About the Founder
Introduction
Archana Borthakur is a distinguished Indian social activist, acclaimed writer, and visionary entrepreneur hailing from Assam. From her earliest years, she exhibited an innate sense of empathy and a profound commitment to public service, a path that would later define her life’s work. In November 2015, she founded Priyobondhu (www.priyobondhu.org), an organization dedicated to fostering grassroots development and igniting lasting societal change.
A central pillar of her work is the Priyobondhu Bohumukhi Bidyalay (www.priyobondhubohumukhi.org), a pioneering educational initiative that extends quality, holistic education to underprivileged children from slums, streets, and remote rural outposts those systematically excluded from formal education and healthcare due to entrenched socio economic barriers. Through her educational mission, Archana aspires not only to elevate literacy but to instill in young minds a reverence for Assam’s rich literary, historical, and cultural heritage, including its vibrant folk music and dance traditions.
Since its inception, Priyobondhu has grown into a beacon of hope for thousands across Assam, with Archana at its helm, her unwavering resolve fueling transformative work in both urban and rural communities.
Early Life, Education and Career
Born into a traditional family on October 23rd, 1983, Archana Borthakur was academically inclined from a very young age. She completed her HSLC from Dergaon Girls' Higher Secondary School in 2000, followed by her Higher Secondary education from Kamal Dowerah College, Dergaon in 2002. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Assamese Literature from Cotton College in 2005 and went on to complete her Master’s degree in Assamese Literature from Gauhati University in 2007.
Since childhood, Archana actively participated in various competitions. She excelled in debate and recitation, gaining recognition for her oratory skills. Her short stories, written in a lucid style, were published in numerous newspapers and magazines, attracting readers from all age groups. She has also authored a few novels. In recognition of her literary contributions, she was felicitated as a short story writer by the Sahitya Sabha, Assam in 2010, and has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career.
Archana began her professional journey as a journalist, working for eight years with prominent media houses such as DY365, Pratidin Time, and News Time Assam. She also took on roles as a television anchor and producer, with many successful TV serials to her credit.
In addition to journalism, she has been involved in various roles, including as an announcer for All India Radio, Director of a Value Based Education and Child Development Project under the Assam Development Initiative, and as a member of several institutions.
Apart from her social work and media contributions, Archana is a highly respected motivational speaker and life coach, offering professional guidance to individuals across various fields. She is also a successful entrepreneur, known for her leadership and dynamic personality.
Social Genesis
Since childhood, Archana Borthakur was known for her empathetic nature, which sparked the spirit of social work in her. This passion eventually led to the founding of the social welfare society Priyobondhu in November 2015. With a vision for community development and social change, Archana, along with her dedicated team, has been tirelessly working for the underprivileged and disadvantaged people across both rural and urban areas of Assam.
In 2015, she came up with the idea of starting a "Clothes, Food and Educational Equipment Bank." The purpose of this initiative was to support families, children, the elderly, and others at risk of hunger, by collecting and distributing new and usable second hand clothes, food, and educational materials throughout the year. This aimed to help people lacking proper clothing and to ensure that needy children had access to essential educational resources.
On May 1, 2016, she launched a health awareness program focusing on cancer. The objective was to raise awareness and educate people about the disease, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment.
Archana also introduced several skill building initiatives to promote employment oriented learning and encourage self employment among marginalized women. Through vocational training programs and workshops, women and girls were able to develop skills, boost their confidence, and become self reliant.
While traveling to remote rural areas of Assam, Archana noticed the pressing needs of women and children. Deeply moved by some incidents, she launched the "Let Us Talk" program on May 13, 2017. This initiative focused on menstrual hygiene management, aiming to educate girls about menstruation before menarche, promote safe menstrual practices, break social taboos, and improve access to hygiene, water, and safe menstrual products.
At the same time, Archana was concerned about children attending school without breakfast. Observing that hunger affected their concentration and academic performance, she launched the "Breakfast for a Child" program. Its goal was to eliminate child hunger and encourage healthy eating habits by providing a nutritious breakfast each morning. The project started on August 29, 2017, at Kailashpur LP School in Kahilipara, Guwahati.
Every year, devastating floods affect many parts of Assam, causing destruction and leaving people stranded. In response, Archana and her team have been actively distributing relief materials such as food, clean water, and other essentials to flood victims across the state since the inception of Priyobondhu.
To address the rising concern of child sexual abuse, Archana launched an awareness program called "Loudly No" on February 13, 2018. This initiative aimed to teach young girls about safe and unsafe touches, boundaries, and self defense. The program empowered them to speak up and protect themselves from inappropriate behavior.
