In Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), one name that is making a quiet but strong impact is Raju Dhakal. Known for his humility and determination, Dhakal has become a respected leader for the Gorkha community and beyond. He serves as the General Secretary of the Assam Gorkha Sammelan (AGS), the oldest and most influential Gorkha organization in the state. He is also the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Pramod Boro, Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). Through these roles, Dhakal is playing a key part in shaping a more inclusive and fair future for thousands of people in the region. Though he began his career with over 17 years in healthcare leadership roles in companies like Allergan and Alcon, Dhakal left his successful corporate life to serve the people. His focus areas now include healthcare, education, employment, infrastructure, and land rights. Through his work in BTR, his contributions are directly impacting the daily lives of ordinary people. One of his most praised initiatives is the Bodoland Eye Hospital, a critical project that provides free eye care, including cataract surgeries, to people from remote and poor communities. Many who had lost hope of ever seeing clearly again have found new light through this hospital.
But perhaps one of the most impactful projects he has worked on is Mission Bwiswmuthi, a landmark land settlement programme introduced by the BTR Government. The first phase, Bwiswmuthi 1.0, has already helped many landless families gain legal rights to the land they live on. Now, under the leadership of BTR Chief Pramod Boro and with Dhakal’s strategic guidance, Mission Bwiswmuthi 2.0 is being rolled out. This phase will benefit small tea growers, rubber cultivators, and landless families by officially giving them land rights. This is a major step in improving the socio-economic conditions of the people, particularly the marginalised. For the Gorkha community, Raju Dhakal has been a turning point. For decades, many Gorkhas in Assam were tagged as D-voters, wrongfully accused of being illegal immigrants. Dhakal led the efforts to correct this injustice, resulting in around 90,000 Gorkhas getting back their citizenship papers. He also helped solve long-pending NRC biometric issues, enabling thousands to finally access government services and welfare schemes. In another major victory, Dhakal worked closely with the Assam Government to ensure that Gorkhas could get land rights under the Vasundhara Scheme without needing to provide three generations of documents—a requirement that had kept many from claiming their rightful land.
Still, he acknowledges that challenges remain, especially in some areas under “Belt & Block” restrictions. But continuous dialogue with the government and dedicated efforts are helping to bring hope to these regions too, especially within BTR.Even though there are nearly 15 lakh Gorkhas in Assam, political representation has been very limited. Today, only two MLAs from the Gorkha community are in the Assam Assembly. Dhakal is vocal about the need for young Gorkhas to engage more actively with mainstream political parties like BJP, Congress, and AGP. He encourages the youth not to just ask for seats, but to prove themselves as capable, committed leaders accepted across all communities. One of the lesser-known yet powerful initiatives under Dhakal’s guidance is the preparation of community-specific vision documents for 26 ethnic groups living in BTR. This inclusive step ensures that no community, however small, is left out of the region’s development planning. As BTR looks ahead to the 2025 elections, Dhakal is expected to play a key advisory role. He is helping frame policies that are people-friendly, inclusive, and focused on long-term peace and prosperity. Though he stays away from the political limelight, his quiet presence is deeply felt in every major development initiative in BTR.
(By Bikash Chetry)