It is a well-known fact that Sarnath Lions was adopted from the Ashokan Pillar by Dinanath Bhargava and other artists to be the National Emblem of India. However, as if a testament to the independent identity of Indian states bound by the aspirations and constitution of a union, the states in India too have independent emblems, state seals and coat of arms.

As most of us may remember from lessons in our school days, the formation of Indian Union was a fascinating event. Just before the departure of the British from India, the nation as a complete entity did not exist. There were five major princely states, Baroda, Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, Mysore and Gwalior apart from numerous other smaller states, which were ruled by provincial governments like Madras, Bombay, Punjab etc. when India achieved its independence in 1947.

In his book Emblems of Indian State, published by the Massachusetts-based Flag Heritage Foundation, David F Phillips give a thorough introduction to the state emblems of the erstwhile princely states of India. After all, these state emblems are from the coat of arms of princely states, which was a concept derived from the Europe, and especially the British, in the case of India. According to Phillips, the Coat of Arms is essentially a visual system of 12th century whose vocabulary of geometric systems and stylized images was decorated on shields signified a person, place or an institution.

Many of these emblems or coat of arms of the princely states still exist in one form or another, most visible as the emblems of the states, which were formed following independence, based on language and ethnicity of the people residing in the region. These emblems visually allude to the uniqueness of the state through animals, birds, Hindu deities or other objects like a crescent (if influenced by Islamic motifs) that are associated with the state.

For example, the coat of arms of two elephants guarding the conch of the deity Sree Padmanabha was adopted by the Kerala government from the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. While the use of Elephant is an obvious one, the conch of Sree Padmanabha refers to the Sree Padmanabha Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the wealthiest place of worship in the world.

However, the coat of arms of Karnataka government consists of a figure that is not as obvious as an elephant. Because it is not real creature. Hence, unless you know its history you wouldn’t be able to make as easy a connection as you would do when it comes to Kerala and the elephant. But, like elephants in Kerala, this figure can be found everywhere in Karnataka.

This is Ganda Bherunda, a two-headed mythological figure, the emblem of the State of Karnataka and found in the state’s coat of arms.

It is also the symbol of the state’s transport system. Basically, if you have been to Karnataka you’re bound to have seen it, even if you did not know what it actually meant.

Though a similar “two-headed eagle” appears in western canon, the Ganda Bherunda specifically appears in the Vedas as a form of Vishnu, that took shape following his altercation with Sharaba, a mythological lion with an elephant head and a form of Shiva.

In the coat of arms of Karnataka, the Ganda Bherunda is surrounded by two Sharabas.

While the bird is known for its magical powers, the Sharaba has more than the combined strength of a lion and an elephant and is an upholder of righteousness.

Of course, the official Ganda Bherunda used today is much less ferocious than the historic depictions, where its talons clutch two elephants on either side, with a snake in its beak.

In some depictions, its feathers have close resemblance with the peacock’s colorful tail.

Though there has been reference to the scriptures and temples, it was first inscribed on coins during the reign of Vijayanagara Empire in 1510. But it has been the official seal of many kingdoms from the Hoysalas, Keladis and Kadambas among others, including the Mysore Kingdom, one of the princely states of British India, which gave Karnataka the Dsara Festival as well as many developmental works, including the Krishnaraj Sagar (KRS). Hence, in many ways it was apt that when the state of Mysore (later renamed Karnataka in 1973) was formed in 1856 this figure became the official emblem of the state.

Apart from the mythological allusions, the bird connects the people to all the empires and kingdoms that ruled the region, evoking a strong sense of history. Moreover, the overall story of state seals and emblems stand testament to the the hybrid nature of our post-colonial existence, much like the figures that we have encountered here.

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Whether they are pets, mascots, or working creatures, animals have been bringing solace to the soldiers serving at the front since time immemorial.

Recently, the Indian Army honoured the contribution of animals in military service by naming its swanky new lounge at the Central Army Service Corps (ASC) officers’ mess in Delhi after an MA (Mountain Artillery) mule, Pedongi.

In the armed forces, names are a privilege reserved for horses and are rarely given to mules (who are identified by their hoof numbers). But Pedongi was no ordinary mule. Not only was she the army’s longest-serving mule, she was also the only one to be awarded a bravery citation and a ceremonial blue velvet rug by the Indian Army!

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A bay mare of Spanish breed, Pedongi (initially called Hoof Number 15328) joined the army in 1962. She was a part of the the Animal Transport units under the Indian Army Service Corps. As an MA mule, her job was to work alongside troops during war to transport ammunition and other stores to forward units as well as transport casualties to military hospitals on some of the most treacherous tracks in the world.

In those days, even during peace time, the contribution of Pedongi and her fellow mules was vital in providing last-mile logistics supply to isolated army units. During winter, heavy snowfall would convert the frontier into a terrain where no vehicle (perhaps even man) could possibly go. If not for for the supplies brought by the mules, the soldiers would have been unable to stay at their outposts.

As an army officer told the Bangalore Mirror, “These mules work just as hard as the soldiers.”

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During her long career, Pedongi braved bullets, airstrikes and battle trenches to prove her mettle as a brave and intelligent military mule. She was highly respected and valued for her many feats, one of which has an interesting story behind it. The story goes that during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, an animal transport column including Pedongi was captured and taken along by the Pakistani forces.

However, a fortnight later, Pedongi managed to escape from the Pakistani forces. Carrying boxes of Pakistani ammunition on her back, the exhausted animal made her way back to an Indian Army outpost. Mightily pleased by her loyalty and gumption, the Animal Transport Battalion Commander reported the matter to his seniors who recommended a citation of bravery for Pedongi.

Pedongi was indeed honoured by the Indian Army but years later. In 1987, 29-year-old Pedongi was stationed at 853 AT Company ASC when she came to the notice of Commanding Officer Maj Chunni Lal Sharma. Usually, mules serve the army for 18-20 years.

He was astonished and impressed to find out that the hardworking animal was still willing and able to serve in altitudes as high as 17,000 feet even though she was the oldest MA mule in the Indian Army!

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Touched by the mule’s long and loyal service, Major Sharma formally appointed Pedongi as the mascot of 53 AT Company ASC. In 1989, Pedongi’s picture also graced the ‘season’s greeting card’ of the unit. The ageing animal was later shifted to Bareilly where she spent her last years grazing in green fields and enjoying the affection of soldiers posted at the military base.

Finally, in 1992, Pedongi was specially taken to Delhi where she was presented with a bravery citation and a blue velvet ceremonial rug at the 223 Corps Day Function. She was also formally given the name Pedongi (after the town of Pedong, a battle location in North Sikkim).

The brave animal made it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘Longest-Serving Military Mule’ in 1997 before passing away peacefully in Bareilly on March 25, 1998.

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Interestingly, in the years just before the Kargil war, there was a proposal to disband the Animal Transport units and replace them with all-terrain vehicles. However, when war erupted in Kargil, intense shelling along the motorable roads in Drass and Kargil made logistics support to remote outposts by vehicles and even helicopters impossible.

The Animal Transports units were the only ones who continued to work in the face of heavy shelling. The sturdy and sure-footed mules could go through rugged ridges and precarious tracks on which no vehicle could reach. Unsurprisingly, the proposal to disband them was scrapped.

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At present, the Indian Army maintains a 6,000-strong force of mules. These Animal Transport units continue to provide a reliable mode of last-mile transport in the harsh terrain along the Indian frontier.

As an Army official told IANS, “The dauntless and loyal military mules of the Army Service Corps have enabled last-mile logistics supply in the most inhospitable conditions along our frontiers in all past wars and operations in the highest tradition of the Indian Army.”

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It is undeniable that India is a cricket-crazy nation. No other sport enjoys the privilege of cricket, which is extended to the people who practice it. Hence, when India won the Asian Snooker Championship earlier this month against Pakistan, the tweet by the captain of the team Pankaj Advani cheekily made a reference as to how they are not cricketers or demi-gods, hinting at the abysmal amount of media attention they received for their win.

The Indian team consisted of Malkeet Singh, Laxman Rawat, led by Pankaj Advani and coached by Ashoka Shandilya.

