GUWAHATI: The 35th death anniversary of Bodofa Upendranath Brahma, widely revered as the Father of the Bodos, was observed on Thursday, May 1, with two commemorative events taking place in New Delhi. The day was marked by the unveiling of a statue and the naming of a road in India’s national capital, signifying the Bodo leader’s legacy.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the “Bodofa Upendranath Brahma Marg” and unveiled a nine-foot statue in Kailash Colony, South Delhi. The renamed stretch of road, part of the earlier Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, runs from A5 to A18 in Kailash Colony.
The event was held at 4 PM, and was attended by several dignitaries, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, BTC CEM Pramod Boro, ABSU President Dipen Boro, and others.
Shah stated that the tribute extends beyond the Bodo community, serving as a recognition for all indigenous groups across India. Sarma, meanwhile, in his remarks, called the gesture a significant message of inclusion for Assam’s indigenous communities. He further noted that earlier recognition of Bodofa’s leadership might have shortened the years of unrest before the Bodo Peace Accord of 2020.
Simultaneous tributes were held in Assam, particularly at Thulungapuri in Dotma, Kokrajhar—Bodofa’s resting place—where ABSU, the Upendra Nath Brahma Trust, and the Department of Culture jointly organised a memorial ceremony. The flag of ABSU was flown at half-mast, and floral tributes were offered by Assam Cabinet Minister Nandita Gorlosa and BTC Deputy Chief Gobinda Basumatary, among others.
A memorial event was also held at the BTC Secretariat in Assam.
