New Delhi: In 1942, as India’s fight for independence raged elsewhere, resistance rose within the walls of Lahore women’s jail. A group of imprisoned women—freedom fighters, mothers, and young girls—stitched a flag from their clothes, stacked charpoys at dawn, and hoisted it high above the prison courtyard. They sang, “Fasi de takhte pe chadh ke geet vatan de gavenge (hang us, we will stand at the gallows and sing songs of our homeland).”
Among them was Savitri Ramkishan, who was pregnant and locked up with her two small children, along with fellow fighters Pushpa Gujral and Freda Houlston Bedi, an English woman.
“Even as armed forces stormed in and the jail whistle screamed, they remained unshaken—chanting, fasting, and flying the flag of freedom,” read the text at Hamaara Itihaas – Archives of Freedom Fighters, on display until 23 August at the India International Centre, Delhi.
The exhibition uncovers untold stories of India’s freedom struggle, highlighting the overlooked roles of women and diverse global communities—from the bold flag-hoisting inside Lahore women’s jail to the bravery of the Jhansi Rani Regiment and INA fighters in Burma. It presents oral testimonies, photographs, and archival material from India, Southeast Asia, and cities like London, Paris, Geneva, and San Francisco, showing that India’s freedom struggle was both global and rooted in revolutionary as well as non-violent efforts.
Curated by award-winning writer and filmmaker Sagari Chhabra, the exhibition was first conceived as a film project. Over time, it turned into Chhabra’s mission to preserve the forgotten contributions of women who shaped India’s fight for freedom.
“I set out to make a film on women freedom fighters, only to discover that their contributions were barely documented—almost nothing existed in the archives. It was a deeply under-recorded part of the freedom struggle. That realisation changed the course of my life,” said Chhabra, noting that she and her team travelled across India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Myanmar to record the voices of those who survived.
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The Rani of Jhansi Regiment
During World War 2, the Jhansi Rani Regiment of the Indian National Army—one of modern history’s first all-female combat units—was formed in 1943 under Subhas Chandra Bose’s leadership. Women from Malaya, Burma, and beyond broke tradition to fight boldly for India’s independence.
“Netaji was deeply inspired by General Hugh Rose’s memoirs. Rose had defeated Jhansi ki Rani in battle and wrote that if there had been a thousand men as brave as her, the British would never have conquered [India]. Motivated by this, Netaji aimed to establish a regiment of a thousand women—the Rani of Jhansi Regiment—led by Lakshmi Swaminathan,” Chhabra told ThePrint.
Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan Sahgal, who reached Singapore to escape an arranged marriage, went on to command over 1,500 women warriors. Her commitment ran deep: when the regiment moved to Maymyo (now Pyin Oo Lwin) in Myanmar to escape bombings, Lakshmi chose to stay behind in jungle hospitals, tending to the wounded. Eventually captured by the Japanese and later the British, she survived immense hardship and was the last INA member repatriated from Burma, returning to Calcutta with nothing but the clothes on her back.
After Lakshmi’s transfer to Maymyo, Janaky Thevar took command in Rangoon. Inspired by Bose, she donated her diamond earrings and gold chain, and rode a grey horse gifted by him. Her resolve was tested during the regiment’s forced retreat after the bombing of the Red Cross hospital, as she marched with Bose through jungles for 26 nights, evading enemy forces. Post-war, she helped found the Malaysian Indian Congress and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2000.
The legacy of the regiment continued through countless others whose stories are less widely known, but no less powerful. Rama Mehta Khandwala, born in 1926 in Rangoon, Burma, came from a family closely associated with Gandhi. Reflecting on her journey in conversations with Chhabra, she recalled, “Rash Behari Bose started the movement, then Netaji took over and built the Azad Hind Fauj. He believed in nari shakti and wanted a women’s regiment. Over 1,500 women from Malaya, Thailand, and Burma joined, rallying behind the slogan ‘Dilli Chalo.’” Appointed as a recruiting officer by Netaji himself, Rama’s mother enrolled both her daughters when Rama was just 16.
Their commitment was deeply rooted in a family history of resistance. “Pranjeevan Mehta, Rama’s grandfather, met Gandhi in London and secretly funded Bapu’s work at Sabarmati. He was even the first to call him ‘Mahatma’ in a letter. Yet, 14 members of our family served in the INA’s Rani of Jhansi Regiment, showing that revolution and non-violence were deeply connected, not separate,” Chhabra said.
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Struggles beyond the battlefield
Chhabra’s exhibition sought to unearth and preserve the forgotten histories of freedom fighters whose contributions were long overlooked or never officially recognised. Remarkably, many of these individuals never set foot in India, yet fought fiercely for its liberation. One such place where these hidden stories came to light was Burma (now Myanmar)—a key base for the Indian National Army. Here, the story of Perumal—and others like him—becomes essential to understanding the wider fight for India’s independence.
Perumal, a freedom fighter from Rangoon’s Kambe area, was inspired at 18 by Netaji’s call: “Humare desh ke vaaste, azadi ke vaaste (For our country, our independence).” He joined the INA in 1942, trained at Kambe Chettiar High School, and later worked in the propaganda department—rallying support door-to-door and collecting donations for the Azad Hind Bank.
Despite his service, Perumal has lived stateless for decades—neither Burmese nor Indian.
“The Indian government did not help in our capacity as INA personnel or as freedom fighters. We do not get a paisa as pension from the Indian government, nor do we have citizenship from the Burmese govt,” he told Chhabra.
His appeal for recognition extends to restoring Tamil newspapers to preserve the community’s language and culture. The statelessness has now affected his children and grandchildren.
Perumal’s story mirrors that of many INA veterans across Burma. SA Periyar, originally from Tamil Nadu, joined the INA as a teen and was imprisoned after the British regained control. Suppaiya, from Pyapon, longs to visit India. “I want to get a record that confirms I was part of INA.”
M Raman, from Taungoo district in central Myanmar, also worked in propaganda. “The Indian government neglected INA members from Burma. I have no pension. I just want a record, that’s all,” he told Chhabra. Without citizenship, he remains unable to work formally, own property, or travel freely in Myanmar.
Their bravery on the battlefield was unquestionable—but the fight for dignity and recognition continues to this day.
Note: The exhibition Hamaara Itihaas – Archives of Freedom Fighters will be on display until 23 August at the India International Centre, New Delhi.
(Edited by Prashant)