#THREAD

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗸𝗶 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗿 ?

Janaki Thevar was an 18-year-old who took over the leadership of the ‘Rani of Jhansi’ regiment from Lakshmi Sahgal in erstwhile Burma.

Here’s her untold story...

(1/12)

Born and brought up in a well-to-do Tamil family living in then British Malaya, Janaki was only 16 when Subhash Chandra Bose arrived in Singapore in July 1943..

Janaki was bound to the restrictions that women were subjected to those days..

(2/12)

Addressing around 50000 Indians, the charismatic Netaji made a fiery speech, urging everyone to take up arms against British Raj.

Netaji’s powerful words kindled a fervour in this young girl to fight for freedom of a country she hadn’t seen but felt she belonged to..

(3/12)

Janaki’s first step was to remove all her expensive gold jewellery & donate it to the Indian National Army.

Janaki faced strong objections from her family but the deeply patriotic girl stood her ground and after much persuasion, her father reluctantly agreed..

(4/12)

Next, she announced her decision to participate in one of the most improbable events in World War II’s Asia-Pacific theatre — the creation of an all-female combat squad, INA’s ‘Rani of Jhansi’ Regiment (RJR) !

The training was tough but she endured.. (5/12)

By the time RJR was formally inaugurated on October 22, 1943, on Singapore’s Waterloo Street, Janaki was an integral part of INA’s 500 ‘fighting Ranis’, under the command of Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan (later Lakshmi Sahgal), the daughter of an INC leader settled in

(6/12)

She soon rose to the rank of lieutenant, 2nd in command to Commander Lakshmi..

& In April 1944, Captain Lakshmi was transferred permanently to the base hospital in Maymyo and 18-year-old Janaki became the commander of the Burma contingent of RJR !!

(7/12)

In the months that followed, Janaki rescued wounded soldiers when the British bombed the Red Cross hospital in Rangoon.

Later, when INA was in retreat, she would trek through swamps & forests of Burma with Netaji to get fellow fighters back to their homes safely.

(8/12)

When INA was disbanded after the British won the war, Janaki joined the Indian Congress Medical Mission in Malaya.

Inspired by the work being done by the INC there, she helped John Thivy establish the Malayan Indian Congress in 1946.. & later, married in 1948..

(9/12)

In the years to come, time and age hardly withered her spirit and determination to serve people. Passionate about social welfare, Janaki began playing an active role in organisations such as the Girl Guide Association and the National Council of Women’s Organization...

(10/12)

Her tireless efforts also saw her being nominated as a senator in the Upper House (Dewan Negara) of the Malaysian Parliament !

Apart from numerous national & international awards, Janaki also became the 1st woman of Indian origin outside to be awarded Padma Shri !!

(11/12)

Despite the failure of her dream to help INA defeat the British, she deserves to be remembered and respected for her commitment to the highest of human aspirations -freedom - & setting an enduring example of courage and compassion.

#JaiHind

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