We r not demigods, we r not cricketers.. We r the Asian Team Snooker Champions 2017 What a feeling! pic.twitter.com/ogd1WfNgzG

— Pankaj Advani (@PankajAdvani247) July 5, 2017

This was Bengaluru boy Pankaj Advani’s second tile of the season and 8th overall. He is unarguably the most celebrated of Indians among cue players — along with Aditya Mehta — who for a brief period of time was directly responsible for increased interest in the game, at least in Bengaluru. In fact, the first-ever Indian Open of 2013 was a milestone in the history of Snooker in India.

Including Advani, the city has produced exceptional cue players since as early as in 1987, when Usha Rao crowned as the National Champion. Though the state-of-the-art facilities at Karnataka State Billiards Association (KSBA) still largely remains underused.

The reputation of the game as elitist may have been a contributing factor.

It isn’t hard to trace the roots of such a reputation. A peek into the nation’s colonial history has many stories to tell. Indeed, not many people are aware that the game of Snooker was invented in India. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) website proudly declares India as the birthplace of Snooker.

Snooker is one among the many popular cue sports — a stick called cue is used to strike different coloured balls on a billiards table to pocket them. It has its origin in 16th Century English Billiards, but achieved its modern form only around the 19th Century.

Today, the term Billiards is generally used as an umbrella term, including pool and snooker. Snooker is different than other sports in the size of the cue stick, height of the rails, size of the balls and the pockets color of the balls used, which includes 15 red balls and one ball each of yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black. Each of these colors have different point system from 2 points (red) to 7 points (black).

In his 1939 article The Billiard Player, author and essayist Compton Mackenzie credited a certain young British Army Lieutenant Neville Chamberlain as the inventor of the game of snooker.

In 1875, in an officers’ mess in city of Jabalpur, MP, Chamberlain experimented with the classic game of black pool, by adding many coloured balls to the existing 15 red balls and a black ball. Thus, the game of snooker was born.

Since the amateur or rookie cadets at Military Academy were called ‘snookers’, Chamberlain seems to have jokingly referred to everyone around the table as ‘snookers’ in this version of the classic English Billiards. That’s how the unique name stuck.

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Though it was conceived in Jabalpur, the rules of the game was solidified and developed in Ooty, the essential birthplace of the game. Chamberlain was posted in Ooty or Udagamandalam or popularly known then as Snooty Ooty, a remark over its exclusivity. It was at the colonial Ooty Club that the game made a headway, growing closer to the contemporary version. Chamberlain was so devoted to the game, that he even named his horse after Snooker. Soon after its invention by Chamberlain, it became one of the most popular games among British soldiers stationed in the Indian Subcontinent.

Even today, the Ooty Club has a billiards room, where a snooker table from the period is carefully preserved, singing the songs of history to every visitor.

Today, snooker is played in 90 countries by over 120 million people and watched by 450 million people worldwide. The days of it being included in the prestigious Olympic games is not far. The game is reaching epic proportions of popularity in China with more than 60 million people playing the game! However, as the birthplace of snooker, India needs to step up its game. The first-ever Indian Open of 2013, was a step in the right direction.

With Pankaj Advani dividing his time between his “wife” English Billiards and “mistress” Snooker, India only has Aditya Mehta as the torchbearer of the sport in India. Hopefully, Laxman Rawat and Malkeet Singh’s first title of the season in the recent Asian Championship will summon many more.

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“The story of Mr. Rash Behari Bose forms a vital part of India’s struggle for independence, and the victory which was finally achieved was in no small measure due to his organizational skill and wonderful spirit of sacrifice. If Netaji came out in the fight as Garibaldi of the movement, Rash Behari’s part in the drama was more than that of a Mazzini”- Thakin Nu, ex-Prime Minister of Myanmar.

When it comes to the Azad Hind Fauj (also known as Indian National Army or INA) and its courageous attempts to overthrow the British colonial rule in India, the first name that comes to our mind is Subhash Chandra Bose. However, not many know that the spadework for this legendary organisation was done by another Bose.

An unsung hero of India’s struggle for Independence, Rash Behari Bose was once an officer of the Raj itself (he worked as the head clerk at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun) but he sacrificed his job and easy life to join the Indian revolutionary struggle. Deeply aggrieved by the Partition of Bengal, he played a key role in the Delhi Conspiracy Case (the assassination attempt on the British Viceroy, Lord Hardinge), the Banaras Conspiracy Case and the Ghadr Conspiracy at Lahore.

Facing a certain death sentence if captured, Bose fled to Japan where he continued to serve the cause of Indian freedom. A regular writer on Indian affairs in Japanese publications of the time, his efforts were instrumental in persuading the Japanese authorities to support the Indian independence movement. He also founded the Indian Independence League (the precursor of INA) before passing on the baton to Subhash Chandra Bose.

Interestingly, Bose is famous among the citizens of Japan (especially of Tokyo) for another unique reason: introducing an authentic Indian curry that is still served in Tokyo’s popular restaurants!

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After living underground in Chandan Nagar (the town in Bengal he grew up in) for about an year, in April 1915, Bose set sail for Japan under the false identity of poet P N Thakur. He arrived at the port city of Kobe in June 1915, and made his way to Tokyo. Here, he established contact with Pan-Asian leaders sympathetic to the Indian cause, including influential rightist politician, Mitsuru Toyama.

Such was the fear Bose inspired in the British that they hired detective agencies with the express purpose of tracking or assassinating him. They finally managed to trace the revolutionary to Tokyo and asked the Japanese government to extradite him to India. At that time, Bose was living at the home of Toyama. This protected him from being immediately arrested by the Japanese police (the police were wary of raiding the house of a leader as influential as Toyama).

Using the opportunity provided by this brief delay and the help provided by his friends, Bose escaped to his new hideout in Shinjuku, Tokyo’s commercial district.

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Amid the tiny shops and narrow alleyways of this bustling locality, he found shelter at the Nakamuraya bakery owned by the wealthy Soma family.

Aizo and Kotsuko Soma were supporters of the Indian cause and they hid Bose for many months in the basement of their quarters. Aware of the dangers of letting outsiders know about Bose’s whereabouts, the Somas were careful about entrusting his care only to family members.

Soon, an affectionate relationship developed between the family and the revolutionary. It was during this time that Bose introduced the Soma household to a recipe close to his heart. The family loved the delicious Indian curry and it soon became a family favourite.

Meanwhile, a British ship had fired at a Japanese merchant carrier and relations between the two countries had soured. As a result, the deportation order on Bose was withdrawn by the Japanese government.

Now that he was free to stay and move around in Japan, Bose asked Aizo and Kotsuko’s permission to marry their elder daughter, Toshiko, with whom he had fallen in love. As Toshiko reciprocated his feelings and they themselves were very fond of him, they agreed to his proposal and the couple married in a simple ceremony in July 1918.

Bose’s story would be incomplete without acknowledging Toshiko’s immense contribution to his life.

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Toshiko married Bose at a time when marriage to foreigners, especially to one in exile, was considered the worst case by Japanese society. Not only did she willingly accept the life of a social outcast, she shouldered most of the domestic responsibilities so as to let Bose pursue his goal of Indian independence with single-minded devotion.

Thanks to Toshiko’s unwavering love and support, it seemed as if things had finally started to look up for Bose. But this did not last long. In 1925, at the age of 28, Toshiko suddenly passed away due to tuberculosis, leaving behind two young children. A grief-stricken Bose threw himself into work. Two years later, he decided to partner with his father-in-law to set up a small restaurant on top of the bakery that would sell Indian-style curry and rice.

The selection of ingredients and preparation of the dish – named Indo Karii – was personally supervised by Bose who wanted Asians to experience India’s food and culture without the exchange being mediated by Westerners.

Nakamuraya’s curry clicked instantly with the locals, quickly becoming more popular than the bakery’s signature item, custard buns.

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The curious citizens of Tokyo began flocking to the restaurant to taste authentic Indian food and soon the restaurant grew into such a big venture that it became one of the first food companies to go public on the Japanese stock exchange.

Thanks to newspapers that zealously wrote about his struggles against imperialism and his romance with Toshiko, ‘Bose of Nakamuraya’ became a household name in Tokyo and his ‘Indo-Karii’ was famously christened the ‘taste of love and revolution’.

