Prem Sahgal
Encyclopedia
Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal (25 March 1917 – 17 October 1992) was an officer of the Indian National Army
of Subhas Chandra Bose which fought against the British
imperial rule in undivided India
.
Sahgal was a Captain in the 2/10th Baluch Regiment
of the British Indian Army
and fought against Japan
ese forces in Malaya
serving with distinction before being made a Prisoner of War
in 1942. He then joined the Indian National Army
of Subhas Chandra Bose to fight against the British
, and as the commander of the 2nd Division led the 2nd Infantry regiment at Popa against Messervy
's 17th Indian Division during the latter half of the Burma Campaign
before surrendering.
Sahgal was later tried at Red Fort along with three other fellow-officers for treason, a trial that became famous all over India in 1946. Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal married Lakshmi Sahgal
in March 1947 in Lahore. Their daughter Subhashini Ali
is a leader of the All India Democratic Women's Association
, politically affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
.
According to his daughter Subhashini Ali
, Sahgal was an atheist.
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
of Subhas Chandra Bose which fought against the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
imperial rule in undivided India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Sahgal was a Captain in the 2/10th Baluch Regiment
10th Baluch Regiment
The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After the Partition of India, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments...
of the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
and fought against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese forces in Malaya
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
serving with distinction before being made a Prisoner of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in 1942. He then joined the Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
of Subhas Chandra Bose to fight against the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and as the commander of the 2nd Division led the 2nd Infantry regiment at Popa against Messervy
Frank Messervy
General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, KCSI, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, , was a British Indian Army officer in both the First and Second World Wars...
's 17th Indian Division during the latter half of the Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
before surrendering.
Sahgal was later tried at Red Fort along with three other fellow-officers for treason, a trial that became famous all over India in 1946. Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal married Lakshmi Sahgal
Lakshmi Sahgal
Lakshmi Sahgal née Swaminathan, also known as Captain Laxmi. is an activist of the Indian independence movement, an ex-officer of the Indian National Army, and the Minister of Women's affairs in the Azad Hind Government.A doctor by profession, Captain Lakshmi came into the limelight in India...
in March 1947 in Lahore. Their daughter Subhashini Ali
Subhashini Ali
Subhasini Ali is an Indian politician and a member of the Communist Party of India . She is the President of the All India Democratic Women's Association.-Family:...
is a leader of the All India Democratic Women's Association
All India Democratic Women's Association
The All India Democratic Women's Association is the women's wing of the Communist Party of India .-History and Scope:...
, politically affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
.
According to his daughter Subhashini Ali
Subhashini Ali
Subhasini Ali is an Indian politician and a member of the Communist Party of India . She is the President of the All India Democratic Women's Association.-Family:...
, Sahgal was an atheist.
Further reading
- Fay, Peter Ward. The Forgotten Army. New Delhi: Rupa Paperback, 1994 (Paperback, ISBN 81-7167-356-2)
- Smith, Colin. Singapore Burning . London: Penguin Books, 2006 (Paperback, ISBN0-141-01036-3)