In 2018, she also implemented a Mother and Child Health (MCH) care project to raise awareness about government healthcare schemes and services. This comprehensive program provided primary healthcare education and services across 87 villages.
Archana believes that education is just as important as health and livelihood. In many rural schools, infrastructure and basic facilities are lacking. One such school, Pukarkata LP School in Lahorighat (Morigaon District), had been operating under dire conditions since its establishment in 1982. With support from London based Non Resident Indians, Archana helped rebuild the school and provided essential school supplies.
Her journey began in December 2015 on a cold winter morning at Hanuman Nagar Basti (slum) in Narengi, Guwahati. She initially went there to distribute warm clothes, but what she saw deeply affected her. The slum was plagued by poor living conditions, open defecation, substance abuse, and lack of education. After conducting multiple visits, she initiated various awareness programs on hygiene, education, and health, and organized several health camps. Many children were school dropouts or had never attended school and were instead engaged in rag picking and household work.
To address this, Archana began providing nutritious meals as a way to encourage learning. She and her team started open-air school sessions, gradually attracting children to education.
On July 1, 2019, she officially launched the "Integrated Program for the Welfare of Women and Children". A non formal education centre was established to improve the quality of life for marginalized women and children. The program focused on nutrition, education, women’s empowerment, health, and providing basic essentials. A temporary classroom was set up with 15 regular students (now 200+ at presesnt), who received breakfast, lunch, school supplies, uniforms, and basic daily necessities. The learning model prioritized experiential and activity-based education in subjects like Assamese, English, Maths, Environmental Studies, General Knowledge, and the Arts. Special attention was given to health check-ups and emotional well being. One major milestone was the enrollment of four children from the centre into a government school on January 3, 2020 once street children, now joyful students.
Archana also converted wasteland in the slum into a productive vegetable garden, involving the women in its management. The garden became a valuable food resource during the pandemic.
Another critical issue was the lack of clean drinking water and sanitation. Archana addressed this by installing a water tank, a semi concrete bathroom, and a semi concrete lavatory.
She has also organized legal awareness camps in remote villages, educating people about their rights under laws related to women’s safety, child marriage prohibition, domestic violence, labor rights, consumer protection, forest rights, tribal status, and more. Additionally, she has conducted disaster preparedness workshops to equip communities to handle natural and man-made disasters.
Archana has led environmental initiatives such as tree plantation drives and hospital cleanliness campaigns.
She also implemented a short term project at Navoday Path Basti in Hatigaon, Guwahati, where she set up an open air evening school for school dropouts, held sessions on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, and encouraged parents to prioritize education. The community lacked access to clean water and proper sanitation, further challenging daily life.
Archana has supported many women facing domestic violence, helping them through personal intervention or referrals to appropriate services.
She has also established libraries and donated sports equipment to village schools.
As a regular visitor to old-age homes, Archana brings joy and support to elderly people who have been abandoned or are living without family. She believes that a simple gesture, a kind word, a shared meal, or a thoughtful gift can bring comfort and restore a sense of belonging.
Course of Life-
Acheivements and Awards-
1. Honoured as special guest ( Nirdista Bokta) of Moina Parijat held in Jorhat, 1992 and Dhekial in 1993.
2. Passed 18th Annual All India pre-senior UNESCO information test 1995.
3. Passed 18th Annual All India pre-senior UNESCO information test 1996.
4. Passed 3rd Special All India general Knowledge test organized by United schools -Organisation of India (VEC FOR THE UNITED NATIONS), 1996.
5. Winner of All Assam Inter school Quiz competition held in Golaghat Govt. High School, 1997.
6. Winner of Prafulla Chandra Shrutikar Award in Sanskrit recitation Competition held in Dergaon, 1998.
7. Second in Essay and speech competition organized by Assam Science Society for the topic on The near extinct forest resources of Assam 2000.
8. Best Recitee Award in Sanskrit, Hindi, English and Assamese held in Dergaon, DKD college in 2001.
9. Topper in Essay and speech competition organized by Assam Science Society for the topic on Artifitial satellite launching programme of india 2001.
10.Honoured by All Assam Students Union for being the topper in HS 2002 from DKD college Dergaon and got national merit scholarship.
11.Topper in all Assam Sanskrit debate competition held in Sivsagar, 2002.
