On January 12, briefing the media before Army Day, Gen Manoj Pande, the Army Chief, described the situation on the northern borders as ‘stable but unpredictable.’ Things could have been different.
This is the story of an unsung hero, Maj Ralengnao (Bob) Khathing, a Tangkhul Naga from Manipur. He was the first person of tribal origin to serve as an ambassador for India and played a vital role in integrating Tawang with the union of India.
Maj Khathing was born on 8 February, 1912, in Ukhrul in Manipur and was the first tribal from Manipur to graduate. During World War-II he became the first Manipuri to get the King’s Commission. He was commissioned into the 19th Hyderabad Regiment (later the 7th Kumaon Regiment) and later served under the then Major Thimmayya (later chief of army staff and commander-in-chief, Indian Army) at the Regimental Training Centre, Agra.
Express News Service
GUWAHATI: An Army officer, who had effectively established India’s administrative authority over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh in 1951, will get his dues, finally.
Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday announced that his government would recognize the contributions of Maj Bob Khathing by constructing a memorial.
Maj Khathing is relatively an unknown figure for most of Arunachal and India but the people of Tawang still remember him with respect for being the sole Indian official to come as their saviour when the Chinese threat loomed large.
He served in the British Army and fought World War II. A British officer, who found the pronunciation of his name “Relengnao” a bit difficult, decided to call him Bob and he came to be known by it.
Arunachal Pradesh govt to recognize the contribution of Maj Bob Khathing: Chief Minister Pema Khandu
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Synopsis
Ralengnao Khathing, popularly known as Bob Khathing, is relatively an unknown figure for most of Arunachal and even India, but people of Tawang still remember him with respect for being the sole Indian official to come as their saviour when the Chinese threat loomed large.
Agencies
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu
GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced that the state government would recognize the contribution of Maj Bob Khathing for officially bringing Tawang under Indian rule way back in 1951.