- Lachit Divas is celebrated on November 24 every year in Assam to commemorate the heroism of Lachit Borphukan and the victory of the Assamese army at the Battle of Saraighat. The day is celebrated to promote the ideals of Lachit Borphukan – the legendary general of Assam’s history.
- In the 17th century, the Mughal Empire was dominant across large swathes of the Indian subcontinent. Stretching from the Deccan plateau in South India to Afghanistan and Kashmir in the north, the empire also had designs on Assam which was part of the Ahom Kingdom.
- Chao Lachit was an army general (Borphukan) from Assam who fought relentlessly to curb the expansion of the Mughal Empire in Assam and had reversed Mughal territorial gains in the region.
- Lachit was the commander at the Battle of Saraighat which was fought in 1671 between the Mughals and the Ahom Kingdom on the Brahmaputra river at Saraighat, now in Guwahati.
- Outnumbered and with his troops demoralised after recent losses, Lachit gave a military masterclass by using the terrain, guerrilla tactics and inspirational leadership to score a famous victory and defeat the Mughal forces.
- Lachit Borphukan died from natural causes in April 1672 about a year after the Battle Saraighat. His remains lie in the Lachit Maidaam near Jorhat.
Lachit Diwas will be celebrated today on 24 November
