The hope you feel when you are in love is not necessarily for anything in particular. Love brings something inside you to life. Perhaps it is just the full dimensionality of your own capacity to feel that returns.”
Dedication
This biography is dedicated to the unwavering pillars of my life—those who have shaped me, held me, and walked beside me through every trial and triumph.
To my late father, Shri Chit Tharuh, whose dream for me to be educated and successful still lights my path even in his absence. Baba, you left this world too soon, but your words, your hopes, and your love have never left me. Every step I take, every battle I fight, and every milestone I reach is in your honor. I became strong because you believed I could be, and everything I’ve achieved carries your spirit.
To my mother, the quiet warrior behind our family’s survival, your resilience and unshakable strength gave me the courage to take on the world. You are the heart of every sacrifice I’ve made.
To the people of my community, my coaches, mentors, fellow athletes, and every young person I’ve trained or inspired—you are part of this story. Your energy, your dreams, and your belief in yourselves have kept me moving forward. This journey is not mine alone; it is ours.
To those who walked beside me in my professional journey—from the office of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council to the arenas of kickboxing and the heart of rural villages—I thank you for trusting me, supporting me, and allowing me to serve. Every spreadsheet, every event, every training, every outreach program was done with passion, because I knew it mattered.
To every girl and woman who has ever been told to stay quiet, stay small, or stay behind—this story is yours too. May you find in it the strength to rise, to fight, and to become more than the world ever expected. Let this be proof that you can come from anywhere, and still go everywhere.
And finally, to my future self—keep dreaming, keep fighting, and never forget why you began. You carry the weight of many hearts, and with it, the power to change lives.
Dr. Lambhadaka Patlong
Phase 1 : The Roots That Shaped Me
“The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is only light if we are brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it.”
I was born on the 20th of April, 1989, in the serene hills of Meghalaya, where the mist dances through the trees and the wind whispers stories of old. My childhood was filled with music and laughter, and my love for rhythm and melodies blossomed even before I could understand their depth. From a young age, I felt an instinctive pull toward music and sports. I wasn’t just a listener—I was a creator, humming tunes, penning down lines, and expressing my world through sound. When not lost in my songs, you’d find me climbing hills, or throwing punches in the air, pretending I was already a champion. These passions were not just hobbies, they were my escape, my joy, and ultimately, the roots that grounded me.
Life, however, has its own rhythm, a rhythm not always soft or sweet. When I was studying in class 10 my father was seriously ill and I was in Class 12 when the story of my life changed forever. My father passed away, and suddenly, everything became painfully real. He had always been my greatest inspiration, the pillar of our home. His absence hit us like a storm we weren’t prepared for. My mother, a housewife, stood shattered yet strong, and my two younger siblings looked up to me with eyes full of questions I didn’t know how to answer.
That was the moment I knew I had to grow up overnight. There was no room for grief to slow me down. I had to become the provider, the protector, the big sister, and in many ways, the new head of our family. My dreams suddenly had to share space with responsibilities. I worked during the day, studied at night, and in between, I made sure the light in our home never dimmed. I didn’t just want to survive—I wanted my family to live, to thrive, to rise from the ashes of our loss.
In 2006, I earned a Certificate in Office Automation, and later in 2010, I completed my Diploma in Computer Applications. That same year, I began working as a computer operator in the Statistical & Information Department under the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council in Jowai. It was more than a job—it was a lifeline. It allowed me to support my family while still staying connected to my roots and dreams.
Even in those hard days, I never let go of my passion. Music remained my sanctuary. I continued composing, writing songs, and producing music, often late at night when the world was asleep and silence was my only companion. It wasn’t about fame, it was about finding a voice when everything else around me tried to silence mine. I even ventured into music direction and production, using whatever tools I had to tell my story through sound.
Phase 2 : Kick Punch Rise
“Never give up. Have hope. Expect only the best from life and take action to get it.”
