Netaji Bose and Mehtas family
In July 1944, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army, also known as Azad Hind Fauj, stayed at the residence of Manilal Nautamlal Mehta for a week. During this time, they were seeking funding for the Azad Hind Fauj. Netaji was seen with my father, who wore a white topi, and a Memon businessman from Dhoraji, Saurashtra.
Netaji was seen with My father in a white Topi, and Memon Businessman from Dhoraji Saurashtra is in Golden Paghadi.
“I have some rare photos of Great Netajis that are only in our possession. These photos were given to us by my Uncle Vajukaka, who spent his entire life helping and teaching the downtrodden people of Myanmar about better living in the Phyapon area. He spent most of his life in Burma (Myanmar). When he passed away in 1995, he left his diary and some photos with his neighbors, telling them to keep them forever, as someday, his family members would come and collect them. I tried to go to my birth country twice in 1998, but circumstances did not allow me to do so.”
In 2006, my daughter Anjali, who was studying in Singapore at the time, brought me an unexpected treasure from Myanmar. She visited the country without any direction or instruction from us, and despite the restrictive communist regime in place at the time, she was unable to visit my Uncle Vaju Kakas’s hometown of Pyapon. Anjali was only 18 years old at the time, and her actions seemed like they were destined to bring this treasure to me.
In 2009, She went again, without letting us know, with her own money, on a very challenging and risky tour to Myanmar. From Rangoon, she had to use a Bus, a boat, a motorbike, and police help (without any communication in English). She finally reached Pyapon to bring me a” Goldmine of info.””” when” she went on a Myanmar trip, she had no clue what she would get there. My daughter Anjali went twice to bring his Diary and some Personal effects; we found some scarce photos in his Diary,
Netaji, Manilal Nautamlal Mehta, Rajaji
Dr. P.J. Mehta (my grandfather’s brother-in-law Nautamlal Mehta) was a known nationalist and supported Gandhi financially. The family is owned in partnership with Nautamlalalalal Mehtas Son Manilal, which is about 3,200 acres of land in the Pyapon district of lower Burma.
His son, Chhagan Lal PranjivaMehtaMehta’sese family, supported the Azad Hind Sarkar; his wife, Mrs. Leelavati Mehta, and her two daughters, Neelam Mehta and Rama Mehta were the first to join Rani Jhansi Regiment in Burma. Both the daughters had been inspired by their mother, who has been described as a formidable lad” by Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan, who had even. Leelavati Mehta also recruited many other girls and women for the Rani Jhansi Regiment. Rama and Neelam returned to their home when the Rani Jhansi Regiment was disbanded,
Dr. P.J Mehtas’s youngest son, Maganlal, who was the leading Operator and owner of their Dimond and color stones business, and his wife( Manjula), the daughter of Nautamlal B Mehta and (my faiba), were very Gandhian followers and supported Netaj” effort with his new path spiritually to wish him success but never involved in non-violent thinking.
In One Picture, Netajiis standing sitting next to Netaji is Abdul Habeeb Yusuf Marfani (next donated almost his entire fortune of Rs 1 crore to the Indian National Army, a princely sum in those days
the picture below shows the Mehtas Women Lilavati Chhaganlal Mehta ( chhaganlal is the 2nd son of Dr. Pranjivan J Mehta) and Her Two daughters, Neelam Ben, on the Left, and Ramaben Khandwala on the right (Photo courtesy Rama Mehta)
Mahatma Gandhiji and Subhas Chandra Bose never had any Disrespect for each other. Mahatma Ji used to tease Subhash Babu with love for a son.” Subhas AA Taru Circus bandh Ka” Stop this, your circus of Army.” Before Subhas Babu Died,
Subhas Babu realized His miscalculation of trusting Japan and Germany too much. Japan exploited SubashBabu’s limitation, helplessly losing 60,000 Indians of Azad hind foz in Japan on Japan’s front against the British.
