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Gajen Tanti (12th March 1937 - 9th July 1999) was an Indian politician and First Cabinet minister of Assam (1972) from the Tea Labour Community. He was a member of Indian National Congress, Indian National Congress (Socialist) and Nationalist Congress Party. He was one of the most loyalists of the 5th Chief Minister of Assam Sarat Chandra Sinha and remained till his last breath.

Early life and education
 Gajen Tanti also named as Gomaya Tanti S/O: Arpan Tanti also named as Apakar Telenga was born in a Telenga family on 12th March 1937 in Mezenga tea estate, Titabor, Jorhat District. He started his education at Bogargaon L.P School about 2 miles away from his residence at Mezenga Tea estate. He joined at Titabor Mihiram Saikia High School after successfully completing M.E. School at Titabor with a scholarship. He completed his matriculation in 1954 and started his higher education at J.B College, Jorhat, Assam in the night shift since he had to go for a job during the daytime at Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha, Jorhat Branch. He also had to sell rice and vegetable on the Sunday market at Dakhin hengra. On every Monday, he returns to his rented house, which is 25 km away at Nehru park, Jorhat by cycle. Since his father was a Sardar at Mezenga tea estate and could not bear his study expenses at Jorhat. Tanti had to earn his own expenses for his higher study.

Political Career
In 1960 Tanti became the secretary of ACMS (Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha), Jorhat branch anonymously. He is the first secretary in the Jorhat branch from the Tea garden labor community.

Mariani assembly constituency was formed in 1967, Gajen Tanti was elected to the member legislative assembly for the first time from Mariani in 1967 from Indian national congress party. In 1971 he was elected as General Secretary ACMS central Committee at Dibrugarh. In the same year, he formed the ATEICOL (Assam Tea Employees Industrial Co-Operation) and became the first President. In 1972 he was elected to the Mariani assembly constituency for the second time. He became the first cabinet minister of Assam from the tea garden labor community in the Sarat Chandra Sinha ministry. He was entrusted with departments like Food and Civil Supply, Labour, Co-operative, Transport, Trade and Commerce, Municipality, Housing, etc. during his political tenure. Gajen Tanti was elected to the Mariyani assembly for the third time in 1978 from Indian National Congress (Socialist) since the Indian National Congress was divided in the same year. He was a loyalist of Sarat Chandra Sinha and remained till his last breath.

After becoming the General Secretary of ACMS, he signed the first-ever MOU with the planters Association for the increase of labour wages. He was also instrumental in pension and gratuity implementation for the tea garden laborers. There was no student organization for tea garden workers at that time in Assam. Gajen Tanti took initiative in the form of " All Assam Tea Community Student Union " now ATTSA at Rangajan Tea estate in 1965. He became the Vice President of INTUC and a member of ILO during his lifetime.

AICC session with Sarat Chandra Singha and 3rd Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi in 1976 at Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam

Press conference at Delhi representing Assam in 1976

Personal life and Death
On 9th July 1999 while returning from Jorhat to Guwahati in ASTC bus for a crucial meeting at Guwahati for the merger of Indian National Congress (Socialist) with Nationalist Congress Party, he died in an accident at Siljuri, 16 km away from Bokakhat. He had two Sons and one Daughter.

References/Notes and references
Election results Mariani Vidhan Sabha constituency