I found a file in the National Archives from 1945 describing some of the leaders of the Rani Jhansi Regiment with biographical details. The file questions whether the leaders of RJR should be repatriated back to India, and how they should be classified as “Black”, “Grey”, or “White”. Most RJR members were “white”, while the leaders were mostly “Grey”, with the exception of Dr Lakshmi Swaminathan.
An excerpt from the report below, taken verbatim:
(a) Miss Lakshmi Swaminathan: domicile India: was the wife of Naujindra Rao, a Tata pilot, and later eloped to Malaya before the outbreak of war with Dr. Abraham, her classmate in the Madras Medical College. They became estranged, however, when Lakshmi joined the I.N.A. and formed the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. Since then she has been credited with several affairs with I.N.A. officers, particularly Sahgal and S.N. Gupta. Her attachment to Sahgal and his to her is apparently serious and still continues. Lakshmi had fallen from grace owing to her love affairs, by the time of the Japanese collapse in Central Burma, and was relieved of her command of the R of J Regiment and of her Cabinet post as Minister for Women’s Affairs in the Provisional Government. She was posted as M.O. in the I.N.A. Hospital at Kalaw, and devoted most of her time to medicine after the withdrawal from Manipur of the I.N.A. troops in 1944. She stayed at Kalaw for some time after the Japanese also had withdrawn, tending Yellappa, a friend of hers who was one of the Provisional Government ministers and had been wounded. She was then taken over by Force 136 and employed by them, though in what capacity is not known to us. Lakshmi has been interrogated at 2 FIU in Rangoon, and the spare copy of her report which is placed below may be of interest not only for the light it throws on her own case but also for the information it gives about R of J and Provisional Government matters.
(b) Miss Bela Mukherji: domicile Burma: born 1920 Calcutta, settled in Rangoon at the age of 4, educated Bengal Academy and University College Rangoon, graduated 1942. Served for 11 days in the WAS(B) just prior to evacuation. Joined I.I.L. mid 43, prominent in Women’s Affairs Section at Okkyin. April 44 Secretary of Women’s Department I.I.L. HQ. Rangoon.
(c) Mrs. Manwati Pande: domicile Burma: born in Burma, graduated University College Rangoon 1941 (B.Sc.). After evacuation returned to Rangoon and taught at Vishwarty Bharaty School. Joined I.I.L. through meeting Bose and worked in Women’s Department. April 44 moved to Maymyo and absorbed into R of J Regiment. Went to Rangoon December 44 on leave without permission resulting in being disarmed and kept under surveillance but not discharged. Continued to work in R of J Regiment in Rangoon.
(d) Miss Gouri Bhattacharya: domicile Burma: Burma born, graduated Rangoon University 41 (B.Sc.). Evacuated to Maymyo and returned in January 44 to Rangoon to join the Medical College. Enlisted in R of J Regiment April 44 and accompanied Regiment to Maymyo till December when returned to Rangoon and was promoted 2/Lt. and appointed Security Officer. Discharged 25 April 45 on Jap evacuation of Rangoon.
(e) Miss Gian Kaur: domicile Burma: born in 1915 Taunggyi, graduated early 1942 Rangoon University (M.B.B.S.). Posted to Rangoon General Hospital as House Surgeon before evacuation. Evacuated to Mandalay and then returned to her parents at Taunggyi where she worked as Senior Medical Officer in Civil Hospital until February 44 when she went to Rangoon and organised Nursing Section of the R of J Regiment and was also M.O. to the Regiment.
(f) Mrs. Thevar: domicile Malaya: no information.
(g) Mrs. Dawar: domicile Malaya: no information.
(h) Mrs. Chidambaran: domicile Malaya: no information.
(4). Some time before the Japanese withdrew from Rangoon orders were given for the girls of Malayan domicile to be sent back to Malaya, whilst the Burma girls dispersed to their homes in Burma. The present whereabouts of the R of J Regiment as far as is known are:-
(a) About 50 in their homes in Burma, including Lakshmi, who is under a form of house arrest in Rangoon.
(b) 10 in Bangkok, of whom 7 are in a Convent and 3 are attempting to return to their homes in Burma or Malaya. (Note: This is where Asha-san was in 1945).
(c) Miss Gouri Bhattacharya is in India, having been sent in by air without any reference to us (apparently by the CAS(B) Medical Section) to study medicine. She arrived in the middle of September and efforts to trace her are still being made.
(d) The balance presumably in Malaya.
On an unconnected note, found a photograph of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Tokyo, Japan, in 1944 that I hadn’t seen before. Courtesy the National Archives of lndia.
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