New Delhi: Balamdina Ekka, the widow of Albert Ekka who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, passed away Friday. She was 89.
She is survived by her son Vincent Ekka, daughter-in-law and four grandchildren. She was buried in Jharkhand’s Jari village.
Union tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda and Chief Minister Hemant Soren and other senior leaders from the state paid their tributes.
झारखंड के वीर सपूत और परमवीर चक्र विजेता लांस नायक अल्बर्ट एक्का जी की पत्नी बलमदीना एक्का जी के निधन की दुःखद सूचना मिली। ईश्वर उनकी आत्मा को शांति प्रदान करें। उनके परिजनों के प्रति गहरी संवेदना प्रकट करता हूँ। pic.twitter.com/SLAp6LWyQ4
— Arjun Munda (@MundaArjun) April 16, 2021
Lance Naik Albert Ekka, who died during the battle of Gangasagar on 3 December 1971, was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. He had married Balamdina three years before the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war began.
‘Simple and humble’ woman
Talking to ThePrint, Col Ashok Tara (retd), an Indian Army veteran who took part in the battle of Gangasagar along with Ekka and was awarded the Vir Chakra, recalled Balamdina as a “simple and humble” woman who spoke little.
“In October 2012, both of us were invited to Dhaka to receive the ‘Friend of Bangladesh’ honour by Sheikh Hasina. At the time, I took permission from the Bangladesh PMO to visit Gangasagar where the battle took place — both for us and for Balamdina and her son Vincent,” he said.
On 21 October 2012, Tara, his wife, and Balamdina with her son travelled to the spot, along with Bangladesh Army officer Lt. Col. Sajjad A. Zahir and a young civilian guide Zayan Fida Noor.
“She was simple and down-to-earth and spoke very little through the journey. She said her prayers and paid homage to her husband at the battlefield in Gangasagar,” Tara recalled.
Tara met Balamdina again in 2017 when PM Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina honoured 1971 war heroes in a ceremony at the Sam Manekshaw Hall in New Delhi.
In 2016, Balamdina had also travelled to Dhuli village near Agartala to pay homage at her husband’ grave.
Col. Tara said 14 Guards — His and Ekka’s unit — looked after her during the years.
“She was invited in all ceremonies and events organised. Some she attended, some she couldn’t,” he said.
Albert Ekka and the battle of Gangasagar
Born on 27 December 1942, Lance Naik Albert Ekka was enrolled in 14 Guards on the same day in 1962.
In 1971, 14 Guards was tasked with capturing a fortified Pakistani position at Gangasagar, about six kilometres west of Agartala.
On 3 December 1971, Indian Army troops attacked enemy positions. At the time, a Light Machine Gun was bringing down heavy fire on them, inflicting heavy casualties on the Indian side.
Lance Naik Albert Ekka decided to silence the gun and charged towards it. He killed two enemy soldiers with the bayonet of his rifle and got severely injured.
He, however, continued fighting. Soon after, Indian soldiers were subjected to fire from a medium machine gun from another building. At the time, Ekka first hurled a grenade and killed a Pakistani soldier.
He then climbed through a sidewall to enter the bunker, killed the enemy holding the bunker, and finally managed to silence the weapon, thus saving his company from more casualties.
He died during the battle and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.
RIP