas also. He wrote 157 devotional songs with distinctive ragas which are known as Birgits (Great Songs). Namagosha is an outatanding classic of the Vaishnava movement and the poem has 1000 verses.
Bhattedeva (1558-1638): Bhattedeva is acknowledged as the father of Assamese prose. He himself had his schooling in the traditional style and Sanskrit was the background. He composed Katha-Gita which is perhaps the first ever prose rendering of the Gita in any regional language.
Bina Barua (1908-'64): Widely regarded as the author the greatest novel in Assamese literature, viz.Jivanar Batat (On the Thoroughfare of Life), Bina Barua is an extraordinarily creative man known as much for his achievements as an imaginative writer as for his organising zeal and leadership in the cultural field, and also his tireless and meticulous investigations in such varied areas as social history history, folk-lore, cultural anthropology and literary criticism. Jivinar Batat is one Assamese novel that demands and bears comparision with the classics of realistic fiction in the world.
Birendra Kumar Bhattaracharya (1924): A poet, playwright, novelist, and journalist Birendra Bhattaracharya is a man with a liberal-humanistic world-view. He was also given the Jnanpith Award for his portrayal of humanity in its predicament at a particular juncture of history. His best known novel Iyaruinagm (People's Rule) throws a prophetic light on the complex fate of the Naga people's struggle for freedom.
Ajit Barua (1926): Ajit Barua, an eminent Assamese poet, is the recipient of several awards including Sahitya Academy Award and Bhartiya Bhasha Parishad Award. He is said to have restored a kind of intelectual dignity to modern Assamese poetry.He is known for his adoption of Eliotean technique in Assamese poetry. His major poetic works are Padya Aru Gan (Verses and Songs), Brahmaputra Ityadi Padya (Brahmaputra and Other Poems) and a book of criticism Sahityar Bishaye (Essays on Literature)
Jogesh Das (1927): Jogesh Das is one of the foremost writers of Assam. He has written short stories and novels with equal distinction and enriched Assamese literature with outstanding contribution. He received the prestigious Sahitya Academy Award for his collection of short stories Prithivir Asukh. He is largely known for his book Dawar Aru Nai (Clouds Have Cleared).
Sourabh Kumar Chaliha (1930): Sourabh Chaliha won the Sahitya Academy Award for his collection of short stories Golam (The Slave). His other works are Ashanta Electron (The Restless Electron), Duparia (The Noon), Ehat Daba (A Game of Chess). Chaliha's sojourn in England and Germany influenced his thought much and his study of Physics, Marxism and World literature shaped his own literary talent.
Bhabendranath Sakia (1932): Dr. Sakia is a major short story writer in Assamese. He has also written two successful novels Antareep (The Promontory) and Ramyabhumi (The Pleasure Garden) and a novel for adolscents Maramar Dewta. His other works are Praharee (The Sentinel), Ghabar (The Cavern), Sendoor (The Vermilion Mark) and Srinkhal (Fetters). Sakia is also a leading film maker . He has directed six feature films in Assamese based on his own short stories. He has also won the Rajat Kamal Award for his six directorial ventures.
Mamani Raisom Goswami (1941): Acclaimed as perhaps the greatest woman novelist in Assam today, Mamani Goswami has to her credit 21 books - seven novels including Mamare Dhara Tarowal Aru Dukhan Upanyas (The Rusty Sword and Two Other Novels) which won her the Sahitya Academy Award and Dantal Hatir Unye Khova Haoda (The Moth-eaten Howdah of the Tusker), five collections of short-stories and an autobiography Adhalekha Dastabez (An Unfinished Autobiography).