Tripura: Padma Shri awardee Himangshu Mohon Choudhury dies

AGARTALA: Bureaucrat-turned-social activist Himangshu Mohon Choudhury, who was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his role in providing relief and shelter to thousands of refugees who took refuge in Tripura during the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh, died in Agartala on Tuesday following a prolonged illness. He was 82.

Former IAS officer Choudhury, who also received the "Friends of the Liberation War" title from the Bangladesh government in 2012 for his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh, is survived by two daughters. His wife predeceased him a few years ago. On Monday evening, Choudhury was admitted to a private hospital in Agartala as his health condition deteriorated.

Choudhury was the Sub-Divisional Officer in Sonamura during the 1971 Bangladesh War and performed an exceptional job in helping the Indian Army and Muktijoddhas (freedom fighters), as well as providing relief and shelter to thousands of refugees from across the border. According to historians, during the nine-month-long Bangladesh liberation war, over 1.6 million refugees-a number larger than Tripura's then population of 1.5 million-had taken shelter in the state alone. In total, around 10 million men, women, and children from then-East Pakistan took shelter in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya during the war.

Around 150-200 Muktijoddhas were buried in different areas of Tripura after they died in Pakistan Army attacks. (IANS)