Harekrishna Deka was a former member of the Indian Police Service who is now known for his writing. Although he began writing poetry as a hobby while working on the police force, he later quit to become a writer. He was the Director General of Police for Assam from 2000–2003.
Harekrishna Deka is one of the most prominent poet-critics of his generation.[citation needed] He started writing poems and short stories since his student days. He was one of the most prolific writers of Assam's Ramdhenu Era.[citation needed]
He was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award for his poetic contribution in Ann Ejan in 1987, and he was awarded the Katha Award for his short story, Bandiyar (Prisoner) in 1995. After retiring as the DGP of Assam, Deka was the editor of the English daily, The Sentinel for brief period before serving as editor of the Assamese literary monthly Gariyasi.
He won the Assam Literary Award in 2010.