(There is no proper evidence of Karbis participating in the Indian Independence Movement, but in the years after the nation got freedom, Karbi youths joined the Indian Army and gave their service to protect the territory of the motherland. In this issue, we will know about Sipahi Jagatsing Timung, one among such former soldiers of the Assam Regiment who had fought in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. During his time in the army, he was an excellent shooter and had been feted for his bravery and dedication.)
TDE: Tell us about your parents and early life.
JST: I was born on 17th October 1943, at Sar-et Terang village in Rechohidi, Volongkom Aji. However, my family shifted from my birthplace and I was raised and brought up at Digholipara, Havarkehat. I was the eldest of three children born to my parents Roido Timung and Sika Terangpi. My mother passed away very early and we were looked after and raised by my father alone. My younger brothers are Longsing Timung and Hukleswar Timung (who passed away this year).
I got married in November 1969. I was on leave for the first time. I married Kave Ingtipi, and we have seven children – Rina, Santi, Rekha, Minuti, Mary, Bikrom Sing and Anima.
TDE: Did you go to school?
JST: Due to poverty and other problems at home, in 1959, I began to stay in the house of one Rongpi family in Tarabasa as a house help. Even though I was a grown-up boy, the house owner convinced me to attend school. There were no schools available nearby so I was admitted at Dengaon LP School. There were other boys who were also going to school along with me. Early in the morning we would leave home on buffaloes, on reaching school we tied the animals to feed and came back riding on it in the evening after school.
Due to the far distance, we did not go to school regularly. I remember going 12 days in the first year and learnt the Assamese alphabets, then another 13 days in the second year as a student of ‘Kho Man’ grade. So, whatever I learned from school was only in 25 days.
TDE: As a young man what were your visions for life? How did you end up in defence job?
JST: There were no options available to me. I was thinking of doing pity work as a daily wager for my livelihood. I wanted to make my brothers attend school.
However, things were not going to be like I expected. I came to Diphu in 1963 in search of work through my relatives in Ram Inghi village and was employed as a ‘Mali’ in the Fishery Department office. The same year, I met Samsing Hanse (former Assam Minister) who was then a student of Diphu Govt. Boys’ High School as a hosteler. We became friends and in 1964 decided to leave Diphu in search of work.
We went to Cherrapunji and found work in a cement factory. After 4-5 months of work, we went to Shillong for a trip. We halted for the night in the house of the then Assam Minister from Karbi Anglong Sri Chatrasing Teron. His house was located close to the Army Recruitment Office.
The next morning, we heard heavy footsteps of many people, it was a recruitment rally going on. Samsing and I went out of the house and were enjoying the young boys running. Someone from among the army saw us and invited us to give a try. Without much thoughts, both of us took part in the rally and we easily passed the medical and physical test (these were the only tests we had to appear). We were immediately recommended for training in October 1964. However, we could not complete our training because in March 1965, Samsing Hanse’s father came to our training camp in Shillong to take back his son. Seeing my friend coming back home, I also sought order from the officers to accompany them. Permission was granted, and we came back home.
Coming back to Diphu, I found life was not going to be easy for me. I neither had money to start any business nor any rich relatives to give me job. I also did not like to stay in other’s house anymore. I began to think that it would be better to spent a few years of life in the military, earn some money and then come back home to look after my family.
In May 1968, participated in a recruitment drive held in Diphu, got selected and joined the Assam Regiment. This time, I completed my training and in 1969 went to Firozpur, Punjab on draft. There, in various competitions conducted within army personnel, my performance was excellent. I won medals in cross-country, running race, boxing and shooting as well. Seeing my excellence in various fields, the regiment recommended my promotion, but the 1971 Indo-Pak War began and everyone were focused on how to win the battle, so my promotion could not happen.
Our 2nd Assam Regiment was also called to take part in the war, from Firozpur, we were taken to Uri Sector in Jammu & Kashmir. The war began from December 1, 1971. There were continuous aerial bombings and artillery attacks in the area. Many of our fellow soldiers lost their life, many were injured. I was also a victim of a mine blast.
TDE: Can you briefly tell us about the mine accident leading to your untimely retirement from service?
JST: Led by 2nd Assam Regiment C-Company’s Major S. Tomar and Naik Subedar Radhamohon Singh, on 4th December 1971, we began our expedition to reclaim the land held by the Pakistani soldiers. I was a runner of the company. We succeeded in destroying the enemy pickets and were marching ahead and went at least 11 kms into the Pakistani-occupied area. There were casualties and injuries on both sides, but we proved to be stronger and able to capture many enemy soldiers. However, due to continuous bombings, our ration supply was cut-off. In order to survive, we had to rely on our indigenous knowledge on eating wild plants and trapping wild animals. Unaware of the fact that the area we have stepped into had mine bombs hidden underground, I became a victim on 11th December. Luckily, there was a temporary cease-fire that day.
