Ethnic Identity

Koch-Rajbongshi are historically agrarian community found predominantly in Assam, West Bengal & northern Bangladesh.

Language

Speak Koch Rajbongshi (also called Rangpuri or Kamtapuri) language belonging to Indo Aryan family.

Historical Kingdom

Historically associated with Koch Kingdom powerful political entity in 16th century.

Socio-political Identity

Demand for inclusion in Scheduled Tribe list & have a long standing demand for a separate Kamtapur state.

Culture

Known for folk traditions like Bhawaiya music, agriculture-based festivals & unique marriage rituals.

Demography

Spread across lower Assam (especially Dhubri, Kokrajhar), parts of West Bengal & parts of Meghalaya.

Legal Issues

Their surnames often match those of Bengali-origin residents leading to mistaken identity in NRC & D-voter list processes.

Established Under

Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964 under Foreigners Act, 1946.

Purpose

To determine whether a person residing in India is a foreigner or not particularly in Assam.

NRC Context

Used extensively post National Register of Citizens process in Assam to adjudicate on citizenship disputes.

Powers

Tribunals can summon, examine witnesses & pass orders on a person nationality status.

Appeals

Tribunal orders can be challenged in Gauhati High Court or Supreme Court.

D-voter Cases

Most D-voters are sent to Foreigners Tribunals for verification of their Indian citizenship.

Criticism

Often criticized for opaque procedures, bias & overwhelming number of pending cases.

Geo Bags

Sand-filled or polymer bags used to reinforce riverbanks & embankments to prevent erosion during floods.

Material

Made of geo-textile fabrics; UV-resistant & durable against water pressure & sedimentation.

Use in Assam

Widely deployed in Assam Brahmaputra & Barak floodplains during monsoons.

Embankment Volunteers

Assam’s new initiative involves trained youth volunteers monitoring embankments in vulnerable areas.

Tools Provided

Geo bags, raincoats, torchlights, gumboots essential for emergency response.

Monitoring Period

Volunteers will be active from April to October high-risk monsoon season.

Certification

Volunteers will receive official certificates upon successful completion of duty adding value to employment resumes.

Challenges

Frequent embankment breaches due to poor maintenance, illegal sand mining & climate change-induced rainfall surges.

What is a D-Voter?

D-Voter stands for Doubtful Voter category used by Election Commission of India (ECI) to identify individuals with disputed citizenship.

Origin of Term

Introduced in 1997 by ECI specifically for use in Assam amidst concerns over illegal immigration from Bangladesh.

Marking Process

Electoral officials or Border Police (Assam) mark D against a voter name in electoral roll based on doubt regarding their nationality.

Criteria for Tagging

Doubt arises due to
Mismatched documents
Incomplete verification
Suspected entry post-1971 (as per Assam Accord)
Border police referral

Legal Framework

Governed by Foreigners Act, 1946 & Citizenship Act, 1955. Final status decided by Foreigners Tribunals (FTs).

Rights Affected

Denied voting rights
Cannot contest elections
Ineligible for many government welfare schemes & ID documents

Burden of Proof

The burden lies on individual to prove Indian citizenship before a Foreigners Tribunal.

Consequences

Long legal battles
Social exclusion & stigma
Detention in foreigners detention camps if declared non-citizen

Number of D-Voters

Varies yearly; in Assam over 1.2 lakh individuals have been identified as D-Voters at various times (official estimates).

Major Affected Communities

Koch-Rajbongshi
Bengali Hindus & Muslims
Scheduled Tribes
Other economically weaker sections

Recent Reforms (2025)

Assam govt to withdraw D-Voter status for 28,000 Koch-Rajbongshi individuals & drop FT cases, restoring their voting & citizenship rights.

Key Criticisms

Lack of transparency in tagging
Arbitrary targeting of minorities
Violation of natural justice
Psychological & economic distress

Remedy & Appeal

Decisions of Foreigners Tribunals can be challenged in High Court & Supreme Court though this involves time & cost burdens.

