Assam girl urges PM Modi to include chapter on freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua in school curriculum

Guwahati teen Asmita Paul has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to include the story of Assam freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua in school curriculum across the country. 

Taking forward with her special request, Asmita Paul, 17, a class XII student from Pandu in Guwahati, Assam, wants the story of courage and valour portrayed by the young freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua during the Quit India Movement, to be the guiding epitome for the youth of this country. 

A book based on the life of Kanaklata Barua was written in English.

Asmita Paul sent the letter to the Prime Minister of India on October 7. In the letter, the 17-year-old student mentioned "Please include the courageous story of Assam martyr Kanaklata Baruah in the school curriculum across the country which will encourage young citizens of India to participate in nation building".

Kanaklata Barua was born on 22 December 1924 and died fighting for her homeland on September 20, 1942, facing the bullets of the British during the Quit India Movement.

Barua was born in the Borangabari village of the undivided Darrang district of Assam as the daughter of Krishna Kanta and Karneshwari Barua. 

Her grandfather Ghana Kanta Barua was a famous hunter in Darrang. Her ancestors were from the Dolakasharia Barua kingdom (Chutia vassal chiefdom) of the erstwhile Ahom state who relinquished the Dolakasharia title and continued retaining the Barua title. 

During the Quit India Movement Barua joined the Mrityu Bahini, a death squad comprising groups of youth from the Gohpur sub-division of Assam. 

On 20 September 1942, the Bahini decided she would hoist the national flag at the local police station. A procession of unarmed villagers was led by Barua to do so. The police under Rebati Mahan Som, the officer in charge of the police station, warned the procession of dire consequences if they proceeded with their plan.

Undeterred by the police, the procession continued marching ahead when the police fired upon the procession. Barua was shot and the flag she was carrying with her was taken up by Mukunda Kakoti who too was shot at. Both Barua and Kakoti were killed in the police action. Barua was only 17 years of age at the time of her martyrdom.

It is worth mentioning that Asmita Paul, an international medal winner in karate sports, recently wrote a book titled "Kanaklata Baruah – Forgotten Martyr of Assam" in the English language with the aim of spreading her courageous story among the youth of the country.

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