All this while, Bose continued to work towards the independence of India. From founding the ‘Indian Club’ of Tokyo to spreading his ideas through writings and anti-British radio broadcasts, he worked tirelessly to rake in global support to end British colonial rule in India. For instance, in a letter in The United States of India in July 1925, he strongly condemned the deployment of Sikh policemen in the Shanghai massacre. Highlighting it as another instance of colonial abuse of Indian manpower, he wrote:

“… So long as Britain has control over India, the lives and property of weaker nations are not safe, and peace can never reign in the world… The Indian independence therefore is not a question which concerns the Indians only; it is a question which concerns the whole world…”

He also keenly followed the development of the nationalist movements in India, especially of Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose. While he admired Gandhi’s ideas and spirit of sacrifice, he was far more impressed by the younger leader who he described as the “person of today”.

When World War II broke out and Singapore fell to Japan in 1942, there were around 32,000 Indian prisoners-of-war in Southeast Asia. Major Fujiwara (who was in charge of Singapore) had promised these Indian soldiers that he would offer them all the assistance in the fight against the British.

Bose left Tokyo and travelled to Bangkok to help them achieve their aim of liberating India with help from the Japanese. It was here that he founded the Indian Independence League to consolidate the revolutionary uprising against the British, with INA being the military wing of the league. He also invited Indian representatives from Malaya, China, Japan and Thailand to join the struggle.

In May 1943, he met Subhash Chandra Bose (who had arrived in Japan after a secretive submarine journey from Berlin) for the first time and conversed in fluent Bengali. A month later, he transferred the leadership of Indian Independence League to his younger, charismatic namesake.

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Thus, he laid the foundation of an organisation that would go on to play a significant role in weakening the British hold on India (as was later accepted by erstwhile British PM, Clement Atlee).

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In 1944, Bose suffered a collapse of his lungs from which he never fully recovered. Hospitalised in Tokyo, he would spend his days listening to radio broadcasts of the progress of the INA, hoping to hear the news of liberation of his beloved motherland. Sadly, he passed away in Tokyo in January 1945, two years before India became independent.

There is an memorable anecdote about Bose’s last weeks in the hospital.

Questioned by his doctor about his appetite, a glum Bose answered, “How can I have an appetite when the nurses don’t allow me to have the food I most desire?”

“And what is that?” asked the doctor. The answer, of course, was the Indian curry from Nakamuraya!

Compared to the charismatic Netaji, Rash Behari Bose’s role in the Indian freedom struggle remains relatively unknown in popular history. However, the chicken curry introduced by this multi-faceted freedom fighter remains alive in the popular imagination of his adopted home.

With over 6 billion helpings being served annually, the Nakamuraya Indo-Karii (still made according to Bose’s original recipe) continues to be a Japanese favourite, supplying packaged ready-to-eat meals to supermarkets across the country!

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As for the flagship restaurant, it still stands in its original location in Shinjuku with a foyer adorned by vintage photographs of the Soma family and the Indian revolutionary they sheltered. If you are ever in Tokyo, remember to pay this historic eatery a visit, After all, where else will you get to try the “taste of love and revolution”?

Also Read: Irrfan Khan’s ‘Tokyo Trial’ Tells the Intriguing Story of a Forgotten Indian Judge Honoured in Japan

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The survival of the human race wouldn’t have been possible without trees.

Serving mankind since time immemorial with its shade and cover, food and livelihood resources, trees play a vital role in sustaining life on the planet.

As the population in India grows at an uncontrollable rate, the need for more infrastructure and living spaces continues to engorge whatever remains of the forest cover in the country.

In fact, according to a report by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the total remaining tree cover of India that included forests and non-forest areas was 24.16% in 2015.

Van Mahotsav, the festival of trees, is celebrated every year in the country in a bid to raise awareness about the importance of trees and encourage people to plant more of them.

Usually held from July 1 to 7, the festival finds mass participation of people, including government agencies, civic bodies and educational institutions across the country who come together every year to plant saplings.

But do you know how the festival came into being and who was instrumental for its conception?

Initiated in the year 1950, the movement was the brainchild of Dr K M Munshi, who had been the Union Minister for Agriculture and Food at the time.

Unnerved by the rampant felling of trees and the damage that was being caused to the environment, Munshi came up with the idea of an annual tree planting festival in order to raise awareness among the masses towards forest conservation.

Rendering the idea to that of a festival where the contribution of the silent sentinels towards the planet would be celebrated rather than just organising a plantation drive, he wanted people to be enthusiastic towards the cause just as one would be during other festivals.

Some of the objectives of Van Mahotsav as visualized by Dr Munshi were: to increase production of fruits, which could be added to the potential food resources of the country, help create shelter-belts around agricultural fields to increase their productivity, provide fodder leaves for cattle to relieve intensity of grazing over reserved forests, boost soil conservation and prevent further deterioration of soil fertility.

He also intended to inculcate consciousness and love for trees among the citizens and popularise planting and tending of trees in farms, villages, and municipal and public lands.

Interestingly, the term Van Mahotsav first cropped up in July 1947 after a successful tree plantation drive that was held in Delhi and saw participation of national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Abdul Kalam Azad.

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The choice of picking the first week of July to celebrate the festival was indeed a visionary move. Marking the onset of monsoon season in most parts of the country, most saplings planted during this period have more chances of survival than the ones planted during other times of the year.

An event that sees lakhs of saplings being planted every year, Van Mahotsav is indeed a celebration of life. With the ever-growing, life-threatening perils of global warming and pollution, the initiative flagged off by DR Munshi 67 years ago is what the world needs right now.

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Do you remember the sequence in Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, when Amarendra Baahubali teaches his ladylove Devasena how to defend herself from archers using three arrows at a time from a single bow?

Looks like the technique might have indeed been a skill wielded by archers from the yore and not just the imagination of the film’s director, S S Rajamouli.

A team from Hosur Aram Archaeological Research Centre stumbled upon three hero stones belonging to the Vijayanagara period at Gikur settlement near Thally in Tamil Nadu.

While two of the stones showcased warriors with three arrows in the right hand and a bow in the left, the scene seems to have unbelievable similarity to the war technique that the larger-than-life celluloid hero Baahubali had brandished.

“They were once heroes like the fictional character Baahubali, who could shoot three arrows at a time”, Krishnan, who is the founder of the centre told DT Next.

A memorial commemorating the honourable death of a hero in battle, hero stones were erected across the Indian subcontinent between the 3rd century BC and the 18th century AD.

Explaining that the expert archers in the hero stones could have belonged to the Kangar community, who were hailed to be skilled warriors, Krishnan also said that the warriors depicted in the stones seem to have very different physique and hairstyles.

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“The stones could have been collected from different places and preserved here. Also, since these do not have any inscriptions, the villagers seem to be unaware of the heroic deeds of the heroes, though they stand testimony to bravery of people of this region”, he added.

According to the research team, the stones could date back to 13th and 14th century AD.

Feature image inset source: Times of India.

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From being touted as a “landmark cinematic achievement” to being called one of the best war films ever made, Christopher Nolan’s war epic Dunkirk has been getting glowing reviews across the world. The movie (which tells the story of the evacuation of Allied troops from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk in northern France during World War II) also wove its magic on the Indian audience – it grossed over ₹15 crore in its opening weekend itself!

However, while Dunkirk has received much critical acclaim, it has also been criticized by many for ignoring the significant contribution of Indian soldiers in Dunkirk. According to historical data, nearly 2.5 million soldiers from the Indian sub-continent served with the Allied army during World War II. In France, 1,800 Indian soldiers and 2,000 mules were tasked with transporting arms and ammunition to battle zones that weren’t accessible by vehicles.

As Oxford historian Yasmin Khan writes in her book, ‘The Raj at War’, “Britain did not fight the Second World War, the British Empire did.”

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A record of the contribution of brave Indian soldiers on foreign shores is incomplete without the mention of the little-known Operation Khukri. A daring mission in which 223 UN peacekeepers (held captive by rebels) in Sierra Leone were rescued and evacuated by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, Operation Khukri is one of history’s most successful rescue operations.

Interestingly, this little-known mission is being recreated on celluloid by Red Chillies Entertainment (Shah Rukh Khan’s home production banner). A celebration of the unsung heroes of the Indian Armed Forces, the high-budget film will be shot in real locations in Africa and will have real-life armed combat sequences.

Here’s the story of Operation Khukri, a remarkable rescue mission that remains a feather in the cap of Indian Armed Forces!

