Netaji Bose and Mehtas family
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj). July 1944. stayed at our ( Manilal Nautamlal Mehtas) place for a week to get funding for Azad Hind Foz. Here Netaji has seen with My father in white Topi and Memon Businessman from Dhoraji Saurashtra.
Here are Some Rarest Rare Photos of Great Netajis that are only in our Possession; these Photos are from my Uncle Vajukaka, who spent his whole life helping, Teaching Myanmar People about better living in the phyapon area. He spent most of His life in Burma (Myanmar). When he died in 1995, he left his Personal Diary and some of these photos with his Neighbors. He told him,” you keep this eternally; someday my family members will come and pick up” I tried 1998 twice to Go to my Birth country, but the circumstances did not allow me.
My daughter Anjali must be a Tool or destine ( Nimit) to bring a treasure for me. From Nowhere in 2006. Anjali was 18 in 2006 and studied in Singapore; without our direction or instruction, she went first time to Myanmar. Still, it was a communist moment, and the moment was very restrictive; therefore, she could not go to my Uncle Vaju Kakas’ Home town Pyapon.
In 2009 She went again, without letting us know, with her own money, 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 very rare photos in his Diary,
Dr. P.J. Mehta (Brother in the law of my grandfather Nautamlal Mehta) had been a known nationalist and supported Gandhi financially. The family-owned in Partnership with Nautamlal Mehtas Son Manilal, 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 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 to donated almost his entire fortune of Rs 1 crore to the Indian National Army, a princely sum in those days
the Below picture 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’ss limitation, helplessly seen losing 60,000 Indian of Azad hind foz, in Japan’s onJapan’ss 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. Gujarat and Netaji Subhash Chandra bose 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 news Papers or book authors have no time for research or have any clue or gene to know any truth. They are the most untrained lot without any morals or integrity.
Please also adjust your estimate of that one crore rupees based on this below info.
As per 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. Toward Freedom struggle, two main groups became British tools and acted the way their British boss told them. ( under the table) Jinnah,
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 and Never wanted. Thought or ever Imagined a Muslim country, very Pro United India group.
Please read two links for actual 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 taken by my uncle Vaju Kaka)
My father,””Babuj”” ( Manilal Nautam Mehta) sitting 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 seven days tour, Suhas babu stayed at our house (@Manial Nautamlal Mehta) Urmilaben later married to 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 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 two Gujaratis were awarded the Sewak-e-Hind medal by the Azad Hind government. Hiraben later joined the Jhansi ki Rani regiment commanded by Captain Lakshmi and fought alongside INA soldiers. Three other Gujarati women, Lilavati, Neelam, and Rama Mehta (* daughter of chhaganlal P Mehta) from the same Rangoon family, were also in the Rani ki Jhansi regiment.
some info from Source: Netaji, Azad Hind Sarkar & Fauj