Due to the mine accident, I was brought back from the war zone and taken to Srinagar. It was after the operation was completed that I came to my senses and realised that half of my left foot was gone. Later, I was also taken to New Delhi and Pune and once my condition was stable, I came back to Shillong.
As I was no longer physically fit due to the injury, I retired from my service on 27th June 1973. So, my service period was only 5 years and 6 months. The first pension I received was Rs. 115 only. The medals that I wear are records of the different places I have been posted and my achievements.
TDE: What did you do after retirement?
JST: Coming back home, I found no work to do in the village as I neither had enough money nor much property in hand. Therefore, I decided to move from Havarkehat and came to Diphu, where my relatives showed me land in Joysing Teron village, Birla. It was the same year of my retirement, there was jungle all around with very scarce population. When I came and built house here, it was the seventh house in the village. I brought my wife, children and brothers to send them to school.
In 1977, I came in contact with people having political connections and this association led me to become a serious drunkard. I have lost much of the money and properties at hand in gambling and drinking. The reason I came in their contact was to protest against the allotment of land to Assam Rifles Training Camp (ARTC). Like I and several other people owned land under the area which the KAAC was giving to the Assam Rifles. Our demand was that KAAC should place the ARTC in the border area, not in the middle of the district.
By 1990, I had nothing. In addition, I fell severely ill. It was during this time of sickness that I got the gospel. Prayers and worship helped me in healing and this led to my conversion from a follower of traditional Karbi religion to a Christian in 1994. Our family was the first Karbis to be members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPC).
In those early days, I got the opportunity to visit Manipur on a missionary programme. There I was amazed to see hard-working the people were. Even without govt. jobs, they were living a comfortable and self-reliant life. So, on coming back home, I started my small piggery farm, followed by poultry. For more than 25 years, these had been my only source of income apart from my pension.
I must say that the disciplined and hardworking nature inculcated in me by my service in the army had helped me to stay active. Due to my age and weakening physical condition, I have now retired from farming work.
TDE: How did you succeed in bringing Hebron Children Home?
JST: In those days, there was big problem of unavailability of schools in Birla and the adjacent areas. This resulted in most of the children in the locality, including mine being deprived of proper education. With lack of literacy, the area was very backward.
There was an assembly of the missionaries’ associations at Bombay, where I placed the issue. I demanded that a Children’s Home should be set up in Diphu along with a school. initially, the children home was built at Rongmongve, but later shifted to the present location. Accordingly, the school (Covenant High School) also came into being and I donated land for the school and mission. Since then, the school has been performing well under the RPC with its branches at Upper Hapjan, Manja, Santipur, Hamren and Diphu (Lil Kids). I must say that these schools have contributed immensely to imparting quality education among children.
TDE: Apart from the monthly pensions, have you received any other benefits from the govt?
JST: The Central Govt. and the State Govt. have both provided different kinds of assistance to the war veterans. I have been receiving annual gifts in the form of monetary assistance as recognition of my participation in the 1971 war. There is no fixed amount for such assistance, it may be any amount as per the funds released by the Ministry of Defence. One thing to note here is that I am the only one from Karbi still alive and enjoying such gifts. Other Karbi ex-servicemen only receive pensions.
I am receiving grants on three grounds – Excellence in MM (shooting ⅞competition), Disability caused in war, Regular retirement pension.
TDE: Do you find any difference defence job and other sector jobs?
JST: As a person associated with the armed forces, I find that jobs in other sectors lack enough amount of honesty and sincerity. After my retirement, I had briefly (1994-96) worked as a peon in the Council, but I saw that to make things work, at every step there is money involved. Dishonesty was at its height and I could not bear it, so I left the job. You will see that most of retired army men prefer working in the banks and as security guards because they do not want to indulge in dishonest works.
TDE: What response did you receive from family and relatives when you decided to join the army?
JST: It was a total ‘No’ for me. Neither my family nor relatives were willing to permit me to go for the job. They had the feeling that joining the army meant not coming back home. However, when I came home after training, all were amazed.
To me, getting the opportunity to serve in the army is one of the best things that happened to me. I am proud to have served in Assam Regiment and the nation.
TDE: What will be your message to the youths aspiring to go for defence jobs?
JST: There is no short-cut to hard work. If anyone wishes to join the defence department, he or she must be conscious about physical and medical fitness. Above everything else, running is a very important part of selection. Running regularly has many benefits so as much as possible, the habit of running must be developed.
Also, addiction to any form of intoxicating substance is very bad for health. Drinking, smoking and consumption of drugs must be totally avoided.