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The year was 2000. A potentially rich country kept in a state of poverty by successive corrupt and power-hungry governments, Sierra Leone in west Africa had become a hot spot of violence, strife and rebellion. The armed rebel groups of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) had taken control of large swathes of territory that were rich in diamond deposits, leading to the collapse of the country’s economy and trapping ordinary citizens between the cruelty of RUF troops and starvation.

The escalating unrest had left the UN no choice but to intervene by sending peacekeeping troops. India accepted the responsibility of stopping the brutal civilian killings in the strife-torn country. Soldiers of the Indian 58th Gorkha Rifles, the 14th Mechanised Infantry and the 23rd Mechanised Infantry (together designated as INDBATT-1) were sent to join the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) and help the local government disarm the notorious rebels.

In April 2000, two companies of INDBATT-1 were deployed in Kailahun, while the rest of the peacekeeping unit had been dispatched to Daru. That’s when things started going wrong. On May 1, the trigger-happy rebels attacked the soldiers at Makeni and Kailahun.

Over 200 soldiers of the 58th Gorkha Rifles and 11 military observers of various nationalities were taken hostage, with armed cadres of the rebel forces setting up a siege around their base camp. For the next 75 days, the UN negotiated for the release of the captive peacekeepers. The international community looked the other way as the negotiations dragged on, with the American and British governments advocating ‘patience and restraint’ in the face of the hostage crisis.

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With no results emerging from the negotiations, the Indian government decided to take charge of the situation and gave the responsibility to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army. As such, Operation Khukri was launched to break the rebel siege at Kailahun and extricate the Indian soldiers being held hostage 10,000 kilometres away in the sultry tropical forests of west Africa.

Under the leadership of Major (now Lt Col) Harinder Sood, 120 special force officers of the IAF and the Indian Army were airlifted from New Delhi and flown to Sierra Leone in what was dressed up as a multinational UNAMSIL mission (logistic support was provided by Britain, Ghana, Nepal and Nigeria).

On July 15, two British Chinook helicopters carrying Indian para commandos landed in the dense equatorial forest surrounding the camp were the soldiers were being held hostage. As per plan, the Chinooks were to be followed by three IAF MI-8 attack helicopters (AH). However, these helicopters could not take off due to bad weather.

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Beginning the assault, the para commandos detonated explosive charges to breach the walls of the military camp and rapidly entered the camp at Kailahun. One team advanced to rescue the hostages, while another (accompanied by the Ghatak commando platoon) used armoured reconnaissance vehicles to engage with and neutralize enemy check posts.

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Aided by two teams of heavily-armed para commandos, the rescued Indian soldiers used the jeeps and trucks in the military camp to fight their way out through the breach. Progress was slow as the tyres of the vehicles frequently got stuck in the marshy, muddy land of the forest and the soldiers had to get down to push them out of the rut. Continuous sniping and rocket fire from rebels (who were in hot pursuit) added to the convoy’s troubles.

To protect the rescued soldiers, the para commandos took up posts on all the vulnerable positions around the convoy and responded to the heavy enemy firing with their own. As they escaped towards the town of Geihun, the team also laid booby traps and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to delay and deter the pursuing rebels. As the forest cover thinned, IAF’s Mi-35 helicopter gunships swung into position to provide additional security for the convoy.

As the convoy entered Geihun, they were greeted by the 18 Grenadiers of INDBATT-2 who had been airlifted from Daru to provide cover and support. One hour later, the rescued hostages were airlifted to Daru by IAF Mi-8 helicopters.

With no Indian casualties and no injuries other than a few shrapnel wounds, Operation Khukri’s resounding success was a testimony to the prowess of the Indian para commandos and the IAF contingent (which flew an impressive 98 sorties over 66:05 hours during the operation)!

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An unequivocal Indian military success, Operation Khukri holds a special place in the history of independent India. Here’s hoping that the upcoming movie provides a rare window into this little-known mission!

Also Read: Akshay Kumar’s ‘Gold’ Tells The Untold Story of Independent India’s First Olympic Gold Medal

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The sandy beach of Chowpatty at the start of Mumbai’s Marine Drive is a popular hangout during weekends. But few of the revelers who go there know that in the April of 1930, this stretch of sand was taken over by hundreds of women, who as an act of defiance against the British, set up impromptu stoves to extract salt from the waters of the Arabian Sea. Those were the heady days of Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Salt Satyagraha’, and the women of Bombay were at its forefront here.

In 1930 Mahatma Gandhi decided to take up cudgels against the British for taxing the most basic ingredient in any meal – salt. The India Salt Act of 1882 not just allowed the government to have a monopoly on the collection and manufacture of salt, it also allowed them to tax it. To mark his protest, Mahatma Gandhi initiated the famous Dandi March, from his home in Sabarmati near Ahmedabad to Dandi, a small coastal village.

The idea was to produce salt from the seawater in defiance against the British.

The idea caught on and spread fast. On 6th April 1930, a group of women led by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, a noted freedom fighter, marched to Chowpatty and started making salt from sea water on makeshift stoves or chulhas.

Huge crowds had gathered at Chowpatty to witness the scene, some even climbed up trees to watch what was happening. Things however turned rough, when the police attacked and lathi-charged the protestors.

The leader of the movement, Kamaladevi herself fell into the hot coals of her stove as she was hit by a police lathi. She suffered severe burns but refused to call off the protest and go to the hospital. Soon, despite police attempts, the crowds grew and hordes of housewives carrying pots and pans joined the ranks.

The ‘Salt Satyagraha’ went on for days in Bombay. Salt pans were created on the terrace of the Congress House, the headquarters of the Congress party located in the Opera House area of Mumbai.

When police raided the Congress House, the women there formed human shields to block their path.

On 13th April 1930, a mass meeting was organised at Chowpatty which was attended by about 50,000 people. The speakers included Sarojini Naidu, Mrs. Perin Captain (grand-daughter of Dadabhai Naoroji) and Mr. Abid Ali Jafferbhai, among others. They encouraged people to manufacture salt in their homes and in their localities and boycott government salt. Despite barricades, hartals and lathi-charge, crowds kept coming to Chowpatty.

After concluding the Dandi March, as phase two of the ‘Salt Satyagraha’, Mahatma Gandhi had planned a non-violent raid of the Dharasena Salt Works in Gujarat, but he wasn’t able to make it there. The British arrested him even as others took the fight on.

In Mumbai, 500 people led by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay marched to the Wadala Salt Depot on 16th April 1930. They collected natural salt and sold it to people.

This was followed by an even bigger march on 18th May 1930, when more than 20,000 people marched to Wadala and collected salt. There was exceptional police brutality on the marchers and as a result, the Bombay Stock Exchange and all other business establishments remained shut the next day in protest.

The ‘Salt Satyagraha’ was a significant event in the political consciousness of Mumbai.

It brought its women, mostly ordinary housewives, to the forefront of the struggle for India’s Independence. As Kamaladevi wrote in her book Indian Women’s Battle for Freedom:

‘The salt satyagraha must stand out as not only unique but as an incredible form of revolution in human history. The very simplicity of this weapon was as appealing as intriguing. So far as women were concerned it was ideally tailor-made for them. As women naturally preside over culinary operations, salt is for them the most intimate and indispensable ingredient.’

Today, while Chowpatty is just a public getaway, the Wadala salt pans await an uncertain future. In the midst of all this, few remember the history that was made here.

 

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In the recent years, actor Akshay Kumar has been setting a record of sorts with his interesting choice of scripts that derive inspiration from real life. While his upcoming film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha tackles the issue of open defecation in India, his next movie Padman is about menstrual sanitation.

Continuing this trend, the National Award-winning actor recently took to twitter to announce his upcoming film Gold, a period sports drama that tells the tale of independent India’s first Olympic medal at the 1948 Olympics.

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Here’s the story of the historic triumph that catapulted the Indian hockey team into an elite league of global teams that dominated their respective sports. Interestingly, from 1928 to 1956, India won six straight gold medals while remaining unbeaten at the Olympics!

In 1908, hockey made its Olympic debut at London. This was a time when the sport had barely taken root in India, with only few clubs in Calcutta and Bombay organizing sporadic tournaments. The first meeting of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was held on September 7, 1925, in Gwalior with the election of Col Bruce Turnbull as president and NS Ansari as secretary.

