Subhas Chandra Bose. In World War 2, he was reviled by the allies, but to the Axis powers, he was a friend and freedom fighter. To Indians, he was Netaji (leader in Hindi), their beloved independence leader.
Bose was a contemporary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and played an immense role in awakening Indians’ self rule.
Both leaders admired each other in their fight for India’s independence despite their different approaches. Gandhi referred to him as “Prince among the Patriots” and Bose, in turn, referred to Gandhi as “The Father of Our Nation”.
Despite being elected as chairman of the Indian National Congress twice, Bose advocated an armed struggle against the British Raj, opposite to Gandhi’s non-violence approach for Indian independence.
But, his armed struggle attracted many, particularly in the Southeast Asian region. It was no difference in then Malaya, which had many supporters for Bose, whose visit via Singapore in 1943 saw a huge following of Malayan Indians.
It saw a number of historical steps, from the formation of the Provisional Government of Free India to the revival of its armed wing, the Indian National Army (INA). Bose also declared war on Britain and the United States.
Many Malayan Indians joined INA, swayed by his charisma and fiery oratory. Among the many inspired by Bose were John Thivy and Puan Sri Janaky Athi Nahappan.
Towards the end of World War 2, Thivy, Janaky and other INA veterans, having returned to Malaya with a new-found political awakening, formed the first Indian political party in Malaysia, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).
Apart from championing the cause of Malayan Indians, the MIC founders also honoured the person who inspired them.
A meeting hall at the MIC headquarters in Jalan Rahmat, Kuala Lumpur, was named after the Indian freedom fighter. That honour for Bose was the only one here until a few days ago.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was here for the Asean Summit, announced that the Indian Cultural Centre in Brickfields would be named after Bose.
The Telegraph said the cultural centre was the first in the world to carry his name.
“So far, similar centres abroad have been named after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family: Nehru Centre in London and the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture in Port Louis, Mauritius, are examples,” said the Kolkata-based newspaper.
The renaming of the cultural centre was not only to honour Bose, but also other Malaysian Indians who were part of INA, said Modi.
Bose’s fight to end British rule in India saw him being thrown behind bars 11 times and split ideologically from the Indian National Congress.
The independence leader died of burns following a plane crash in Taipei (now Taiwan) in August 1945. He was 48.
Seventy years after his death, Bose’s contribution to the Indian independence movement and whether he has been honoured are still being debated, but his presence in Malaya not only led to the eventual birth of the MIC, but also political consciousness among the Indian community.
The writer is NST news editor