Kanaklata Barua
Kanaklata Barua was born on 22 December 1924 to Krishna Kanta and Karneshwari Barua at Borangabari, Gohpur, Darrang district (now in Sonitpur District), Assam. She was also called Birbala, Kanka. She was nicknamed Kali because of her dark complexion. Her ancestors were ministers in the court of the Ahom kings.
Kanaklata Barua lost her mother when she was only five. Her father, a farmer and social worker, remarried but he died when she was thirteen. She studied at the local school till Class III but then dropped out to take care of her younger siblings Rajani Kanta Barua and Dibyalata Barua and to do household chores.
Freedom fighter Jyoti Prasad Agarwala established a group called the Mrityu Vahini (Death Squad) in Tezpur. Kanaklata Barua joined the Mrityu Bahini wing of the Gohpur sub division.
On 20 September 1942, the Mrityu Bahini decided to hoist the national flag at the Gohpur police station. A procession of unarmed villagers led by Kanaklata Barua started their march towards the police station. Kanaklata held the flag high, shouting slogans of freedom. The British police warned the procession of dire consequences if they proceeded further. Undeterred, the procession continued marching ahead.
It was then that the teenage Kanaklata said aloud these inspiring words, “πππ πππ ππππ πππ πππππ πππ
πππ πππ πππ πππ πππππ πππ
π ππ ππππ. πΆ π©πππππππππ! πΎπππππππ ππππππππ πππ ππ
πππ ππ ππππ ππ ππππ ππππ. πΎπ πππππ ππππππππ ππ πππππππ
. π΅πππ πππ ππππ ππ ππππ ππππππππ πππ ππππππππ ππππ ππ πππ ππππππ ππππ.”
Kanaklata was about to hoist the flag when the British shot at her. She died on the spot and attained Veergati. She was then only 17 years old.
