Kanaklata Barua

Kanaklata Barua
Kanaklata Barua’s sculpture at Borngabari, Gohpur
Native name	কনকলতা বৰুৱা
Born	(1924-12-22)22 December 1924 Borangabari, Gohpur, Darrang district (now in Sonitpur District)
Died	20 September 1942(1942-09-20) (aged 17) Borangabari, Gohpur
Movement	Indian Independence movement

Kanaklata Barua (Assamese: কনকলতা বৰুৱা) (22 December 1924 – 20 September 1942) also called Birbala and Shaheed (martyr) Kanaklata Barua was an Indian freedom fighter from Assam who was shot dead while leading a procession bearing the National Flag during the Quit India Movement of 1942.

Kanaklata 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 Dolakharia Barua kingdom of the erstwhile Ahom state who relinquished the Dolakharia title and continued retaining Barua title. Her mother died when she was only five and her father, who remarried, died when she reached thirteen. She went to school till class three but then dropped out to take care of her younger siblings.

During the Quit India Movement Kanaklata 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 it would hoist the national flag at the local police station. A procession of unarmed villagers were 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. Kanaklata was shot and the flag she was carrying with her was taken up by Mukunda Kakoti who too was shot at. Both Kanaklata and Kakoti were killed in the police action. Kanaklata was only 17 years of age at the time of her martyrdom.

The Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Kanak Lata Barua of the Indian Coast Guard, commissioned in 1997, is named after Kanaklata. A life size statue of hers was unveiled at Gauripur in 2011.