[ Tongam Rina ]
PASIGHAT, Apr 7: As Arunachal votes on 11 April to choose their parliamentary and legislative assembly representatives, extraordinary dedication by those at the helms of affairs has come to the fore.
Thiyam Devaraj Singh is the district informatics officer (DIO), NIC, posted in East Siang HQ Pasighat. SS Chowdhury is the ADC of Jairampur in Changlang district, and in charge of the Nampong assembly constituency.
Devaraj lost his father on 5 April, while Chowdhury lost his mother on 31 March.
Devaraj did not go back to Bishnupur Thiyam Leikai in Manipur for his father’s last rites, and Chowdhury did not go to Kolkata for his mother’s cremation and shraddha.
This all because there is a call of duty that they could not forsake.
“At a time when many of us are seeking silly excuses to avoid election duties, I am really proud to have a colleague officer like Devaraj, who has decided to stay back, considering the enormous responsibilities he has on his shoulder for successful conduct of the simultaneous elections” said East Siang HQ Electoral Registration Officer Sibo Pasing.
“Without him, we can’t imagine functioning of the district election office at this hour as the DIO is the one managing ERONET, SUVIDHA, C VIGIL, ELECON, EMS, and many more IT-related issues of election,” Pasing said when contacted by this daily.
Led by East Siang DEO Kinny Singh, there was a condolence meeting to mourn the death of Thiyam Shamungouba Singh, Devaraj’s father, at the Siang guesthouse here.
Most of the officers got to know about the passing away of their colleague’s father on 7 April.
Changlang DEO RK Sharma said it was rare to find such commitment and sacrifice.
“The officer (Chowdhury) told me that his mother was unwell. When it was time, the officer took a call to attend to his professional duty,” Sharma said.
Responding to a question from this daily, CEO Kaling Tayeng said, “The election family, from the ECI down to the DEOs concerned, commends the selfless sacrifice and priority given to the call of duty. There are no words to describe the sacrifice of the officers.”
