Why Did A Dreaded ULFA Lieutenant Give Up His Weapon To Become An Entrepreneur? Read Bipul Kalita's True Story

On rare occasions, we encounter stories that compel us to believe in the transformative power of individuals who choose to abandon the wrong path and embrace goodness. Equally scarce are those individuals who have transitioned from a life of crime to dedicating themselves to the service of society. Assam's Bipul Kalita is one such story. As a young man, Kalita wanted to clean up the society with guns. He was a former self-styled lieutenant of the banned ULFA outfit. However, while getting matured, Kalita was quick to realize that the path he has selected is wrong and thus he returned to the mainstream. 

Kalita's Entrepreneurial Journey

Kalita, now in his mid-fifties, has transformed into an entrepreneur dedicated to the crucial task of waste management in his hometown of Sivasagar, Assam. In his earlier years, Kalita spent approximately 12 years pursuing the vision of establishing a "sovereign Assam" with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), an organization that had been outlawed. However, in 2000, he decided to lay down his arms and has since found contentment in family life, residing with his wife and two daughters in his ancestral village located in the eastern region of the state.

"Witnessing the current development in the State in the fields like infrastructure, education and health, we realised that the dream of independent Assam was wrong. From 2016 we started to devote ourselves to social services": Shri Bipul Kalita, erstwhile militant pic.twitter.com/F0a6P4vyw0 — PIB in Assam (@PIB_Guwahati) February 7, 2023

Having worked various jobs during his initial years, Bipul Kalita made a pivotal decision in 2016 to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. Alongside seven to eight partners, he initiated a door-to-door waste collection venture. Unfortunately, most of his partners eventually abandoned the endeavour, perceiving it as an unsuitable occupation. Undeterred, Kalita persisted and carried on with his NGO called 'Rupantar.' His unwavering dedication caught the attention of six other civil society organizations, who extended their support to his noble cause.

He now has seven vehicles and employees, including the drivers and other associates, with the task of garbage collection and disposal. Around 20-25 women work with his NGO. Besides garbage collection, Kalita's NGO also has two machines for turning waste into manure. These were given by the Sivsagar Municipal Board. 

Challenges Faced By Kalita

While Bipul Kalita and his team were trained in operating the machine to convert waste into manure, a chemical needed for the process has to be sourced from Delhi and it remains one of the problems for them. Kalita said that the financial crunch remains the biggest challenge as his venture is dependent only on the nominal monthly charge collected from households and commercial buildings. He collects Rs 60 per month per house and of which they pay Rs 10 to the municipal board. 

Initial Years With ULFA

In 1986, at the tender age of 17 or 18, Kalita found himself influenced by a neighbour who persuaded him to join the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). The ideology propagated by the group resonated with him, leading him to become a part of this feared organization. Reflecting on his time as a cadre, Kalita vividly recalled the immense challenges they faced while training and residing in the Kachin province of Myanmar. Tragically, numerous young boys lost their lives during the training process, and the militants suffered from unknown ailments without access to adequate medical care. By the time Kalita decided to leave ULFA in 2000, the organization still possessed a certain degree of popularity. However, between 2008 and 2010, the majority of its central committee members transitioned into the mainstream, resulting in a significant shift in the group's dynamics. (With Agency Inputs)