From 1941–1943.
that some more info:
This post is for my FB Indian friends and as historical info with significant documented proof of Gujarat and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s connection and contribution. By the way, Netaji, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nehru never had any grudge or discomfort with each other. They were all fighting for a complementary India with a different mindset. Please don’t believe any BS from fly-by-night authors. Most newspapers or book authors have no time for research or have no clues or genes to know any truth. They are the most untrained lot without any morals or integrity.
Please also adjust your estimate of that one crore rupee based on the info below.
As for my mother, there was uncontrollable INFLATION from 1942 to 1945 in Burma. People used to buy vegetables or milk with a big jute bag of money. There was no value in cash. But that does not mean Bhai Shri Abdulbhai Yusuf Bhai Marfanis’s contribution or sacrifice was less critical. None of the others contributed as he did with such a significant amount.
Muslim Contribution was very significant. In the freedom struggle, two main groups became British tools and acted as their British boss told them. ( under the table) Jinnah,
The Aga Khan group was created by Aga Khan as early as 1906. Aga Khan was the most effective tool for creating the Muslim League and Future Pakistan. We can say anti-united India.
And 2nd group.was led by Moulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Rafik Kidwai, Ali brothers, Shahnawaj Khan, Gaffor Khan., Many Memon Muslims. Most of the 2nd lots of Muslims never thought of a separate country from India. They Never wanted to think of or ever Imagine a Muslim country, a very pro-unit Indian group.
Please read two links for photos and documentation of Shri Memon Abdul Habeeb Yusuf Marfani from Dhoraji of Saurashtra.
Below, he is seen sitting on the right side of Subhash Babu. He is in Golden Paghadi ( possible even his family may not have this picture because it was taken by my uncle Vaju Kaka)
My father,” Babuj” ( Manilal Nautam Mehta), sits in the front right.
At this event, my cousin’s sister Urmila Ben, at age 12 ( Granddaughter of Dr. P.J. Mehta), gave such a powerful speech that Netaji hugged and prized her. During this seventh-day tour, Suhas Babu stayed at our house (@Manial Nautamlal Mehta). Urmilaben later married a Galliara Gujarati Jain family from Surat, and Her son and daughter both live in Mumbai.
At a time when the contribution of Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National to India) to India’s freedom struggle is in focus because of the debate over Subhas Chandra Bose, it is worth recalling the sacrifices made by Gujaratis to support Netaji as Bose was affectionately called in his struggle to free India of British rule.
Most Gujarati supporters of the INA were expatriates who, in the 1940s, had helped the INA with funds. One such contributor was Abdul Habeeb Yusuf Marfani, a Memon family member from Dhoraji who settled in Rangoon. Marfani had donated his entire fortune of Rs 1 crore, a mindboggling sum in the 1940s, for the cause. Another expatriate Gujarati family hailed from Dwarka, the Betais, was also devoted to Bose’s support. The family gave Rs 50 lakh when Bose told the Indian population in Burma about the financial difficulties in fighting the British.
Marfani and Hiraben, her husband Hemraj Betai, were in the INA and lived in Rangoon then. In his recollections, SA Aiyer, minister for propaganda in the government-in-exile, Azad Hind, between 1943 and 1945, mentions that after Bose’s emotional appeal, Marfani and Hiraben got up and gave away all they had to the cause. For their gesture, the Azad Hind government awarded the Sewak-e-Hind medal to the two Gujaratis. Hiraben later joined the Jhansi ki Rani regiment commanded by Captain Lakshmi and fought alongside INA soldiers. Three other Gujarati women from the same Rangoon family, Lilavati, Neelam, and Rama Mehta (* daughter of Chhaganlal P Mehta), were also in the Rani ki Jhansi regiment.
some info from Source: Netaji, Azad Hind Sarkar & Fauj
#Netaji #netajisubhaschandrab”she #AzadHindFauj #IndianNqtionalArmy #subhashch”ndrabose #Women #India #Mehta #womenempowerment #Army #AzadHind
