Even at 99, Indian National Army veteran R Madhavan Pillai remains an active advocate for keeping Netaji's and the INA's role alive.
R Madhavan Pillai, one of the last surviving INA veterans, and who was jailed in Rangoon for eight months, paid his tributes at the National War Memorial and the statue of Netaji Subhas Chnadra Bose.
The Thursday event marked a significant milestone in the extraordinary life of Pillai, who will turn 100 this year.
"Lieutenant R Madhavan Pillai, born on March 13, 1926, in Swryan Township, Burma (now Myanmar), is one of the last surviving INA veterans," an official said.
"He belonged to a family originally from Tamil Nadu and joined the Indian Independence League as a civilian before enlisting in the Azad Hind Fauj (INA
Serving as a recruiting officer and a fundraiser, Pillai mobilised support for the INA across 32 locations in Burma, including Hanthawaddy, Sawbwagale, Ywadanshe, Swryan, Yangon and Mayongone.
His active involvement in the freedom struggle led to his imprisonment in a Rangoon (now Yangon) jail from May to December 1945, officials said.
In 2021, on Netaji's 125th birth anniversary, he was awarded a silver medal for his role in the INA and India's Independence movement.
On January 23, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated him at the Parakram Diwas celebrations at the Red Fort.
Even at 99, the INA veteran remains an active advocate for keeping Netaji's and the INA's role alive.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
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