12.Winner of Rupkola Kesari Award for recitation organized by Rupkola Kesari Sanskritik Senani, Guwahati in 2003
13.Best short story writer organized by Cotton College Nabin Lekhok Lekhika Samitee, Guwahati, 2004.
14.Felicitated for short story presentation in 2nd International writer's festival at Kurukshetra University, Haryana in 2006.
15.Invitee of 3rd International writer’s festival held in Agra, 2007.
16.Attended International conference on Bhakti Movement and Shrimanta Shankardeva held in Kalashetra,Guwahati in 2007 for the presentation of Satriya dance –the most significant legacy of Shankari culture.
17.Attended Sahitya Academy workshop on ‘Oriya to Assamese translation’ held in Dibrugarh University, 2007.
18.Felicitated by Sahitya Shabha Assam as Short Story Writer in 2010.
19.Conferred as Social Worker, 2017 by Maya media awards in presence of His Excellency Governor of Assam Shri. Banwarilal Purohit.
20.Naari Shakti Award 2017-18 by Lions club international, Nagaon
21.International Women's Day '18 felicitation by State Bank of India, NE Circle
22.Felicitation for excellence in services rendered to the society as a Motivational Speaker by National Human Rights and Grievance Commission in 2019.
As a Writer-
- Published novels Poridhi, Aparajita, Cottonian ''Ekhon rodor khiriki'', Sunyatar Xipar Tathgata, Hathat Bhalpuwai Kole.
- Written short stories for various Assamese Magazines and Newspapers viz. Dainik Janambhumi, Amar Axom, Janasadharan, Khobor, Niyamiya Barta, Satsori, Goriokhi, Sadin, Prokakh, Bismoi, Amar Xomoi etc.
- Many of my short stories has been translated into regional languages like Punjabi, Hindi, etc. and English as well.
As a Producer and Anchor-
- DY365, Television channel, Guwahati, 2008-2010
- Produced and hosted daily devotional show entitled Prarthana (159 episodes).
- Produced and hosted weekly show Pathikrit (76 episodes).
- Produced daily show Arunudoi (240 episodes).
- Produced weekly show Ekanta Byaktigata (23 episodes).
- Produced international news bulletin Bidesh 365.
- News Time Assam, Television channel, Guwahati, 2010-2014
- Produced and hosted women based show Anganar Akash (100 episodes)
- Produced and hosted morning show Xuprobhat Axom (730 episodes)
- Produced and hosted weekly show Shreemoyee (12 episodes) -NEBCUS award winner for best youth based television serial Shreemoyee in 2014.
- Produced news bulletin Desh-bidesh.
As a Sub-editor-
- Woked for Saparibar a monthly magazine from 2007 to 2008.
As an Assitant-editor-
- Woked for MAHEKIYA ANUBHUTI, a monthly magazine from 2014 till 2016.
- Worked for Jeevan, a monthly magazine
Resource Faculty-
- Assam school of Journalism, Anchoring and Production
As an Announcer-
- Working as an announcer since 2015 in ALL INDIA RADIO, Guwahati, Assam till present
- Founder of Social welfare society Priyobondhu
- Founder and Managing Trustee of Archana Borthakur Educational Trust
- Founder of Priyobondhu Bohumukhi Bidyalay - one of its unique kind for the the Children, living in slums, streets and remote rural areas, who are deprived of education and health due to poverty or other social practices. It is my long cherished dream to establish a free of cost educational institution where underprivileged children will get the opportunity to develop themselves Socio-emotionally, Physically, Intellectually and enhance their Creativity. One of the prime objectives of the education program is to connect our strong literary traditional roots, its history and culture, folk dances and music of Assam.
No. of Schools- 4
Locations- 1. Narengi, Guwahati
2. 2 no. Robingaon, Khetri
3. Dharbam, Khetri
4. Paschim Killing, Khetri
As a Motivational speaker, Life Coach and Influencer-
- Professionally engaged as a motivational speaker and Life Coach on Life skills which focus on the following basic areas of Life skills as identified by WHO viz. Decision-making and problem-solving, Creative thinking and critical thinking, Communication and interpersonal skills, Self-awareness and empathy, Coping with emotions and coping with stress.
As an entrepreneur-
- Founder and Director of Aamez Facilities
- Motivational Speaker and Life Coach
- Certified Access Bars Facilitator
- Owner of A B Prajna Trading Co.
Other social engagements-
- Project Director of Value based Education and Child Development, Assam Development Initiative (ADI) Trust.
- Anti-ragging committee member of Gauhati University.
- Ethical Board member of B. Barooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati.
- QPR Gatekeeper
