'''Jyotiprasad Agarwala (1903-51)''' Aka Rupkonwar. First Assamese director. Born in Tezpur; radical playwright (e.g. Sonitkonwari, 1925; Karengar-Ligari, 1936; Rupalim, 1960). Stage director and songwriter who introduced traditional musical forms to contemporary Assamese stage. Graduate of Edinburgh University and Trinity College, Cambridge where he studied Western music (1926). Studied film-making at UFA, Germany (1930). Prominent political activist; jailed as member of Congress Party (1931-2); resigned from Tezpur Local Board protesting Assam government’s compulsory financial contributions to WW2 and was involved in CP- led uprising of 1942. President of first [[IPTA]] conference in Assam at Silchar, following 1942 struggles. Briefly edited daily newspaper Dainik Asamiya (1944). First film, [[Joymati]], based on Sahityatri Bezbaruah’s militant play, made in improvised studio adjoining his family’s tea gardens near Tezpur, an event commemorated in [[Bhupen Hazarika]]’s film about the director, Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Aru Joymati (1976). '''FILMOGRAPHY:''' 1935: [[Joymati]]; 1939: Indramalati. [[Director]]