It was due to the efforts of this newly formed organisation that the Indian hockey team made its first appearance at the 1928 Olympics at Amsterdam. In an outstanding debut, the team won its maiden gold medal by beating hosts Netherlands in the final without conceding a single goal.

This is what a Dutch journalist, impressed by the Indian team, wrote: “The Indian ball seems ignorant of law of gravity. One of those tanned, diabolical jugglers stares at the ball intently; it gets upright and remains suspended in the air. It only proceeds on its way when the player has bestowed an approval nod on it.”

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The tournament also saw the birth of a legend in Dhyan Chand who scored 14 goals, including a stunning hat-trick, in the final. The son of an army man, the hardworking lad would stay up late into the night, practicing his skills alone in the moonlight. His teammates therefore had affectionately nicknamed him ‘Chand’.

Such was the magic of the hockey wizard that when the team returned from Amsterdam, thousands of people had gathered at the Bombay  Docks to to get a glimpse of their Olympic hero. This was in stark contrast to their departure when the team was seen off at the Docks by three persons.

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This, as it turned out, was just the beginning. In its next two outings at the Olympics, in 1932 and in 1936, the team won consecutive golds to cement its position as the undisputed champion of men’s hockey.

However, no team from Great Britain participated in the Olympics between 1928 and 1936. So, to Dhyan Chand’s deep regret, the Indian team did not get the opportunity to defeat their colonial rulers at their own game (Britain had won the Olympic titles in 1908 and in 1920) during these years.

This was soon to change.The year was 1948 and the Olympics were being held in London. In the aftermath of World War II and the partition, the IHF had somehow managed to field a team for the games. Dhyan Chand had retired, but there was no dearth of talent in the Indian squad that was marching under its own flag at the Olympics for the first time.

When the defending champions walked into the Wembley stadium, they were greeted by a standing ovation from the crowd of 20,000 who were eager to see them play.

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Determined to make their newly-independent nation proud, the Indian team sailed through the preliminaries with the very talented Balbir Singh Sr. playing a key role. The team then defeated Netherlands in a closely-fought semi-final to reach the final. In a case of poetic justice, their opponents were Great Britain, making a comeback to the international tournament.

In the semi-finals, Great Britain had defeated Pakistan (whose style of play was similar to India’s) and the British were fully anticipating another upset. However, they were in for a rude shock. Despite the conditions (the heavy, muddy turf and light rain) favouring the home team, the Leslie Claudius-led side played outstandingly to thrash Britain 4-0.

One year after India achieved freedom from colonial rule, the anthem of independent India played as the Tricolour went up on British soil. For the players, it was a moment they would cherish for the rest of their lives.

As the British captain Norman Borrett told the awaiting press: “I did not think they were going to have such a victory on ground so unsuited to their play. But tonight showed how magnificent they are under any condition.”

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The victory of the Indian hockey team at the 1948 Olympics was significant for many reasons. First, the world’s biggest sporting competition had returned after a gap of 12 years (due to the World War II). Second, India had become independent just a year back and was still finding its feet in the global arena. Third, in the absence of the legendary Dhyan Chand, most people expected the defending champions to falter in the tournament.

Not only did the Indian hockey team battle against all odds to prove their deterrents wrong, they did it with such elan that they won the hearts of millions of sports fans across the world.

Indian hockey’s golden run at the Olympics continued in 1952 and 1956 (where they beat Netherlands and Pakistan respectively) before being broken by Pakistan at the 1960 Rome Olympics. However, India won back the Olympic crown from Pakistan in Tokyo Olympics,1964. All in all, India has the incredible record of 11 hockey medals in 12 Olympics between 1928 and 1980!

This era of invincibility has ended now, but the name ‘India’ still resonates in the hockey universe. It has been 37 years since Indian hockey’s last Olympic gold at Moscow, but mention Olympic hockey to any hockey aficionado in the world and the first nation that comes to mind is India, thanks to its amazing record. As Keshav Dutt, member of the winning teams at the 1948 and 1952 games, once said, “It was hockey that was responsible for putting India on the map of world sports.”

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It is a well-known fact that Sarnath Lions was adopted from the Ashokan Pillar by Dinanath Bhargava and other artists to be the National Emblem of India. However, as if a testament to the independent identity of Indian states bound by the aspirations and constitution of a union, the states in India too have independent emblems, state seals and coat of arms.

As most of us may remember from lessons in our school days, the formation of Indian Union was a fascinating event. Just before the departure of the British from India, the nation as a complete entity did not exist. There were five major princely states, Baroda, Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, Mysore and Gwalior apart from numerous other smaller states, which were ruled by provincial governments like Madras, Bombay, Punjab etc. when India achieved its independence in 1947.

In his book Emblems of Indian State, published by the Massachusetts-based Flag Heritage Foundation, David F Phillips give a thorough introduction to the state emblems of the erstwhile princely states of India. After all, these state emblems are from the coat of arms of princely states, which was a concept derived from the Europe, and especially the British, in the case of India. According to Phillips, the Coat of Arms is essentially a visual system of 12th century whose vocabulary of geometric systems and stylized images was decorated on shields signified a person, place or an institution.

Many of these emblems or coat of arms of the princely states still exist in one form or another, most visible as the emblems of the states, which were formed following independence, based on language and ethnicity of the people residing in the region. These emblems visually allude to the uniqueness of the state through animals, birds, Hindu deities or other objects like a crescent (if influenced by Islamic motifs) that are associated with the state.

For example, the coat of arms of two elephants guarding the conch of the deity Sree Padmanabha was adopted by the Kerala government from the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. While the use of Elephant is an obvious one, the conch of Sree Padmanabha refers to the Sree Padmanabha Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the wealthiest place of worship in the world.

However, the coat of arms of Karnataka government consists of a figure that is not as obvious as an elephant. Because it is not real creature. Hence, unless you know its history you wouldn’t be able to make as easy a connection as you would do when it comes to Kerala and the elephant. But, like elephants in Kerala, this figure can be found everywhere in Karnataka.

This is Ganda Bherunda, a two-headed mythological figure, the emblem of the State of Karnataka and found in the state’s coat of arms.

It is also the symbol of the state’s transport system. Basically, if you have been to Karnataka you’re bound to have seen it, even if you did not know what it actually meant.

Though a similar “two-headed eagle” appears in western canon, the Ganda Bherunda specifically appears in the Vedas as a form of Vishnu, that took shape following his altercation with Sharaba, a mythological lion with an elephant head and a form of Shiva.

In the coat of arms of Karnataka, the Ganda Bherunda is surrounded by two Sharabas.

While the bird is known for its magical powers, the Sharaba has more than the combined strength of a lion and an elephant and is an upholder of righteousness.

Of course, the official Ganda Bherunda used today is much less ferocious than the historic depictions, where its talons clutch two elephants on either side, with a snake in its beak.

In some depictions, its feathers have close resemblance with the peacock’s colorful tail.

Though there has been reference to the scriptures and temples, it was first inscribed on coins during the reign of Vijayanagara Empire in 1510. But it has been the official seal of many kingdoms from the Hoysalas, Keladis and Kadambas among others, including the Mysore Kingdom, one of the princely states of British India, which gave Karnataka the Dsara Festival as well as many developmental works, including the Krishnaraj Sagar (KRS). Hence, in many ways it was apt that when the state of Mysore (later renamed Karnataka in 1973) was formed in 1856 this figure became the official emblem of the state.

Apart from the mythological allusions, the bird connects the people to all the empires and kingdoms that ruled the region, evoking a strong sense of history. Moreover, the overall story of state seals and emblems stand testament to the the hybrid nature of our post-colonial existence, much like the figures that we have encountered here.

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Whether they are pets, mascots, or working creatures, animals have been bringing solace to the soldiers serving at the front since time immemorial.

Recently, the Indian Army honoured the contribution of animals in military service by naming its swanky new lounge at the Central Army Service Corps (ASC) officers’ mess in Delhi after an MA (Mountain Artillery) mule, Pedongi.

In the armed forces, names are a privilege reserved for horses and are rarely given to mules (who are identified by their hoof numbers). But Pedongi was no ordinary mule. Not only was she the army’s longest-serving mule, she was also the only one to be awarded a bravery citation and a ceremonial blue velvet rug by the Indian Army!