In 2011, something shifted inside me. The duties of work and home were onerous, but I yearned to touch aliveness outside the dance steps of survival. That is where I found kickboxing, a sport that not only taught me how to fight but also reminded me that I was already born with the fighter’s soul.
In 2011, something shifted inside me. The duties of work and home were onerous, but I yearned to touch aliveness outside the dance steps of survival. That is where I found kickboxing, a sport that not only taught me how to fight but also reminded me that I was already born with the fighter’s soul.
Less than two months after my training had started, I received an opportunity to compete in the state-level championship in kickboxing. While others would have hesitated, I perceived it as a challenge that I could not refuse. I trained harder than I could ever remember, working, taking care of home, and practicing long and hard. And to my surprise, I won a silver medal. That one medal was not a mere metal wrapped with a ribbon, it was the representation of every tear cried, every sacrifice, every night I spent awake for work and family, and I still showed up in the ring.
That first win set a flame in me. My passion just further increased, and within such a short period of time, I proceeded to then compete in the Northeast games, where I managed to win the gold medal. That was a turning point. Winning at that level was not enough for sating my confidence level; it gave me purpose. I understood that sports were more than personal achievements. It may become a way for inspiring others, especially young girls, who never realized that they could wear gloves and get into the ring.
In 2016, I had gotten the chance to compete on a national level. There, surrounded by India’s best fighters, I felt my burden, but I also felt proud. I was not just representing myself, but I was representing the hopes of my people, the people of Meghalaya, who, however invisible they may be, take a keen interest in the national sports arena. Each time I sent a punch, each time I got through a round, I did it for them.
However, I didn’t want to settle myself into being a participant. I wanted to replicate that same opportunity among the people within the same district that I belonged to. Therefore, in 2016 I was picked as the general secretary of kickboxing in my district, I had a duty. I arranged and held a state-level kickboxing event, a dream that I never anticipated realizing. It was an unbelievable feeling to see athletes gather from every corner of the state to come to my home district. I wasn’t just called to be one of the members of the sport anymore, I shaped it, spread it, and created a legacy.
Phase 3 : Hands That Heal, Voices That Lead
“There is nothing like a dream to create the future.”
If there’s one thing life taught me early on, it’s that strength means very little if we keep it only for ourselves. My journey into leadership and community work was never something I planned, it came from a sense of duty, of wanting to lift others just as I had been lifted. Every hardship I faced made me more empathetic, more aware, and more determined to use my voice and my position to create impact where it mattered most.
Not many people know that I also ventured into 4×4 off-road racing and was the second runner up, yes, it’s an unusual passion, especially for a woman from my region. But that’s the point. I believe in breaking molds, in testing limits, in embracing adventure. Whether on a rugged trail or a village road, I drive with the same spirit I live my life—with courage and curiosity.
One of the proudest chapters of my life began when I stepped beyond the ring and into the community space, where true champions are built not on podiums, but in silent acts of service. I was given the chance to become a member of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) in 2020 in the West Jaintia Hills District. It was a role that allowed me to connect directly with those who often had no access to justice, especially women and the underprivileged.
Working with DLSA opened my eyes in a new way. I saw how knowledge can be a form of protection. I found myself conducting awareness campaigns, engaging in legal education, and standing with people who had been silenced or ignored. Through this work, I realized that being a voice for others is not just about speaking—it’s about listening, too. Listening to their fears, their stories, and their hopes.
During the COVID-19 crisis, these responsibilities became even more urgent. I couldn’t sit back and watch people in my community suffer. I volunteered across villages, providing awareness about health and hygiene, distributing relief items, and supporting stranded laborers who had no way to get back home. The world was facing a storm, but I knew I had to be a steady hand for someone.
My work during the pandemic wasn’t about recognition; it was about being human. I didn’t wait for resources or orders—I acted, because I understood what it meant to feel helpless, to need support. And maybe, just maybe, my journey through hardship was preparing me for this very moment: to give, to serve, to lead.