Guwahati, August 3, 2024 — The Assam cabinet’s decision on July 31 to rename the historically significant Rupsi Airport in honour of Bodo social reformer Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma has ignited controversy. On Friday, eight organisations protested at the airport gate, voicing their opposition to the renaming.
Located in the extreme western part of Assam, Rupsi Airport is not only historically significant but also the second-largest airport in Asia. Its origins date back to the unified Goalpara district, which included Dhubri, Goalpara, and Kokrajhar during the reign of Rupshi Zamindar of the Koch dynasty. The airport area once consisted of 7200 bighas of tea gardens owned by the former Rupshi Zamindar, Jatindra Narayan Choudhury.
Speaking with the media, social activist Raghu Ranjan Bepari highlighted the airport’s historical significance. He recounted how Jatindra Narayan Choudhury donated the land to the British government during World War II, likely between 1927 and 1928. It took a multinational company nine years to construct the airstrip, completed in 1939, stretching 1.9 kilometers.
A notable feature of the Rupshi airfield was its 52 submerged underground brick dwellings or bunkers, built into the forest and covered by tree canopies. This design allowed troops to conceal fighter jets during World War II.
The name “Rupsi” originated from “Rupashi Devi,” the wife of Zamindar Jatindra Narayan Choudhury. Bepari emphasised that renaming the airport would insult Rupashi Devi, the Koch dynasty’s Zamindar, and the Koch Rajbangshi tribe’s people.
After India’s independence, the airport had limited usage, with small aircraft operating flights to Calcutta in 1955-1956. The airport ceased operations in 1985 but was reopened in 2021, only to stop again two years later.
Despite its historic ties to the Koch dynasty and the fact that more than 1000 bighas were donated by Zamindar Jatindra Narayan Choudhury, much of the land now lies within a reserved forest. Critics argue that the decision to rename the airport disregards its historical and sentimental value.
The controversy underscores the complexities of balancing historical preservation with contemporary honourific recognitions, as stakeholders continue to debate the appropriateness of the renaming decision.