AdminGENERAL MOHAN SINGH was the founder of INA (Indian National Army), which was later renamed as Azad Hind Fauj by Subash Chandra Bose ji) It was Mohan Singh started the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauz) in Singapore to fight against the British. But history has all but forgotten his role. He is a man […]
GENERAL MOHAN SINGH was the founder of INA (Indian National Army), which was later renamed as Azad Hind Fauj by Subash Chandra Bose ji)
It was Mohan Singh started the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauz) in Singapore to fight against the British. But history has all but forgotten his role. He is a man whose contribution to the struggle for independence of India has been suppressed.
When Japanese occupied Singapore in 1941, Mohan Singh who was in the Army, took the initiative to form the Indian National Army (INA), enlisting 40,000 Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army who were imprisoned by the Japanese.
He sold the plan to the Japanese to free the soldiers and let him form the Indian National Army, which would invade India to free it from British occupation. He led the INA in Singapore till 1943.
In the two years as its leader, he realized that the Japanese who were till then supporting the INA were going to be equally bad if they entered India to overthrow British. He then had disagreements with the Generals of Japanese army in Singapore, questioning their hidden agenda to overtake India and establish the Japanese rule.
Mohan Singh was then arrested by the Japanese and jailed in Singapore. The Japanese then got Subhash Chandra Bose from Europe to Singapore and renamed Indian National Army to Azad Hind Force and made him its new commander.
When in 1945 Japan surrendered in Singapore and British came back to power, Mohan Singh was taken into custody by British for planning against them. He was then deported for trial to India. But fearing an uprising in India on his trial, at a time when British were feeling weak in India, he was later released.
Mohan Singh finds an honorable mention in the Singapore History Museum but unfortunately in India and Pakistan, the history is silent about the pioneer who started the Indian National Army army outside the shores of India to oust the British.
-Amardeep Singh
He lives in Singapore. His interests in photography, culture, history and spirituality were honed while pursuing an active career in the financial industry. He contributes to many reputed magazines and maintains a Blog (www.amardeepphotography.com). His email: amardeepsinghranghar@yahoo.com.sg