Brajamohan Jamatia

Jamatia was born in a tribal peasant family in southern Tripura. Being illiterate, he came into contact with the Janasiksha Samiti literacy movement.^[1] In 1950 he became a member of the Communist Party of India. He was active in the struggle of Ganamukti Parishad, and became a member of the Central Committee of the organization. In the 1964 split in the party, he sided with the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He became a member of the Tripura State Committee of CPI(M).^[1]

He was elected to the Tripura Legislative Assembly in 1977 and, again, in 1988.^[1][2][3]

Jamatia spent several years underground. He was imprisoned eight times. He learned to read and write in prison. In total his jail terms lasted for close to a decade.^[4]