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A bay mare of Spanish breed, Pedongi (initially called Hoof Number 15328) joined the army in 1962. She was a part of the the Animal Transport units under the Indian Army Service Corps. As an MA mule, her job was to work alongside troops during war to transport ammunition and other stores to forward units as well as transport casualties to military hospitals on some of the most treacherous tracks in the world.

In those days, even during peace time, the contribution of Pedongi and her fellow mules was vital in providing last-mile logistics supply to isolated army units. During winter, heavy snowfall would convert the frontier into a terrain where no vehicle (perhaps even man) could possibly go. If not for for the supplies brought by the mules, the soldiers would have been unable to stay at their outposts.

As an army officer told the Bangalore Mirror, “These mules work just as hard as the soldiers.”

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During her long career, Pedongi braved bullets, airstrikes and battle trenches to prove her mettle as a brave and intelligent military mule. She was highly respected and valued for her many feats, one of which has an interesting story behind it. The story goes that during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, an animal transport column including Pedongi was captured and taken along by the Pakistani forces.

However, a fortnight later, Pedongi managed to escape from the Pakistani forces. Carrying boxes of Pakistani ammunition on her back, the exhausted animal made her way back to an Indian Army outpost. Mightily pleased by her loyalty and gumption, the Animal Transport Battalion Commander reported the matter to his seniors who recommended a citation of bravery for Pedongi.

Pedongi was indeed honoured by the Indian Army but years later. In 1987, 29-year-old Pedongi was stationed at 853 AT Company ASC when she came to the notice of Commanding Officer Maj Chunni Lal Sharma.

Usually, mules serve the army for 18-20 years. He was astonished and impressed to find out that the hardworking animal was still willing and able to serve in altitudes as high as 17,000 feet even though she was the oldest MA mule in the Indian Army!

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Touched by the mule’s long and loyal service, Major Sharma formally appointed Pedongi as the mascot of 53 AT Company ASC. In 1989, Pedongi’s picture also graced the ‘season’s greeting card’ of the unit. The ageing animal was later shifted to Bareilly where she spent her last years grazing in green fields and enjoying the affection of soldiers posted at the military base.

Finally, in 1992, Pedongi was specially taken to Delhi where she was presented with a bravery citation and a blue velvet ceremonial rug at the 223 Corps Day Function. She was also formally given the name Pedongi (after the town of Pedong, a battle location in North Sikkim).

The brave animal made it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘Longest-Serving Military Mule’ in 1997 before passing away peacefully in Bareilly on March 25, 1998.

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Interestingly, in the years just before the Kargil war, there was a proposal to disband the Animal Transport units and replace them with all-terrain vehicles. However, when war erupted in Kargil, intense shelling along the motorable roads in Drass and Kargil made logistics support to remote outposts by vehicles and even helicopters impossible.

The Animal Transports units were the only ones who continued to work in the face of heavy shelling. The sturdy and sure-footed mules could go through rugged ridges and precarious tracks on which no vehicle could reach. Unsurprisingly, the proposal to disband them was scrapped.

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At present, the Indian Army maintains a 6,000-strong force of mules. These Animal Transport units continue to provide a reliable mode of last-mile transport in the harsh terrain along the Indian frontier.

As an Army official told IANS, “The dauntless and loyal military mules of the Army Service Corps have enabled last-mile logistics supply in the most inhospitable conditions along our frontiers in all past wars and operations in the highest tradition of the Indian Army.”

Also Read:Our Salute to the Unsung Canine Heroes of the Indian Army

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It is undeniable that India is a cricket-crazy nation. No other sport enjoys the privilege of cricket, which is extended to the people who practice it. Hence, when India won the Asian Snooker Championship earlier this month against Pakistan, the tweet by the captain of the team Pankaj Advani cheekily made a reference as to how they are not cricketers or demi-gods, hinting at the abysmal amount of media attention they received for their win.

The Indian team consisted of Malkeet Singh, Laxman Rawat, led by Pankaj Advani and coached by Ashoka Shandilya.

We r not demigods, we r not cricketers.. We r the Asian Team Snooker Champions 2017 What a feeling! pic.twitter.com/ogd1WfNgzG

— Pankaj Advani (@PankajAdvani247) July 5, 2017

This was Bengaluru boy Pankaj Advani’s second tile of the season and 8th overall. He is unarguably the most celebrated of Indians among cue players — along with Aditya Mehta — who for a brief period of time was directly responsible for increased interest in the game, at least in Bengaluru. In fact, the first-ever Indian Open of 2013 was a milestone in the history of Snooker in India.

Including Advani, the city has produced exceptional cue players since as early as in 1987, when Usha Rao crowned as the National Champion. Though the state-of-the-art facilities at Karnataka State Billiards Association (KSBA) still largely remains underused.

The reputation of the game as elitist may have been a contributing factor.

It isn’t hard to trace the roots of such a reputation. A peek into the nation’s colonial history has many stories to tell. Indeed, not many people are aware that the game of Snooker was invented in India. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) website proudly declares India as the birthplace of Snooker.

Snooker is one among the many popular cue sports — a stick called cue is used to strike different coloured balls on a billiards table to pocket them. It has its origin in 16th Century English Billiards, but achieved its modern form only around the 19th Century.

Today, the term Billiards is generally used as an umbrella term, including pool and snooker. Snooker is different than other sports in the size of the cue stick, height of the rails, size of the balls and the pockets color of the balls used, which includes 15 red balls and one ball each of yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black. Each of these colors have different point system from 2 points (red) to 7 points (black).

In his 1939 article The Billiard Player, author and essayist Compton Mackenzie credited a certain young British Army Lieutenant Neville Chamberlain as the inventor of the game of snooker.

In 1875, in an officers’ mess in city of Jabalpur, MP, Chamberlain experimented with the classic game of black pool, by adding many coloured balls to the existing 15 red balls and a black ball. Thus, the game of snooker was born.

Since the amateur or rookie cadets at Military Academy were called ‘snookers’, Chamberlain seems to have jokingly referred to everyone around the table as ‘snookers’ in this version of the classic English Billiards. That’s how the unique name stuck.

You may also like: 12 Things You Must Know About 12 Time World Billiards and Snooker Champion – Pankaj Advani

Though it was conceived in Jabalpur, the rules of the game was solidified and developed in Ooty, the essential birthplace of the game. Chamberlain was posted in Ooty or Udagamandalam or popularly known then as Snooty Ooty, a remark over its exclusivity. It was at the colonial Ooty Club that the game made a headway, growing closer to the contemporary version. Chamberlain was so devoted to the game, that he even named his horse after Snooker. Soon after its invention by Chamberlain, it became one of the most popular games among British soldiers stationed in the Indian Subcontinent.

Even today, the Ooty Club has a billiards room, where a snooker table from the period is carefully preserved, singing the songs of history to every visitor.

Today, snooker is played in 90 countries by over 120 million people and watched by 450 million people worldwide. The days of it being included in the prestigious Olympic games is not far. The game is reaching epic proportions of popularity in China with more than 60 million people playing the game! However, as the birthplace of snooker, India needs to step up its game. The first-ever Indian Open of 2013, was a step in the right direction.

With Pankaj Advani dividing his time between his “wife” English Billiards and “mistress” Snooker, India only has Aditya Mehta as the torchbearer of the sport in India. Hopefully, Laxman Rawat and Malkeet Singh’s first title of the season in the recent Asian Championship will summon many more.

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“The story of Mr. Rash Behari Bose forms a vital part of India’s struggle for independence, and the victory which was finally achieved was in no small measure due to his organizational skill and wonderful spirit of sacrifice. If Netaji came out in the fight as Garibaldi of the movement, Rash Behari’s part in the drama was more than that of a Mazzini”- Thakin Nu, ex-Prime Minister of Myanmar.

When it comes to the Azad Hind Fauj (also known as Indian National Army or INA) and its courageous attempts to overthrow the British colonial rule in India, the first name that comes to our mind is Subhash Chandra Bose. However, not many know that the spadework for this legendary organisation was done by another Bose.