Name of Dynasty

Koch Dynasty (also known as Koch Kingdom or Kamata Kingdom)

Time Period

Early 16th century  to mid-20th century (c. 1515 CE to 1949 CE, integration with India)

Founder

Biswa Singha (reigned c. 1515–1540 CE); unified tribal chieftains & laid foundation of a centralized Koch Kingdom

Capital Cities

Initially Kamtapur (now in Cooch Behar, West Bengal), later Cooch Behar

Territorial Extent

Covered parts of present-day Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Bangladesh & Nepal Terai regions

Major Rulers

Biswa Singha (founder)
Nara Narayan (reign: 1540–1587): most powerful ruler
Chilarai (commander & brother of Nara Narayan)

Military Achievements

Under Chilarai, Koch army conducted successful expeditions into Bengal, Bihar & parts of Myanmar.

Division of Kingdom

After Nara Narayan’s death, kingdom split into
1. Koch Behar (Western Koch Kingdom) allied with Mughals
2. Koch Hajo (Eastern Koch Kingdom)

Koch Behar

Became a princely state under British India in 1773 & was merged with India in 1949

Koch Hajo

Came under Mughal control after defeat of Raghudev (ruler of Koch Hajo) by Man Singh in 1603

Cultural Contributions

Promoted Sanskritisation & Vaishnavism under influence of Srimanta Sankardeva
Patronized art, literature & temple-building

Tribal Origins

Kochs are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman or Indo-Mongoloid origin, later assimilated into Hindu caste structure

Language & Script

Originally used local dialects; later adopted Sanskrit & Assamese for administrative & literary purposes

Religion

Initially animistic or tribal faiths; later embraced Hinduism (Vaishnavism)

Relation with Mughals

Western Kochs (Cooch Behar) allied with Mughals; Koch Hajo resisted but was annexed

Legacy & Influence

Key contributors to cultural syncretism in northeast India
Formed ethnic & historical identity of modern Koch-Rajbongshi people

Merger with India

Cooch Behar princely state signed Instrument of Accession & joined Indian Union on 28 August 1949

Full Name

Sukladhwaja (popularly known as Chilarai)

Time Period

16th century CE (c. 1510 to 1577 CE)

Dynasty / Affiliation

Koch Dynasty (Brother & general of Nara Narayan,  Koch king)

Etymology of ‘Chilarai’

Literally means Kite Prince (Chila = Kite bird in Assamese) nickname earned for his lightning-fast military campaigns

Birthplace

Kamtapur, Koch Kingdom (present-day Cooch Behar region)

Father

Biswa Singha,  founder of  Koch Dynasty

Brother

Nara Narayan, ruler of  Koch Kingdom

Military Role

Chief military commander under Nara Narayan; led aggressive campaigns & expanded Koch Kingdom territory extensively

Key Military Campaigns

Bengal Sultanate (defeated Pathan forces)
Kamarupa (Ahom territories)
Tripura, parts of Myanmar & Bihar

Conflict with Ahoms

Fought  Ahom Kingdom during expansion eastward; had temporary success but faced resistance

Relationship with Mughals

Initially independent; later Koch Behar aligned with  Mughals during decline of Koch Hajo

Cultural Patronage

Protected Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva during religious persecution
Patron of Neo-Vaishnavism & Assamese spiritual culture

Religious Affiliation

Vaishnavism (deeply influenced by Bhakti movement & Srimanta Sankardeva)

Death

Died around 1577 CE possibly due to illness contracted during military campaigns

Legacy

Honoured for strategic genius, courage & devotion to duty
A major symbol of Assamese & Koch-Rajbongshi heroism

Modern Recognition

Government of Assam celebrates Chilarai Divas in February
Chilarai Award instituted by Govt. of Assam to honour brave & socially active youth

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Discuss military & cultural contributions of Chilarai in expansion & consolidation of Koch Kingdom. How did his patronage impact spread of Vaishnavism in Assam?