Ahom Warrior Lachit Borphukan
Recently, the 400th birth anniversary celebrations of ‘Lachit Borphukan’, the ‘symbol of Assamese nationalism and the commander of the Ahom kingdom’, were inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind. Please note that this event will continue throughout the year.
Who was Lachit Borphukan?
- One of his generals was ‘Lachit Borphukan’ in the Ahom kingdom of Assam. He is remembered for the famous Battle of Sarai Ghat in the year 1671, in which he saved the Ahom kingdom from being captured by the Mughal army led by Ram Singh I.
- The battle of ‘Sarai Ghat’ was fought in Guwahati on the banks of the Brahmaputra. In 1671, during the final phase of the Battle of Saraighat, when the Mughals attacked the Ahom army from the river at Saraighat, many Ahom soldiers lost their courage. In such a situation, General Lachit boosted the morale of all the soldiers, and inspired them to fight till their last breath, resulting in a tremendous defeat of the Mughals.
Battle of Alaboi:
- The ‘Battle of Alaboi’ was fought between the Ahom kingdom and the Mughals on August 5, 1669. The Ahom kingdom suffered a severe defeat in this war, and thousands of their soldiers were killed.
- It may be noted that the ‘Lachit Bodphukan’ gold medal is awarded every year by the National Defense Academy (NDA) to the best cadet since 1999.
Source – The Hindu