The 5th Battalion of the Assam Rifles celebrated its 64th Anniversary on April 18 somewere in the North Eastern Region.
The highlights of the celebretions were Puja in the Unit Mandir, Special Sainik Sammelan, battalion welfare fete and cultural programme.
The unit received the messages of greetings and good wishes from the various Army formation commanders.
The battalion was raised on April 18 1920 as the Darang Battalion. In 1922 the unit was employed to restore law and order in the plain areas of Aasam and in 1924 columns were sent to contain Nople rebels to Madras and in 1930 to Chittagong (now in Bangladesh) to astist civil authorities in maintiaining law and order. In 1959 Da1ai Lama with the members of the family and followers, entered into the Indian soil through one of the posts of the unit. They had unique honour of escorting His Holiness upto the plains of Assam.
During Sino-Indian Conflict of 1962, the battalion had the honour of occupying all the forward posts and were attacked the Chinese with overwhelming superior strength. The peraonnel of the battalion fought with great valour, courage and devotion to the duty though they completely out-numbered on various out posts they held on and only withdrew on orders of the Army Commanders.
Freedom fighters to meet in Cuttack
A Convention of the freedom fighters will be held at Cuttack sometime in May this year under the ba nner of All-India Freedom F ighters’ Samity, New Delh.
Meghalaya will be represented at the convention by Mr Bimal Sen Gupta and Mr Salil Dutta, President and General Secretary respectively of Meghalaya State Fighters Association.