It is a matter of admitted fact that life is KHSHAN BHUNGER. One comes & goes, perform gener ally as destined in rare cases AAM-MUHARA without knowing what for and free from ailment Hy Captain (SM) Akal Bahadur Limbu was one of those examples.
Passing away at the age of 96 years is a big leap. Even if you take infancy childhood away, he joined Assam Rifles at the early age i.e., 4th Bn (Manipur) The Assam Rifles (of Pre Independent India) as it was known then the only Bn responsible for operating in entire Manipur through ups & downs. Akal Bahadur Saab was a source of and store house of many important historical events connected with Assam Rifles & Manipur. There was a big fire in Kangla Office complex) some time around 1966 and most of the records had got burnt including the Bn history book. So when DGAR ordered every AR Bn, Range HQ to compile their history's during 2006-2007, 4th Bn Assam Rifles were here at Mantripukhri and I was involved to help Comdt 4 AR, Col Samantra to contact persons concerned with history of 4 Assam Rifles. It was during that period I got into touch with this tall personality of AR. Longtime back (1981-82) , I was posted with 4 AR at Kangla so I had complied the records from here and there by contacting retired NCO/JCOs then available and I could do that covering periods up to 1970.
It had become easier for me to extract certain details from such persons. I remember late Capt Limbu used to go nostalgic in narrating memorable events how refugees were fed/medically treated at Moreh during 1942 and Japanese ñINAs were fought by 4 AR side to side with Army & as part of V Force group, how bushy & difficult was kachha road to Silchar to travel pass over shaky bridges and troops had to lay ambushes in area bordering Silchar to Karimganj Sylhet and Tripura, memoirs of 2nd WW, bombardment of Kangla by Jap air force without causing any loss to human life and machinery but completely damaging 70 cases of Rum in CSD store near Assam Rifles War Memorial.
This was intolerable for troops because of quick replacement not in sight sometimes he used to go in a stance then difficult to revive him and I broke off in between. It is told he used to take pride in his turnout as handsome as he was by his manners conduct & presentation; he was picked up to be the ADC to His Excellency, The President of India not for one tenure but two. No mean achievement for an Assam Rifles JCO to rise to that position. I paid him three to four staggered visits generally without informing and always found him neatly suitably dressed up and pomp shoes polished and a drink somewhere near his chair but always in the dark.
In his death Assam Rifles has lost vital link with their history. I pay my humble tributes to the great gentleman and extort all the Ex- Servicemen, NCOs/JCOs & Officers to draw lesson from his life. Do your duties diligently, enjoy your life blissfully and inspire others to good. May Almighty grant peace to your departed soul, respected Capt AB Limbu Sahab.
