"Who was Lachit Borphukan and What Was His Impact on Ahom History?"

Lachit Borphukan was an Ahom Borphukan, primarily known for commanding the Ahom Army and the victory in the Battle of Saraighat (1671) that thwarted an invasion by the vastly superior Mughal Forces under the command of Ramsingh . He died about a year later in April 1672. There is keen contemporary interest in Lachit Borphukan today—he has emerged as a powerful symbol of Assam's historical autonomy. Since the rise of BJP in Assam, the party has been keen to project him as a warrior against Muslim invasion instead. This communalisation of Lachit Borphukan and the Battle of Saraighat is contested by historians who claim that Lachit himself was not Hindu rather followed Tai religion, that he had Muslim commanders like Bagh Hazarika (Ismail Siddique) under him, and that he fought against a Hindu Mughal commander, Ram Singh.