PM Unveiled 125-foot statue of Lachit Borphukan in Assam's Jorhat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils a remarkable 125-foot bronze statue of the revered Ahom commander, Lachit Barphukan, in the city of Jorhat, located in the Assam state. 

• Known as the 'Statue of Valour', it is a fitting tribute to the illustrious military leader, who bravely thwarted a significant bid by the Mughal forces to regain control of Assam, a legacy that spans over 400 years. 
• Although former President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation for this monument in February 2022, the statue itself stands tall at 84 feet and rests on a 41-foot pedestal.

About Ahom General Lachit Barphukan:

• Ahom General Lachit Barphukan was one of the five Barphukans who held administrative, judicial, and military duties in the Ahom kingdom of Assam and was born in 1622. 
• He is remembered as a military commander for leading Ahom forces against a Mughal invasion in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat. 
• The Battle of Saraighat took place on the Brahmaputra River at Saraighat, now in Guwahati, Assam, India, and was a naval battle fought in 1671 between the Mughal Empire led by the Kachwaha king Ram Singh I and the Ahom Empire led by Lachit Borphukan.
• This battle with the Mughals is the last major attempt to expand his empire in Assam.
• Although the Mughals recaptured Guwahati sometime after Borphukan abandoned it, the Ahoms regained control at the Battle of Itakhuli in 1682 and retained it until the end of their rule. 
• Despite having a small army, Barphukan was able to defeat the huge Mughal army using guerrilla tactics.
• He used his vast knowledge of the terrain to push back the sizable Mughal army and force them to retreat from Saraighat, now in Guwahati. 
• His birthday is celebrated as Lachit Divas, a symbol of Assamese bravery, and his military prowess is honored by the National Defence Academy (NDA), which awards the Lachit Barphukan trophy to its best graduating cadet every year. 
• The year 2022 marked the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan (pronounced Borphukan).