Lachit Borphukan:
Indian President will inaugurate a year-long celebration of the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan.
- Earlier, the Prime Minister called 17th century Ahom general Lachit Borphukan a symbol of India’s “Atmanirbhar military might”.
- Lachit Borphukan Born on 24th November, 1622, Borphukan was known for his leadership in the Battle of Saraighat, 1671 in which an attempt by Mughal forces to capture Assam was thwarted.
- He was the inspiration behind strengthening India’s naval force and revitalising inland water transport and creating infrastructure associated with it due to his great naval strategies.
- The Lachit Borphukan gold medal is awarded to the best cadet from the National Defence Academy.
- The medal was instituted in 1999 to inspire defence personnel to emulate Borphukan’s heroism and sacrifices.
- He died on 25th April, 1672.
- The battle of Saraighat was fought on the banks of the Brahmaputra in Guwahati in 1671.
- It is considered as one of the greatest naval battles on a river which resulted in the victory of Ahoms over the Mughals.
