In 1943, James was inspired by Subash Chandra Bose to join the Indian National Army in their mission to liberate India from colonial rule. Under the INA, he served in Burma and was on the losing side at the Battle of Imphal.
1943
"Give me blood and I will give your freedom." This was the rallying cry of the Indian National Army ("INA"). James joined the INA in 1943 in Singapore. He held the rank of Lieutenant. His motivations for joining the movement, unlike many other who were fighting for the independence of...
1944
James was a member of the Azad brigade stationed at Palel, about 250 miles from Rangoon. At the Battle of Imphal, on June 3 1944, James was the only one in his platoon who survived the ravages of a battle that had claimed more than 13,000 lives. The beaten INA...
1945
"In Rangoon, I did not surrender. I went into the countryside. I lived there for sometime. Then I met a man called Amritlal Seth, he was the man who really made the INA an important factor in Indian political life. So we gave him all the information we had. Mr....
1946
"My friend Captain Lakshmi said I should go to India, and I went to India with some letters for Bhulabhai Desai who was leading the Congress defence (Red Fort Trials) of Colonel Prem Sahgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, and Major General Shah Nawaz Khan......And I think Gurbaksh Singh and I were taken in...
1995
James and other INA veterans were honoured for their contribution in the struggle for India's independence at a function held in Kuala Lumpur.