KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Malaysia sojourn featured a moving dialogue with Indian National Army stalwart Jayaraj Raja Rao, who showered praise on the leader while honoring Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s timeless contributions.
In reflections shared with IANS, the veteran called the rendezvous ‘priceless.’ Modi emerged as a champion of rural upliftment – toilets, water systems, economic resilience – all delivered with impartiality across faiths. Rao spotlighted Modi’s resolve against Pakistan and prudent navigation of global power plays, distancing from what he termed America’s bullying imperialism.
A poignant personal tale surfaced: Netaji’s garland on a 12-year-old Rao. The PM, revering Bose, treasured this living history. Rao, embracing his roots, toasted Modi’s success in fostering unity among India’s multicultural populace.
Rao unpacked Netaji’s genius in three facets. His magnetic speech dissolved regional divides, forging a pan-Indian identity essential for anti-colonial fight. He championed militant paths to freedom, diverging from ahimsa and rallying fervent support. Crucially, he elevated women, launching the Jhansi Rani Regiment from Southeast Asian recruits.
Sorrow tinged Rao’s words on INA’s overlooked saga. Under Bose’s 1943 command, it coalesced POWs and civilians in Singapore-Malaya, established Azad Hind’s interim rule, and advanced through Burma. Local enthusiasm swelled its ranks, including women’s brigades, cementing its tie to today’s diaspora. Yet, their march to liberation merits louder historical echo.
Modi’s outreach revives this heritage, blending INA’s militant spirit with contemporary India’s ascent.