An Avalanche Buried Him

ALL FOR VALOUR

He was a very happy go lucky person. When he was home during his vacations, he loved to cook. He also did the household chores. He would never allow me to cook when he was on his vacation. He would cook whatever the family wanted to eat. He was a family loving person. He also loved to sing. He also wrote many songs

Gandhi Ram Rajbongshi was swept into a deep gorge by an avalanche while he was on patrolling duty with four officers of his regiment in Jammu and Kashmir, His wife Pabitri Rajbongshi and eldest daughter Geetanjali Rajbongshi recall the ill fated day and share memories with Melange about those happier times when the fallen hero came home on leave.

Gandhi Ram Rajbongshi belonged to Nalbari district in Assam. At the time of his death he was serving in 9 Assam Battalion as Subedar.

On December 18, 2000 he was on patrolling duty along with four officers of his platoon. They got stuck in deep snow and fell 200 feet below ground level due to an avalanche. Along with him two other officers also fell down. The other two officers sustained injury, but the brave son of Assam was martyred.

His eldest daughter Geetanjali said, "My younger brother was around 5 or 6 months when my father last came home in 1999. He was amongst the soldiers who brought back the body of late Captain Jintu Gogoi, who lost his life in the Kargil War. My father informed us, that he would be home. That was the last time we saw him. He was supposed to come home in January, 2001 to celebrate our younger brother's birthday and we were informed that his leave had also been sanctioned. He even contributed to the Christmas celebration in his platoon. We were looking forward to his visit, as he was coming home after a long time. Who knew that we would instead receive news of his death. It was very shocking for us. I was also very small and it was hard for us to accept the news pf his death. My youngest sister and brother do not even recall any memory with our father."

His wife Pabitri Rajbongshi was in Santipara in Mangaldai, when the family was informed about his death by the elder brother of Rajbonshi. The news of his death was sent to Rangiya Army Camp. When they received the message they rushed to his hometown in Nalbari to convey the news to the family.

She recalled, "The day is still vivid in my memory. When we received news about his death, we were devastated. We immediately went to Nalbari. The news of his death reached us after three days of his death. The Army brought back the body, and they also helped in conducting his last rites. They paid homage to the departed soul with due respect."

Currently Pabitri is with her family at her maternal home at Santipara in Mangaldai district of Assam. With the help of her family's support, she took care of the education of her children. Her two daughters also got scholarship from the Army for their education. Her two daughters are alr married now. She now runs the family with the family pension that she still gets from the Army.

Pabitri Rajbongshi remembered that her husband was very fond of cooking. "He was a very happy go lucky person. When he was home during his vacations, he loved to cook. He also did the household chores. He would never allow me to cook when he was on his vacation. He would cook whatever the family wanted to eat. He was a family loving person. He also loved to sing. He also wrote many songs," she reminisced. But the family now has no records of his written songs.

According to Pabitri, her late husband was a very good person. He loved to spend time with his family and especially loved to play with his children. Whenever he was at home during his vacations, he would take his whole family out to watch movies. He also took them to visit Guwahati and nearby places.

His friends and neighbours still talk about him. He was a very helpful person. Whenever someone from their village needed any kind of help, he would never hesitate to help them. He was very generous and an honest person.

Recalling her memories with her father, Geetanjali added, "My father loved to play with me and my sisters. He used to comb my hair, and even tie a ponytail for me. He also punished us when we did not fare well in our studies, but this was all in love. He loved us very much so whatever we wanted to eat; he would cook it for us. He also gave us everything we wanted. He was very indulgent and would take us to the market and whatever we wanted to buy; he would buy it for us."

According to his daughter Geetanjali, they did not get any help from the State government. "Unlike present times, where you get a lot of publicity, in those days my father's death did not make any news and so the government might not have been aware," she added. They did receive all the monetary grants from his workplace. It is very heart wrenching for them that even the local MLA did not come to visit them. According to Geetanjali, her father is an unsung hero, who deserved to get recognition.

The family has built a Swahid Bedi in his memory at Nalbari, in his family hometown.

Pabitri further said that she accompanied her husband when he was posted in Madhya Pradesh, Silchar and Arunachal Pradesh. He would come from duty, and play with his kids. They shared cordial relations with the families there and had a very good time. But, as her parents were not keeping well, she had to come home and stay with her family.

She adds, "My only wish now is to see my children settled. I felt a sense of loss when my husband died. We were eagerly waiting for his return, but instead we received his body. Even now when I am talking about him, my eyes are getting teary. I am very proud that my husband served the nation. If I ever had the chance to send my children to the Army to serve the nation, I would have happily sent them. This will not happen now, because unfortunately my younger son had a severe accident in which he lost one of his eyes. I only wish I get help from the government. This would have been a great help to my family."

The villagers still love late Gandhi Ram Rajbonshi. He continues to receive acclaim for his bravery and love for his nation. They hold him in high regard and use him as an example for everyone. He was the first martyr from their area. The day when they received his body, the people in their area cried along with the family members. They lost a beloved soldier and a very good person. It has been 22 years since his death, but he continues to live in the memory of his family members, friends and members of his regiment.