Barooah,former ITA head,dies at 87

Hemendra Prasad Barooah,87,former chairman of the Indian Tea Association,died Wednesday in Bangkok. The tea industry regarded him among the finest planters after Independence,and remember him for negotiating with the ULFA during the peak of militancy. Weeks after the outfit gunned down Surrendra Paul,managing director of Assam Frontier Tea Co,Barooah,then ITA vice-chairman,went out to meet the militants,leading a delegation of planters of top companies.

He took over as ITA chairman in 1991,when unpredictable rains were affecting the output from ageing tea bushes,power was short,labour costlier,and productivity low,and cheaper teas from Sri Lanka and Kenya were challenging Indias space in the global market. Industry sources credit Barooah with turning things during his tenure. He set a target of 1,000 million kg,then thought unrealistic but eventually realised in 2011.