ON THE OCCASION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -- AN INA PERSPECTIVE
These sixteen year old girls one day plunged themselves into India's war of liberation under the banner of the Rani Jhansi Regiment of the INA, being inspired by their Supreme Commander Netaji.
On International Women's Day we must recall how far ahead of his times Netaji was that he inducted 300 girls and young ladies into the women's wing of his army of liberation, arguing that if the women of India did not participate in the struggle for freedom, they would not have the moral standing later to demand for equal rights in every sphere of national life in independent India.
The Japanese military authorities, highly patriarchal in their approach to things, came in his way but Netaji overcame all such hindrances to get his act together and forged his Rani Jhansi Regiment with Col. Lakshmi Sehgal at its head. The young female recruits to the INA trained like their male counterparts in every way, endured the rigours of training, learnt light combat with arms and even marched on to the front when the INA made its assault on British India. The honour of each and every girl was safeguarded by special orders from Netaji himself and there was not a single case of any misdemeanour by any towards them or any case of complaint by any of them against a male compatriot. Such was Netaji's care of them that they all looked up to him as their father.
There was no casualty right till the end of the INA advance and it was only while on the retreat that one Rani lost her life to shelling to remain the singular instance of female blood flowing at the front while in army uniform and battling for our motherland's freedom. It must be remembered here that Netaji refused to retreat by car, although requested fervently by his officers, and trudged the entire stretch of over war-ravaged rough terrain on foot with the Ranis. His singular mission then was the safekeeping of the Ranis and their safe return home to their parents. No wonder these girls could never forget their beloved father-figure, their Netaji, and spent the rest of their days in fruitful activity and in blessed reminiscence of their leader nonpareil.
Today, when we celebrate the International Women's Day with much pomp and show, much hollow talk and hollower resolves made in speeches by politicians which never see fruition in the days that follow, we must remember that here was a man who spelled out his life's convictions in gallant deeds that raised the honour of our girls and our women like never before more than seven decades ago.
Jai Hind !
Written by Sugata Bose
These sixteen year old girls one day plunged themselves into India's war of liberation under the banner of the Rani Jhansi Regiment of the INA, being inspired by their Supreme Commander Netaji.
On International Women's Day we must recall how far ahead of his times Netaji was that he inducted 300 girls and young ladies into the women's wing of his army of liberation, arguing that if the women of India did not participate in the struggle for freedom, they would not have the moral standing later to demand for equal rights in every sphere of national life in independent India.
The Japanese military authorities, highly patriarchal in their approach to things, came in his way but Netaji overcame all such hindrances to get his act together and forged his Rani Jhansi Regiment with Col. Lakshmi Sehgal at its head. The young female recruits to the INA trained like their male counterparts in every way, endured the rigours of training, learnt light combat with arms and even marched on to the front when the INA made its assault on British India. The honour of each and every girl was safeguarded by special orders from Netaji himself and there was not a single case of any misdemeanour by any towards them or any case of complaint by any of them against a male compatriot. Such was Netaji's care of them that they all looked up to him as their father.
There was no casualty right till the end of the INA advance and it was only while on the retreat that one Rani lost her life to shelling to remain the singular instance of female blood flowing at the front while in army uniform and battling for our motherland's freedom. It must be remembered here that Netaji refused to retreat by car, although requested fervently by his officers, and trudged the entire stretch of over war-ravaged rough terrain on foot with the Ranis. His singular mission then was the safekeeping of the Ranis and their safe return home to their parents. No wonder these girls could never forget their beloved father-figure, their Netaji, and spent the rest of their days in fruitful activity and in blessed reminiscence of their leader nonpareil.
Today, when we celebrate the International Women's Day with much pomp and show, much hollow talk and hollower resolves made in speeches by politicians which never see fruition in the days that follow, we must remember that here was a man who spelled out his life's convictions in gallant deeds that raised the honour of our girls and our women like never before more than seven decades ago.
Jai Hind !
Written by Sugata Bose
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