Martyr Lance Naik Pushpadhar Changmai Never Missed Bihu Celebrations

ALL FOR VALOUR

Lance Naik Pushpadhar Changmai was born in the Dihajan locality of Demow in Sivasagar district. He was the third boy in a family of four sons, two of which went along to join the forces. The eldest son went on to be a teacher, but he later succumbed to cancer. The second son went into the business line while both the younger sons joined the armed forces.

He had his early education in the Banhagarh High School located in Sivasagar district of Assam. Thereafter he enrolled in the Demow College from where he completed his higher secondary course. Soon after completing his higher secondary, Pushpadhar Changmai was selected for service in the Indian Army.

He joined the 5th Battalion of the Assam Regiment. His training and first posting was in Happy Valley of Shillong in Meghalaya. He served at several places including Ranchi, from where the unit was transferred to Assam about one and half year before the incident.

They were part of a 16 member joint family. Both the brothers in the forces used to take leave during the Bihu season. The meaning of which was that the festival used to be a big celebration for the whole family.

Lance Naik Pushpadhar Changmai got married to Lalita Kataki Changmai in the year 1997. She had just completed her Bachelor in Arts degree when they got married. The young couple had a son after about two years of their marriage. He was named Udipta Changmai and was only 18 months old when his dad was martyred. A family picture where the fallen soldier has his young son on his lap and his wife by his side is the last and one of the most beautiful memories that she retains till eternity.

The unit was posted on the Indo - Bhutan Border region in the Chirang district of Assam during the election season in the state. Their camp was attacked by armed militants from the United Liberation Front of Assam, the most prominent banned insurgent organization of the region at the time. Several of the soldiers were in their tents when this attack was executed. The soldiers also retaliated by firing at the militants. The incident took place on May 8, 2001.

Lance Naik Pushpadhar Changmai was one of the three soldiers of the Indian Army who were caught in this crossfire. One of the other two was from neighboring Manipur while the other was from Bihar.

The family was informed about the incident over the phone, but they decided to keep the news from his wife. Lalita Kataki Changmai mentioned that she came to know about his demise only some time before the arrival of the martyr's body in his home.

Following the incident, the body was taken for post mortem to the Army Base Hospital located in Basistha in Guwahati. It was three days after the attack that the family received the body.

Lance Naik Pushpadhar Changmai was an expert Dhuliya, according to his family and friends. He was also into farming and agriculture. So whenever he used to come home during breaks, he used to take care of their fields. He also used to participate in all the social events that took place in the village and their locality, especially Bihu.

"It took me about two years to finally get a grip of the reality that my husband is no more. For this long duration, I always felt like he is posted on duty somewhere and will return back when his leave gets sanctioned," remembered the martyr's wife.

"He used to say that he will always be far away and will be able to provide us only with money. Although he had told me that I had to take care of the well being and upbringing of our son, I had never imagined that I would have to take care of him all by myself. I had never thought that I would have to construct our home alone in his absence," she said in a sad voice.

The soldier had bought a plot in the Demow town of Assam. The plan was to move out of the village and create their own home in that plot, but he never lived to see it happen.

Their son Udipta Changmai had his early education from the Sainik School in Goalpara. Following this, he was enrolled in a two years course from ITI which landed him a contractual job with the Indian Railways. Happy with the respect she received as the wife of a soldier of the Indian Armed Forces, mother Lalita Kataki Changmai wants to send her only son on the same path as his father.

The last time the soldier came home before the incident was for Bihu in the same year. When he was about to leave, he took his son in his arms and walked a very long distance. His wife and mother had to ask him several times to give the son back and leave for his duty or else he would miss the transport. And the attack happened just fifteen days after this incident. Something similar happened when he talked to his wife for the last time. He wanted to talk more, but she had to disconnect as the phone booth was very far from their home in the village.

The soldier always wanted his wife Lalita to become a teacher. He tried really hard to get it done when he was alive, but it finally happened only after his death. She now works as a teacher in the Shariporaghar High School. And as a memorial in his name, she donated the main gate of the school.

Some of his colleagues and friends still call and visit the family and check for their well being from time to time said the wife of martyr Lance Naik Pushadhar Changmai.

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