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Picture Courtesy:https://www.sentinelassam.com/breakingnews/manipur-cm-attends-inauguration-of-museum-dedicated-to-major-ralengnao-bob-khathing

Context:

Recently Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Major Ralengnao ‘Bob’ Khathing Museum of Valour at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

More about the news:

It was a virtual event held on 31st October where Mr Singh also inaugurated a statue of Sardar Patel as it was the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, observed as the National Unity Day.

Read about National Unity Day: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/national-unity-day-11

About Bob Khathing:

• Khathing was born in 1912 in Manipur’s Ukhrul district and belonged to the Tangkhul Naga community.
• He founded a school at Harasingha in Assam’s Darrang district.
• He joined the Indian Army as an Emergency Commission officer in 1939.
• He was given the award of Member of British Empire (MBE) for his role in galvanising Naga support against the Japanese in Burma and India and also the Military Cross (MC) for his bravery.
• Khathing led the expedition to peacefully integrate Tawang into India and was also instrumental in establishing essential military and security frameworks, such as the Sashastra Seema Bal, Nagaland Armed Police, and the Naga Regiment.
• At the end of the Second World War when the Position of Emergency Commission officer was demolished, Khathing joined the then interim government as the minister in charge of the hill areas.
• In 1949, when Manipur merged with India, the interim government was dissolved and he joined the Assam Rifles.
• In 1951, he joined the Indian Frontier Administrative Service as an assistant political officer. 
• His career ended as an ambassador to Burma in 1975 — possibly the first person of tribal origin to be an ambassador in independent India.
• He died in Imphal in 1990.

Read about Assam Rifles: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/assam-rifles-38

About Tawang 

Tawang is a town and administrative headquarter of Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. It lies on NH-13 section of Trans-Arunachal Highway. The town was once the headquarter of the Tawang Tract, which is now divided into the Tawang district and the West Kameng district. Tawang continues as the headquarters of the former. Tawang is the number one tourist destination of Arunachal Pradesh.

India occupied Tawang in 1951 and removed Tibetan administration from the area. China continues to claim Tawang as its region. It is situated 448 km north-west of state capital Itanagar at an elevation of approximately 3,048 metres. It lies to the north of the Tawang Chu river valley, roughly 16 km south of the Line of Actual Control with China.  

It is the site of a famous Gelugpa Buddhist Monastery.Tawang is inhabited by the Monpa people.

Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

Practice Question Q.Recently India’s Defence Minister inaugurated the Bob Khathing Museum. Who was Bob Khathing? A. Brigadier General of the Indian Army B. Superintendent of Police of Manipur C. Ambassador to Burma D. Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army Answer: C Explanation: Identifications of Bob Khathing: Founder of a school at Harasingha in Assam. Emergency Commission officer in the Indian Army. Leader of Tawang integration expedition. Minister in charge of the hill areas. Member of Assam Rifles. Assistant political officer in the Indian Frontier Administrative Service. Ambassador to Burma.