Assam Rifles Director General Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera visited the Assam Rifles Battalion at Mokokchung, Nagaland yesterday to review the security in the region.
Lakhera also met with 105 year old Assam Rifles veteran Havildar Mering Ao, one of the force’s most distinguished and respected veterans of Sungratsu village.
Ao, born on 15 November 1920 is a distinguished veteran of the third Battalion and the oldest gallantry award recipient in the force’s history. He is 105 years old.
A participant in World War II, he took part in historic battles in Kohima and Burma. In 1960, during a counter-insurgency operation in Nagaland, he displayed exceptional bravery by eliminating one insurgent and injuring two others. For this act of valour, he was awarded the Ashok Chakra Class III (later renamed the Shaurya Chakra) by then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad on April 21, 1960.
The DG presented the veteran with a token of appreciation, acknowledging his legendary service and lifelong commitment to the nation. The interaction was a deeply moving moment that highlighted the Assam Rifles’ ethos of honouring its heroes and preserving their legacy.