An unsung hero of India’s struggle for Independence, Rash Behari Bose was once an officer of the Raj itself (he worked as the head clerk at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun) but he sacrificed his job and easy life to join the Indian revolutionary struggle. Deeply aggrieved by the Partition of Bengal, he played a key role in the Delhi Conspiracy Case (the assassination attempt on the British Viceroy, Lord Hardinge), the Banaras Conspiracy Case and the Ghadr Conspiracy at Lahore.

Facing a certain death sentence if captured, Bose fled to Japan where he continued to serve the cause of Indian freedom. A regular writer on Indian affairs in Japanese publications of the time, his efforts were instrumental in persuading the Japanese authorities to support the Indian independence movement. He also founded the Indian Independence League (the precursor of INA) before passing on the baton to Subhash Chandra Bose.

Interestingly, Bose is famous among the citizens of Japan (especially of Tokyo) for another unique reason: introducing an authentic Indian curry that is still served in Tokyo’s popular restaurants!

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After living underground in Chandan Nagar (the town in Bengal he grew up in) for about an year, in April 1915, Bose set sail for Japan under the false identity of poet P N Thakur. He arrived at the port city of Kobe in June 1915, and made his way to Tokyo. Here, he established contact with Pan-Asian leaders sympathetic to the Indian cause, including influential rightist politician, Mitsuru Toyama.

Such was the fear Bose inspired in the British that they hired detective agencies with the express purpose of tracking or assassinating him. They finally managed to trace the revolutionary to Tokyo and asked the Japanese government to extradite him to India. At that time, Bose was living at the home of Toyama. This protected him from being immediately arrested by the Japanese police (the police were wary of raiding the house of a leader as influential as Toyama).

Using the opportunity provided by this brief delay and the help provided by his friends, Bose escaped to his new hideout in Shinjuku, Tokyo’s commercial district.

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Amid the tiny shops and narrow alleyways of this bustling locality, he found shelter at the Nakamuraya bakery owned by the wealthy Soma family.

Aizo and Kotsuko Soma were supporters of the Indian cause and they hid Bose for many months in the basement of their quarters. Aware of the dangers of letting outsiders know about Bose’s whereabouts, the Somas were careful about entrusting his care only to family members.

Soon, an affectionate relationship developed between the family and the revolutionary. It was during this time that Bose introduced the Soma household to a recipe close to his heart. The family loved the delicious Indian curry and it soon became a family favourite.

Meanwhile, a British ship had fired at a Japanese merchant carrier and relations between the two countries had soured. As a result, the deportation order on Bose was withdrawn by the Japanese government.

Now that he was free to stay and move around in Japan, Bose asked Aizo and Kotsuko’s permission to marry their elder daughter, Toshiko, with whom he had fallen in love. As Toshiko reciprocated his feelings and they themselves were very fond of him, they agreed to his proposal and the couple married in a simple ceremony in July 1918.

Bose’s story would be incomplete without acknowledging Toshiko’s immense contribution to his life.

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Toshiko married Bose at a time when marriage to foreigners, especially to one in exile, was considered the worst case by Japanese society. Not only did she willingly accept the life of a social outcast, she shouldered most of the domestic responsibilities so as to let Bose pursue his goal of Indian independence with single-minded devotion.

Thanks to Toshiko’s unwavering love and support, it seemed as if things had finally started to look up for Bose. But this did not last long. In 1925, at the age of 28, Toshiko suddenly passed away due to tuberculosis, leaving behind two young children. A grief-stricken Bose threw himself into work. Two years later, he decided to partner with his father-in-law to set up a small restaurant on top of the bakery that would sell Indian-style curry and rice.

The selection of ingredients and preparation of the dish – named Indo Karii – was personally supervised by Bose who wanted Asians to experience India’s food and culture without the exchange being mediated by Westerners.

Nakamuraya’s curry clicked instantly with the locals, quickly becoming more popular than the bakery’s signature item, custard buns.

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The curious citizens of Tokyo began flocking to the restaurant to taste authentic Indian food and soon the restaurant grew into such a big venture that it became one of the first food companies to go public on the Japanese stock exchange.

Thanks to newspapers that zealously wrote about his struggles against imperialism and his romance with Toshiko, ‘Bose of Nakamuraya’ became a household name in Tokyo and his ‘Indo-Karii’ was famously christened the ‘taste of love and revolution’.

All this while, Bose continued to work towards the independence of India. From founding the ‘Indian Club’ of Tokyo to spreading his ideas through writings and anti-British radio broadcasts, he worked tirelessly to rake in global support to end British colonial rule in India. For instance, in a letter in The United States of India in July 1925, he strongly condemned the deployment of Sikh policemen in the Shanghai massacre. Highlighting it as another instance of colonial abuse of Indian manpower, he wrote:

“… So long as Britain has control over India, the lives and property of weaker nations are not safe, and peace can never reign in the world… The Indian independence therefore is not a question which concerns the Indians only; it is a question which concerns the whole world…”

He also keenly followed the development of the nationalist movements in India, especially of Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose. While he admired Gandhi’s ideas and spirit of sacrifice, he was far more impressed by the younger leader who he described as the “person of today”.

When World War II broke out and Singapore fell to Japan in 1942, there were around 32,000 Indian prisoners-of-war in Southeast Asia. Major Fujiwara (who was in charge of Singapore) had promised these Indian soldiers that he would offer them all the assistance in the fight against the British.

Bose left Tokyo and travelled to Bangkok to help them achieve their aim of liberating India with help from the Japanese. It was here that he founded the Indian Independence League to consolidate the revolutionary uprising against the British, with INA being the military wing of the league. He also invited Indian representatives from Malaya, China, Japan and Thailand to join the struggle.

In May 1943, he met Subhash Chandra Bose (who had arrived in Japan after a secretive submarine journey from Berlin) for the first time and conversed in fluent Bengali. A month later, he transferred the leadership of Indian Independence League to his younger, charismatic namesake.

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Thus, he laid the foundation of an organisation that would go on to play a significant role in weakening the British hold on India (as was later accepted by erstwhile British PM, Clement Atlee).

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In 1944, Bose suffered a collapse of his lungs from which he never fully recovered. Hospitalised in Tokyo, he would spend his days listening to radio broadcasts of the progress of the INA, hoping to hear the news of liberation of his beloved motherland. Sadly, he passed away in Tokyo in January 1945, two years before India became independent.

There is an memorable anecdote about Bose’s last weeks in the hospital.

Questioned by his doctor about his appetite, a glum Bose answered, “How can I have an appetite when the nurses don’t allow me to have the food I most desire?”

“And what is that?” asked the doctor. The answer, of course, was the Indian curry from Nakamuraya!

Compared to the charismatic Netaji, Rash Behari Bose’s role in the Indian freedom struggle remains relatively unknown in popular history. However, the chicken curry introduced by this multi-faceted freedom fighter remains alive in the popular imagination of his adopted home.

With over 6 billion helpings being served annually, the Nakamuraya Indo-Karii (still made according to Bose’s original recipe) continues to be a Japanese favourite, supplying packaged ready-to-eat meals to supermarkets across the country!

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As for the flagship restaurant, it still stands in its original location in Shinjuku with a foyer adorned by vintage photographs of the Soma family and the Indian revolutionary they sheltered. If you are ever in Tokyo, remember to pay this historic eatery a visit, After all, where else will you get to try the “taste of love and revolution”?

Also Read: Irrfan Khan’s ‘Tokyo Trial’ Tells the Intriguing Story of a Forgotten Indian Judge Honoured in Japan

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The survival of the human race wouldn’t have been possible without trees.

Serving mankind since time immemorial with its shade and cover, food and livelihood resources, trees play a vital role in sustaining life on the planet.

As the population in India grows at an uncontrollable rate, the need for more infrastructure and living spaces continues to engorge whatever remains of the forest cover in the country.

In fact, according to a report by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the total remaining tree cover of India that included forests and non-forest areas was 24.16% in 2015.

Van Mahotsav, the festival of trees, is celebrated every year in the country in a bid to raise awareness about the importance of trees and encourage people to plant more of them.

Usually held from July 1 to 7, the festival finds mass participation of people, including government agencies, civic bodies and educational institutions across the country who come together every year to plant saplings.

But do you know how the festival came into being and who was instrumental for its conception?

Initiated in the year 1950, the movement was the brainchild of Dr K M Munshi, who had been the Union Minister for Agriculture and Food at the time.

