Prasar Bharati inks pact with Assam Govt to produce 52-episode series on legendary warrior Lachit Borphukan

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 13, 2024

Prasar Bharati in collaboration with the Assam government will produce and telecast a TV series of 52 episodes on the legendary warrior Lachit Borphukan of the Ahom dynasty.

The series will be broadcast across Prasar Bharati’s platforms, including Akashwani, Doordarshan, and its digital services, Prasar Bharati News Services (PBNS).

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Meenakshi Das Nath,  Director of Cultural Affairs, Assam and Amit Kumar, Deputy Director General (Content Sourcing) Prasar Bharati in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Kanchan Prasad, Director General, Doordarshan in Guwahati on Monday.

Lachit Borphukan (November 24,1622 —April 25, 1672) was the famous General of the Royal Army of the Ahom Kingdom of Assam who defeated the Mughals and successfully halted the ever-expanding ambitions of the Mughals under Aurangzeb. Lachit Borphukan inspired the Assamese soldiers in the Battle of Saraighat fought in 1671, and delivered a crushing and humiliating defeat on the Mughals.

The heroic fight of Lachit Borphukan and his army remains one of the most inspiring military feats of resistance in the history of our country.

While thanking Prasar Bharati for coming forward to produce the 52-episode documentary on Lachit Borphukan, Chief Minister Sarma said that the production will go a long way in taking the Ahom General to a wider audience. He also said that through the documentary, Assam will showcase the state’s great historical and cultural heritage to the new age audience. This documentary will be an ode to the unparalleled role of Lachit Borphukan towards motherland and his commitment to territorial integrity, Sarma said.

Terming the day as historic, the Sarma said that the documentary will project the state in the annals of Ahom History at the wider landscape of the world. It will also be a source of inspiration for posterity as the documentary will exquisitely show Lachit’s valiance and how he put the cause of his duty above everything else. He also asked the Prasar Bharati to take into cognizance the unique culture, costume, history and heritage of the state, while it prepares the script, decides on the music, background scores, costumes etc to give respect to Lachit Borphukan, the Ahom History and most importantly the psyche of the people.

He, however, said that Cultural Affairs Department, Assam will also be available with its expertise to help Prasar Bharati to produce the documentary.

Sarma also declared that the state government will also decide on making a high-quality three-hour movie on Lachit Borphukan.

Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Bora, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, Principal Secretary (Cultural Affairs) B Kalyan Chakravarthy, DDG Prasar Bharati Kanchan Prasad and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

This series aims to delve into the life and exploits of Lachit Borphukan, shedding light on his strategic brilliance, unwavering courage, and enduring legacy.