Kaitho Sukhai

In 1955, Kaito Sukhai established the Naga Safeguards, an avant-garde army in the Eastern Sumi area under the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). On 23 March 1955, he declared an armed revolt against the Indian Army from NEFA.^[7] At just 22, he was appointed the first General of the Naga Safeguards. Later that year, from 3 to 10 September, he led a group of 16 Naga Safeguards in the First Indo-Naga battle at Hoshepu against a formidable division of the 17th Indian Rajputs and Assam Rifles Regiments.^[8] The battle resulted in the loss of five Naga soldiers and approximately 380 Indian forces.^[9]

Following the declaration of the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) on 2 March 1956, the Naga Home Guards and Naga Safeguards were consolidated to form the Naga Army. Kaito Sukhai was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Naga Army on 22 March 1956, a position he held until January 1963. During his tenure, he led several significant operations, including the second battle of Satakha on 24 March 1956, where 78 Assam Armed Police were captured along with a substantial cache of weapons.^[10]

In 1962, Kaito Sukhai led 168 Naga soldiers to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) for arms procurement and training. On 10 September 1962, he traveled to London to meet Naga National Council President A.Z. Phizo to discuss the future course of the Naga movement.^[11] During this visit, he was invited by the BBC to address the Naga struggle for independence at the Round Table Conference. The British media, including the BBC and 'The Daily Herald,' recognized him as the world's youngest General Commander-in-Chief.^[12]

On 3 August 1968, General Kaito Sukhai was assassinated due to his strong anti communism stance, in Kohima by a member of the underground Naga Army. He succumbed to his injuries the following day, 4 August 1968, at the age of 35.^[13] His death was a significant loss to the Naga independence movement. In 2022, a biographical book titled 'The World's Youngest General' was released, chronicling his life and contributions to the Naga political struggle.^[14]