Shaheed Durga Malla: The unsung hero of India’s freedom struggle

Tulshi Upadhyay

(He can be contacted at 8876635028)

The Gorkhas have a long and proud history of service and sacrifice for India. Their bravery and commitment have been evident from the days of the freedom struggle to modern-day conflicts. Shaheed Durga Malla is a shining example of this legacy. As a prominent figure in the Indian freedom movement, he joined the Indian National Army (INA) under the leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose. His dedication to the cause of India’s independence and his ultimate sacrifice are testimony to the courage and patriotism of the Gorkha community.

Durga Malla was born on July 1, 1913, in the village of Doiwala in Dehradun district, Uttaranchal, and was the eldest of four sons, born to Parwati Devi and Ganga Ram Malla. Ganga Ram Malla served as a Jamadar (now Naib-Subedar) in the Gorkha Rifles, while Parwati Devi managed the household. Over time, the family was blessed with three more sons and three daughters. Since his childhood, Durga MalIa has been different in nature from other children of his age. Besides having a keen interest in sports, particularly football, Durga MalIa had a great fascination for literary and social activities. He was very good at his studies. However, due to the absence of proper educational facilities in the Doiwala area, he had to join Gorkha Military Middle School, presently the Gorkha Military Inter College, near Dehradun. As the school was quite far from Doiwala, Durga Malla shifted to his paternal uncle Kedar MalIa’s house at Nalapani. He used to go to school on foot along with one or two of his friends, covering a distance of about 8 or 9 miles every day. Despite being tired on his return from school late in the evening, he never neglected his studies and always stood first in his class.

Durga MalIa was deeply inspired by the literary work of the poet and social reformer of that time, Subedar-Major Bahadur Singh Baral, and the musician and playwright Mitra Sen Thapa. He had also drawn inspiration from the prominent Gandhian freedom fighters of Dehradun, like Thakur Chandan Singh, Veer Khadagbahadur Singh Bisht, Pandit Ishwaranand Gorkha, and Amar Singh Thapa. The famous Dandi March of 1930, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, started generating patriotic sentiments in the heart of Durga Malia and motivated him to take part in the freedom struggle of India. Durga Malla was a young and courageous figure in the Indian freedom struggle. During the Satyagraha movement, although he was only a ninth-class student, he was actively involved in anti-British activities in his locality. He participated in processions along with other freedom fighters. His involvement in these activities led to his family being frequently interrogated by the British authorities. Durga Malla’s early contributions to the freedom movement reflect his commitment and bravery, even at the young age of his life. In 1931, he joined the 2/1 battalion of the Gorkha Rifles. Due to his educational background, he was chosen for specialized training in signals in Pune after completing his recruit training. Over time, he excelled in various military disciplines and was recognized for his dedication and skill, leading to rapid promotions within the ranks. Eventually, he was promoted to the position of Signal Havildar, a crucial role in military communications.

In 1941, Durga Malla married Sharda Devi, a woman from the Thakuri family in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. However, his marital life was abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War. Japanese forces were intensifying their aggression in regions such as Burma, Malaya, and Singapore. The 2/1 battalion of Gorkha Rifles, to which Durga Malla belonged, received orders to advance to the war front. The situation escalated on December 8, 1941, when Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on the Allied Forces stationed in Southeast Asia, marking the official beginning of the war in that region. By December 11, 1941, the condition of the British Forces had significantly deteriorated, and the Japanese forces began tightening their grip on the war. The situation in Malaya during December 1941 marked a turning point for many Indian soldiers serving under British rule. The demoralization among the troops was unprecedented. Amidst this chaos, a significant development occurred when a group of Indian soldiers, lost in the jungle, found themselves cut off from the retreating British forces. One of their officers, Captain Mohan Singh, decided not to rejoin the British Forces. He convinced himself that Indian soldiers had no cause to fight for the Britishers and instead fought the Britishers along with the Japanese. With this mission in mind, he approached Major Fujiwara of Japan, who assured him that Japan was prepared to go all out to assist India in attaining independence. To consolidate the Indian freedom struggle with Japanese assistance, the Indian National Army (INA) was formed in Singapore in September 1942. Inspired by Mohan Singh, who was the Commanding Officer of the Indian National Army before Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose joined the INA, Durga Malla joined the Army in 1942 in Singapore to take the fight to the Britishers. Later on, he was promoted to the rank of major in the INA for his exceptional record. Durga Malla was asked to lead a special squad that was responsible for gathering intelligence and conducting guerilla warfare against the British forces. The squad was operating in Burma, but later on, Durga Mallawas was assigned the task of gathering information related to the movement of the British troops in Assam. On March 27, 1944, when Durga MalIa was on a mission to collect information about the enemy camps, he was captured by the British Army at Ukhrul in Manipur near Kohima and court-martialed in July 1944 for waging war against the British King. He was sentenced to death by the military court and moved to the Delhi District Jail. He remained there for around two months before he was executed by the British on August 25, 1944. His last words before his death to his wife were, “The sacrifice I am offering shall not go in vain. India will be free...This is only a matter of time.” Thus ended the journey of one more noble son of mother India, who laid down his precious life at the altar of freedom. Durga Malla’s physical body is no more, but he sacrificed himself after leading a meaningful life of only 31 years and became immortal. In honour of his valour and selfless spirit of sacrifice, the Government of India has installed a statue of Shaheed Durga Malla in Parliament House. His death anniversary, the 25th of August, is observed as Balidan Diwas by the Gorkhas across the nation.

(Source-Parliament Digital Library)