Bharati Asha Sahay, one of the oldest surviving freedom fighters of India and a lieutenant in the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army (INA), passed away at the age of 97 in Patna on Tuesday evening. She was widely remembered by her wartime name, Lt Asha Sahay, under which she took up arms in the fight for India’s independence alongside Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Her younger son, Sanjay Choudhry, 68, former chief of public relations at Tata Steel and Coca-Cola, confirmed her passing.
“My mother passed away peacefully in the presence of her family at 11.55 pm on August 12, after a brief bout of recent illness. The cremation is at 4 pm today,” Choudhry said.
A Childhood in Japan
Born on February 2, 1928, in Kobe, Japan, to Anand Mohan Sahay and Sati Sen Sahay, Asha Sahay grew up in an environment deeply tied to India’s independence movement. Her father, Anand Mohan Sahay, was the founding secretary of the Indian Independence League (IIL), which worked with the Japanese government and Indian soldiers of the British Army to form the INA. It was through these efforts that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was invited to lead the movement.
Educated in Japan, she completed her schooling in the Japanese language and later graduated from Showa Women’s University in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. Among her Japanese peers, she was affectionately called “Asako-san.”
Service in the INA
During the Second World War, inspired by Netaji’s call, she joined the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the all-women combat unit of the INA, and earned the rank of lieutenant. It was during this time that she became widely known as Lt Asha Sahay, a name that remained with her throughout her life.
Family and Legacy
Sahay was married to the late Dr LP Choudhry, a doctor with Tata Steel, who passed away in 1985. Her elder son, Capt (Dr) Praveer Choudhry of the Indian Army, tragically died in a road accident in 1979 at the age of 29.
She is survived by her younger son, Sanjay Choudhry, daughter-in-law Ratna Choudhry, grandsons Tanuj Choudhry and Harsh Choudhry with their spouses Tanvi and Kanika, and four great-grandchildren.
Tributes from India and Japan
Her death was mourned by many, including Ambassador of Japan to India, Keiichi Ono, and Anita Bose Pfaff, daughter of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Their condolences reflected the respect Lt Asha Sahay commanded not only in India but also in Japan, the land of her birth.
A symbol of courage and sacrifice, Lt Asha Sahay leaves behind a legacy that continues to inspire generations in India and beyond
