Assam’s Power Order: The 20 most powerful and influential people of the state in 2026

India Today NE unveils the first-ever Power List of Assam, a sharp, provocative ranking of the 20 most powerful individuals in the state. This is not a list of posts held, but of impact made. It tracks influence that flows from ideas, institutions, culture, capital and credibility. That is why politicians and bureaucrats are absent; they are covered separately. These are the people who shape outcomes without needing office, quietly, visibly, decisively. Expect names that surprise, profiles that provoke, and a list that will spark debate long after the first read.

 

Justice Ranjan Gogoi, 71 | Former Chief Justice of India

Justice Gogoi’s influence lies less in formal office than in moral and institutional authority. As the first Assamese to head India’s judiciary, he remains a point of reference for politicians and judges alike. His stewardship of epochal verdicts, most notably the Ram Janmabhoomi–Babri Masjid judgment, has turned him into a sought-after voice on constitutional questions. Power, in his case, endures beyond retirement.

Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, 52 | Entrepreneur

Often reduced to a political footnote, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has built influence independently through business acumen and quiet authority. From an affluent entrepreneurial lineage, she combines discretion with execution. Publicly indifferent to criticism, privately decisive, she is the trouble-shooter in Assam’s most powerful political household, without seeking credit or visibility.

Jayanta Baruah, 66 | Media Baron

As the owner of the Pratidin Media Network, Jayanta Baruah controls Assam’s most formidable media platform. His outlets have survived governments of every hue while maintaining an anti-establishment edge. Repeated attacks from the incumbent chief minister have only reinforced his relevance. For dissenters and challengers, his media empire remains the preferred megaphone.

Samujjal Bhattacharyya, Public Personality

Samujjal Bhattacharyya’s power flows from social capital rather than position. As mentor to the All Assam Students’ Union, he commands an unmatched grassroots network. More crucially, his civility in public life, rare in polarised times, has earned him deep emotional legitimacy. The public outpouring during his personal bereavement revealed the extent of that quiet authority.

Hiren Gohain, 86 | Public Intellectual

For decades, Hiren Gohain has set the terms of Assam’s ideological debates. His positions polarise instantly: loyalty on one side, hostility on the other. Even when contested, his arguments dominate the conversation. It’s not that he is correct, but credible counter-narratives remain scarce. Influence, in his case, rests on agenda-setting rather than consensus.

Ranjit Barthakur, 71 | Business Leader & Environmentalist

Ranjit Barthakur is the state’s most trusted interlocutor between power and capital. Chief ministers turn to him to court investors, quietly and effectively. Through the Balipara Foundation, he has also shaped environmental discourse in the Eastern Himalayas. His reach spans boardrooms, conservation circles and sport, often without public display.

Manoj Goswami, 63 | Journalist & Author

A rare hybrid of literary distinction and newsroom instinct, Manoj Goswami wields influence through words and information. A Sahitya Akademi awardee, he combines narrative craft with deep access to power corridors. His social-media clout reflects both literary credibility and an ability to break news that matters.

Atanu Bhuyan, 62 | Journalist, Author, Filmmaker

Atanu Bhuyan’s influence lies in narrative disruption. He has consistently challenged journalistic convention, embracing technology early and transparency fully, even when it costs him moral posturing. Comfortable flaunting proximity to power, he shapes opinion through storytelling rather than sanctimony. His foray into filmmaking extends that narrative reach.

Nomal Borah, 75 | Doctor

Dr Borah reshaped Assam’s healthcare landscape by building institutions where none existed. The GNRC became the region’s neurological referral point, while his affordable healthcare mission broadened access for the poor. By coupling top-end care with social commitment, he turned medical infrastructure into long-term influence.

N N Dutta, 85 | Doctor

Dr Dutta’s power comes from institutional endurance. Through down town Hospital and Assam down town University, he created a healthcare and education model that survived competition without predatory pricing. Low-profile and methodical, his influence rests on systems that outlast personalities.

Adil Hussain, 62 | Actor

Adil Hussain carries Assam onto international screens. With awards across borders and roles spanning art-house to mainstream cinema, he commands cultural influence. Politically aware yet accessible, he remains a thinking actor, respected for substance rather than celebrity.

Angaraag Papon Mahanta, 50 | Musician

Papon is Assam’s most recognisable cultural export to Bollywood. With a devoted home audience and national visibility, he has carried Assamese musical traditions onto global stages. Influence here is cultural soft power—rooted in popularity, continuity and representation.

 

Rima Das, 43 | Filmmaker

Rima Das redefined how Assam appears in world cinema. Village Rockstars announced her as a global independent voice, earning international acclaim and an Oscar submission. Her influence lies in narrative authenticity, proving regional stories can travel without dilution.

Lovlina Borgohain, 28 | Boxer

Lovlina Borgohain’s influence extends far beyond the ring. Emerging from a remote corner of Assam, she overturned geography, gender and expectation to win an Olympic medal. Her bronze at Tokyo did more than add to India’s tally, it altered the imagination of what is possible for women from the margins. In a state long absent from elite sport, she became proof that global success need not originate from privileged centres.

Rana Pratap Kalita, 62 | Military Veteran

The highest-ranking military officer from Assam, Lt Gen Kalita remains influential in civilian discourse. Active in think tanks and policy circles, his strategic experience is sought by those in power. Authority here is derived from expertise and national service.

Nani Gopal Mahanta, 57 | Academician

As vice-chancellor of Gauhati University, Nani Gopal Mahanta wields influence that extends well beyond academia. His authority rests on proximity to power: close access to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and visible alignment with the ideological ecosystem of the RSS, including hosting its chief, Mohan Bhagwat, at his residence. Even amid personal and institutional controversy, his position has remained intact, an illustration of how ideological capital can outweigh turbulence.

Pranab Kumar Barman, 47 | Poet

Pranab Kumar Barman commands mass affection rarely granted to poets. Shifting effortlessly between romance and rebellion, he has made modern Assamese poetry popular again. His influence lies in emotional reach, turning verse into a public event.

Rita Choudhury, 65 | Author

Rita Choudhury’s authority stems from independence. A prominent voice during the Assam agitation, she later chose literature over politics. Married to power yet beholden to none, she remains influential for her willingness to dissent, even at personal cost.

Dimpu Baruah, 30 | Social Media Personality

Dimpu Baruah has turned mass appeal into political relevance. As Assam’s most popular YouTuber, he commands attention politicians crave, particularly during elections. His influence is volatile, capable of amplifying triviality or igniting controversy with equal speed.

Rudra Narayan Gupta, 44 | Businessman

Rudra Narayan Gupta has built his influence in Assam’s Barak Valley through institutions, not noise. A businessman with strong local roots, he runs Green Heals Hospital and Ramanuj Vidyamandir, as well as Ramanuj Gupta Senior Secondary School and Degree College, addressing long-standing gaps in healthcare and education. His recent foray into media with Bartalipi marks a strategic shift, placing him among the emerging power centres of a region often missing from Assam’s mainstream conversation.