Kokrajhar, March 31: Boragari, the village where Bodofa Upendranath Brahma, the father of the Bodos, was born, will now be developed into a "model" one.

A typical Indian village conjures up images of mud houses, narrow potholed streets, with no drainage system or running water. When any such hamlet offers "the amenities of a city but the spirit of a village," it earns a "model" sobriquet.

When the All Bodo Students Union (Absu) announced today that it would ensure the beautification and progress of Boragari village near Dotma in Kokrajhar district, the parameters bordered more on patriotism rather than facilities.

Speaking on the 59th birth anniversary of Bodofa, observed by Absu at Tulungapuri in Dotma here, the union's president Pramod Boro said Bodofa dreamt of a literate society. He expressed concern over the condition of village where Bodofa was born.

"It is really sad that Boragari village, where Bodofa was born, has been neglected and has not seen much development all these years. The union has decided to turn Boragari and surrounding areas into an ideal village, with proper road connectivity. It will be alcohol-free," he added. Boro said the work would start by May and a committee has been formed to oversee the project.

The Absu need not look too far for inspiration. In the Northeast itself, Chinatolly village in Assam's Golaghat district, Longman village in Arunachal's Changlang district or Mawlynnong village in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district have hit the headlines as model villages.

Upendra Nath Brahma was born on March 31, 1956, and died on May 1, 1990. As a student leader, Brahma spearheaded the Bodoland movement with the mantra "live and let live".

"Bodofa, as a student leader, had brought about remarkable changes in the lives of the downtrodden through the Bodoland movement," Boro said.

Should the plan to develop his own village materialise, Bodofa's lifelong endeavours will finally reach fruition.