Unnerved by the rampant felling of trees and the damage that was being caused to the environment, Munshi came up with the idea of an annual tree planting festival in order to raise awareness among the masses towards forest conservation.

Rendering the idea to that of a festival where the contribution of the silent sentinels towards the planet would be celebrated rather than just organising a plantation drive, he wanted people to be enthusiastic towards the cause just as one would be during other festivals.

Some of the objectives of Van Mahotsav as visualized by Dr Munshi were: to increase production of fruits, which could be added to the potential food resources of the country, help create shelter-belts around agricultural fields to increase their productivity, provide fodder leaves for cattle to relieve intensity of grazing over reserved forests, boost soil conservation and prevent further deterioration of soil fertility.

He also intended to inculcate consciousness and love for trees among the citizens and popularise planting and tending of trees in farms, villages, and municipal and public lands.

Interestingly, the term Van Mahotsav first cropped up in July 1947 after a successful tree plantation drive that was held in Delhi and saw participation of national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Abdul Kalam Azad.

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The choice of picking the first week of July to celebrate the festival was indeed a visionary move. Marking the onset of monsoon season in most parts of the country, most saplings planted during this period have more chances of survival than the ones planted during other times of the year.

An event that sees lakhs of saplings being planted every year, Van Mahotsav is indeed a celebration of life. With the ever-growing, life-threatening perils of global warming and pollution, the initiative flagged off by DR Munshi 67 years ago is what the world needs right now.

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Do you remember the sequence in Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, when Amarendra Baahubali teaches his ladylove Devasena how to defend herself from archers using three arrows at a time from a single bow?

Looks like the technique might have indeed been a skill wielded by archers from the yore and not just the imagination of the film’s director, S S Rajamouli.

A team from Hosur Aram Archaeological Research Centre stumbled upon three hero stones belonging to the Vijayanagara period at Gikur settlement near Thally in Tamil Nadu.

While two of the stones showcased warriors with three arrows in the right hand and a bow in the left, the scene seems to have unbelievable similarity to the war technique that the larger-than-life celluloid hero Baahubali had brandished.

“They were once heroes like the fictional character Baahubali, who could shoot three arrows at a time”, Krishnan, who is the founder of the centre told DT Next.

A memorial commemorating the honourable death of a hero in battle, hero stones were erected across the Indian subcontinent between the 3rd century BC and the 18th century AD.

Explaining that the expert archers in the hero stones could have belonged to the Kangar community, who were hailed to be skilled warriors, Krishnan also said that the warriors depicted in the stones seem to have very different physique and hairstyles.

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“The stones could have been collected from different places and preserved here. Also, since these do not have any inscriptions, the villagers seem to be unaware of the heroic deeds of the heroes, though they stand testimony to bravery of people of this region”, he added.

According to the research team, the stones could date back to 13th and 14th century AD.

Feature image inset source: Times of India.

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From being touted as a “landmark cinematic achievement” to being called one of the best war films ever made, Christopher Nolan’s war epic Dunkirk has been getting glowing reviews across the world. The movie (which tells the story of the evacuation of Allied troops from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk in northern France during World War II) also wove its magic on the Indian audience – it grossed over ₹15 crore in its opening weekend itself!

However, while Dunkirk has received much critical acclaim, it has also been criticized by many for ignoring the significant contribution of Indian soldiers in Dunkirk. According to historical data, nearly 2.5 million soldiers from the Indian sub-continent served with the Allied army during World War II. In France, 1,800 Indian soldiers and 2,000 mules were tasked with transporting arms and ammunition to battle zones that weren’t accessible by vehicles.

As Oxford historian Yasmin Khan writes in her book, ‘The Raj at War’, “Britain did not fight the Second World War, the British Empire did.”

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A record of the contribution of brave Indian soldiers on foreign shores is incomplete without the mention of the little-known Operation Khukri. A daring mission in which 223 UN peacekeepers (held captive by rebels) in Sierra Leone were rescued and evacuated by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, Operation Khukri is one of history’s most successful rescue operations.

Interestingly, this little-known mission is being recreated on celluloid by Red Chillies Entertainment (Shah Rukh Khan’s home production banner). A celebration of the unsung heroes of the Indian Armed Forces, the high-budget film will be shot in real locations in Africa and will have real-life armed combat sequences.

Here’s the story of Operation Khukri, a remarkable rescue mission that remains a feather in the cap of Indian Armed Forces!

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The year was 2000. A potentially rich country kept in a state of poverty by successive corrupt and power-hungry governments, Sierra Leone in west Africa had become a hot spot of violence, strife and rebellion. The armed rebel groups of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) had taken control of large swathes of territory that were rich in diamond deposits, leading to the collapse of the country’s economy and trapping ordinary citizens between the cruelty of RUF troops and starvation.

The escalating unrest had left the UN no choice but to intervene by sending peacekeeping troops. India accepted the responsibility of stopping the brutal civilian killings in the strife-torn country. Soldiers of the Indian 58th Gorkha Rifles, the 14th Mechanised Infantry and the 23rd Mechanised Infantry (together designated as INDBATT-1) were sent to join the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) and help the local government disarm the notorious rebels.

In April 2000, two companies of INDBATT-1 were deployed in Kailahun, while the rest of the peacekeeping unit had been dispatched to Daru. That’s when things started going wrong. On May 1, the trigger-happy rebels attacked the soldiers at Makeni and Kailahun.

Over 200 soldiers of the 58th Gorkha Rifles and 11 military observers of various nationalities were taken hostage, with armed cadres of the rebel forces setting up a siege around their base camp. For the next 75 days, the UN negotiated for the release of the captive peacekeepers. The international community looked the other way as the negotiations dragged on, with the American and British governments advocating ‘patience and restraint’ in the face of the hostage crisis.

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With no results emerging from the negotiations, the Indian government decided to take charge of the situation and gave the responsibility to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army. As such, Operation Khukri was launched to break the rebel siege at Kailahun and extricate the Indian soldiers being held hostage 10,000 kilometres away in the sultry tropical forests of west Africa.

Under the leadership of Major (now Lt Col) Harinder Sood, 120 special force officers of the IAF and the Indian Army were airlifted from New Delhi and flown to Sierra Leone in what was dressed up as a multinational UNAMSIL mission (logistic support was provided by Britain, Ghana, Nepal and Nigeria).

On July 15, two British Chinook helicopters carrying Indian para commandos landed in the dense equatorial forest surrounding the camp were the soldiers were being held hostage. As per plan, the Chinooks were to be followed by three IAF MI-8 attack helicopters (AH). However, these helicopters could not take off due to bad weather.

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Beginning the assault, the para commandos detonated explosive charges to breach the walls of the military camp and rapidly entered the camp at Kailahun. One team advanced to rescue the hostages, while another (accompanied by the Ghatak commando platoon) used armoured reconnaissance vehicles to engage with and neutralize enemy check posts.

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Aided by two teams of heavily-armed para commandos, the rescued Indian soldiers used the jeeps and trucks in the military camp to fight their way out through the breach. Progress was slow as the tyres of the vehicles frequently got stuck in the marshy, muddy land of the forest and the soldiers had to get down to push them out of the rut. Continuous sniping and rocket fire from rebels (who were in hot pursuit) added to the convoy’s troubles.

To protect the rescued soldiers, the para commandos took up posts on all the vulnerable positions around the convoy and responded to the heavy enemy firing with their own. As they escaped towards the town of Geihun, the team also laid booby traps and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to delay and deter the pursuing rebels. As the forest cover thinned, IAF’s Mi-35 helicopter gunships swung into position to provide additional security for the convoy.

As the convoy entered Geihun, they were greeted by the 18 Grenadiers of INDBATT-2 who had been airlifted from Daru to provide cover and support. One hour later, the rescued hostages were airlifted to Daru by IAF Mi-8 helicopters.

With no Indian casualties and no injuries other than a few shrapnel wounds, Operation Khukri’s resounding success was a testimony to the prowess of the Indian para commandos and the IAF contingent (which flew an impressive 98 sorties over 66:05 hours during the operation)!

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An unequivocal Indian military success, Operation Khukri holds a special place in the history of independent India. Here’s hoping that the upcoming movie provides a rare window into this little-known mission!

Also Read: Akshay Kumar’s ‘Gold’ Tells The Untold Story of Independent India’s First Olympic Gold Medal

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