Family Stories of The Forgotten Indian Prisoners of World War II
- Captain Mohan Singh – history hero of the book – his son, daughter, niece and grandchildren
- Centurion and only survivor of Singapore I’ve found so far, Lance-Naik Charan Singh (Punjabi). Lucid and in great shape so far.
- War Office Clerk John Crasta’s memoir is one of just 2 books by Indian POWs in Papua New Guinea – his son Richard has a rich a/c of his father’s post-war life and his own view (as a family member) of the Japanese.
- Grandson of Capt Nirpal Chand beheaded by Japan 27.4.44 and son of Jemadar Chint Singh who got him justice post-war (Hindi)
- Sons of Lt Pillai who masterminded the escape (Ch4) – Retd Rear-Admiral Sampath and Colonel Ravi Pillai
- Maj-Gen Arjun Muthanna, author and grand-nephew of Gen KS Thimayya and Maj KP Thimayya – 2 brothers on opposing sides
- Niece of Col Gurbaksh Singh and daughter of Capt Harbaksh Singh, both POWs and future generals
- Son of Lt Col Ishaq MBE C/O 1st Hyderabad who survived PNG – rich war and post war stories
- Pakistan – children of Lt Abrar Hussain/ Ismail Khan and Capt MAK Durrani – they were the 3 musketeers in captivity
- INA Royalty – Daughter of Capt Sehgal (INA Red Fort trial) and of Capt Lakshmi Swaminathan (C/O INAs Rani Jhansi Regt) – Subhashini Ali
- Dsecendants of the 3 accused in the famous INA Red Fort Trial – Khans grandson, Sahgals daughter and Dhillons grandson
- Sons of Lt Mehboob Ahmad, Bose’s Military Secretary
- Son of Capt Dr SS Sekhon – POW in Borneo. Account of the end of the war.
- Air Marshall (retd) Chengappa, son of Jemadar Uttiah who joined INA, allowed back into army after war but retired as promotion blocked – worked as a teacher and encouraged his son to join the services.
- Sad story: Sapper Marimathu’s grand-daughter – he didn’t return after war, in 1946 heard he had died, in 2023 found him commemorated at Kranji cemetery Singapore.
- Lt Gen (retd) SN Sharma. He liberated Java in 1945 and has great stories. He is 102.
- British perspective – Grandson of Lt Col Fitzpatrick (C/O of Mohan Singh), daughter-in-law of Col George Clough C/O 4/19 Hyderabad
Not in my book, but connected
- Devika Pande, grand-daughter of Lt KD Pande (family of Mrinal Pande) – I unearthed Lt Pande’s POW life and informed them – they had little knowledge
- AM Sahay, Minister in Netaji’s Provisional Govt – his daughter Asha (member of Rani Jhansi Regt whose diary was published Harper Collins India 2022), grandson, and great grand-daughter-in-law and author Asha Tanvi
- Son of M Sivaram, a journalist who did Indian wartime propaganda in Singapore
- Historian Dr TR Sareen’s widow Dr Anuradha Sareen
- Son of Air Commodore Benegal – he was one of 40 young men sent to Tokyo to train in Japanese military academies (the famous Tokyo Boys)
Gautam Hazarika is the author of The Forgotten Indian Prisoners of World War II, published by Pen & Sword.
