By: Alemwati Jamir, Advocate, Kohima.
The Regiment march closer to the battle field and the infantry roars the slogan ‘Tagra raho!’ uplifting the spirit of each compatriot as they come face to face with the enemy. Such is the strength and unity of the Indian military against all odds. In the words of George Orwell, ‘we sleep peacefully in our beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf.’
Col T.Tsuknungwati Jamir, Commanding Officer of one of the best Battalions of the Assam Regiment, is one such highly motivated foot soldier from Nagaland serving the country. He hails from Longsa village under Mokokchung district and was born on 16th January 1982 to Late Mr I. Tiyongnokdang Jamir and Mrs L. Nukshitula Longkumer. He is the second child and the eldest son among four siblings. Coming from a humble background, he always stood out among all his siblings. He received early education from Queen Mary School, Mokokchung and excelled in both sports and academics. Under his captaincy, he even led the school football team at the inter-school ‘Catch Them Young’ tournament. He developed the habit of reading competitive exam magazines at such a tender age of 8. While undergoing 7th standard at school, he successfully cleared the All India Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) exam and joined RIMC in February 1994. Thereon he completed his higher secondary education in 1998 in all glory. During his five years stint at RIMC, he truly excelled in sports such as Football, Hockey, Boxing, Athletes, Squash and represented the college at both National and Inter-College level. He was also the Captain of the RIMC football team. Achievement Trophies always outweighed his personal attire in his luggage every time he travelled back home on vacation. In 1998 he successfully cleared the UPSC National Defence Academy exam and Service Selection Board. He joined the NDA, Pune in January 1999 and passed out in the month of December 2001. After which he then joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun in the month of January 2002 and got commissioned into the Indian Army on 10th December 2002.
Ever since his commissioning, he had been posted at various places both at peace and war zone. He has gained vast experience over the years in Counter Insurgency Operations, Counter Terrorist Operations and High Altitude Areas. He took part in the Counter Operations against Militants in Jammu and Kashmir when militancy was at its peak. Hiking through steep mountain ranges where roadways are unheard of and where the level of oxygen drops to extreme low as the troops march closer towards the peak to set up camps monitoring the enemy’s movements are some of the harsh reality faced among many. His high and unparalleled calibre in tactical training and experience along with unblemished service record led him to the prestigious Commando School of Indian Army as an Instructor. He had also been deputed and posted as a Training Officer at the elite ‘National Security Guard’ of the Nation. In October 2017, he was selected for the most sought after ‘The Coveted Rank of Colonel.’ He took over command of his Battalion in March 2018 and is still the Commanding Officer as of now. Being one of the world’s longest unresolved frontier disputes between India and China, for decades our country has been under the impression that China always have a way of keeping the dispute alive so that they can throw India off-balance every once in a while. During the recent deadlock with China, his Battalion was deployed under his command along the Eastern Ladakh region and took part in the operation against China amidst the harsh weather condition. The Battalion under his command was also awarded the prestigious ‘GOC-in-C unit citation’ for impeccable military service, a recognition most sought after within the military fraternity. His Battalion under his able leadership and guidance was part of the organising team which lead to the resounding success of the Defence Expo 2020, a flagship biennial event of the Ministry of Defence, GoI.
As the saying goes, ‘It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who gets into battle.’ It has been said that when we come face to face with an automatic weapon in the battlefield, our entire life flashback at us filled with terror, pain and grief. When asked about one of his hardest battles, he simply replied, ‘War gives a profound sense of purpose of what it is like to be a soldier in times of war but military combat expertise alone doesn’t bring victory. I have always felt the grace of God in every battle. It is through His grace that I am here today.’ On the personal front, he is happily married to Mrs. Asangla Pongen and they have been blessed with a son and a daughter.
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