Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Saluting war sacrifices

by AMIT ROY

TWO peers, Jitesh Gadhia and Karan Bilimoria, delivered powerful speeches on Monday (5)


during a Lords debate on Armistice Day marking the centenary of the end of the First World War, in which they urged the nation to remember the sacrifices made

by 1.5 million Indian troops.

Lord Bilimoria made the point that “the part they played in the war has largely been whitewashed from history”.

However, the Royal British Legion announced that this weekend’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall will include a special tribute to Indian soldiers, with a reading of the poem, The Gift of India, written in 1915 by the Indian poet and freedom fighter, Sarojini Naidu.

The poem, which will be read by the actress Nina Wadia, speaks of the grief of mothers losing their sons in foreign fields but also of the pride and patriotism inspired by their heroism and bravery.

The ceremony, to be televised by the BBC, will be attended by senior members of the royal family, including the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William and his younger brother, Harry, and their respective wives, Kate and Meghan.

Catherine Davies, head of Remembrance at the Royal British Legion, which has endorsed distribution of red khadi poppies devised by Lord Gadhia, said: “We will (also) hear the voices of Indian soldiers during another section which features first-hand testimony of the First World War.”

She added: “The Royal British Legion has been proud to include the British Asian community in the 2018 centenary commemorations. We are thanking the British Indian Army for its contribution.”

During the Lords debate, Gadhia recalled the comment made by David Lloyd George, prime

minister when the war ended in 1918, that “had they (Indian and other Commonwealth troops) stayed at home ... the history of the world would have taken a different course”.

Gadhia went on: “The swift arrival of Indian troops on the Western Front in September 1914 was absolutely critical to preventing a German breakthrough.

“A sepoy named Khudadad Khan was awarded the first of 11 Indian Victoria Crosses after valiantly staying at his machine gun when all his colleagues were killed around him.

“In all, 74,000 Indians serving in multiple continents, from the Somme to the Sahara, never returned home.”

Gadhia expressed the hope that remembering Indian soldiers “also sends a powerful signal to Asians growing up in Britain and inspires the next generation to understand their own identity.

“They should know that their parents and grandparents did not just come here as immigrants. Our ancestors fought for this country and for freedom and democracy,

even though they lived in a colony at the time.

“We therefore have as great a stake here as anyone else. Indeed, everyone from the Commonwealth should be proud of the role which their forebears played in shaping the destiny of the world a century ago.”

Lord Bilimoria, whose late father was a distinguished general in the Indian army, also wanted “to reach out across the country, and especially to our youth, to tell them about the amazing service and sacrifice, not just from the Commonwealth, but in particular from India.

“Do we realise that, except for the medical officers, the 1.5 million Indians who served in the First World War were not allowed to become officers?

“More Indians fought for the British between 1914 and 1918 than the combined total for Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. Some 74,000 Indian soldiers were killed on the battlefields of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, but the part they played in the war has largely been whitewashed from history.”

He hoped that “at this huge event at the Royal Albert Hall which will be watched by millions

around the world, the British legion will acknowledge the contribution of the 1.5 million

Indians. If it does not, it will be a missed opportunity.”

The London-based historian Dr Kusoom Vadgama, who has been struggling for more than 30 years to win great recognition for Indian soldiers, submitted detailed proposals to the Royal British Legion on how their sacrifices should be acknowledged.

There was Indian backing for the war effort at all levels, according to Vadgama.

Lord Sinha of Raipur, the first and only Indian hereditary peer, was appointed a member of the Imperial War Cabinet and participated in the Peace Conference of 1917.

General Maharaja Sir Ganga Singh of Bikaner, who served in France and Egypt during the war, became the first Indian prince to be a delegate to the Imperial War Conference and cabinet.

The legendary cricketer, Prince Ranjitsinhji, led a contingent of Indian troops to the Western Front in 1914. He also made of the resources of his state in Gujarat available to Britain, while his UK home in Staines was converted into a hospital.

Princess Sophia (1876-1948), the suffragette daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh, worked as a nurse and visited various hospitals where Indian soldiers were recovering from their wounds during the First World War.

It has been announced that the Tory chairman of the Commons foreign affairs select committee, Tom Tugendhat, will place a wreath at the war memorial in Delhi this weekend.

More For You

Southport

Floral tributes left by members of the public are seen following the fatal knife attack on three young girls in July in Southport.

Reuters

Public inquiry begins into Southport girls' murders

A PUBLIC inquiry begins on Tuesday into the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport last year.

The inquiry will examine whether the attack could have been prevented and how future incidents might be avoided.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Getty

Starmer is facing a Labour backbench revolt over plans to reform special needs support in schools without guaranteeing existing legal rights. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images)

Starmer faces Labour pushback over SEND reform plans

KEIR STARMER is facing a backlash from Labour MPs over plans to reform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, after ministers stopped short of guaranteeing legal rights for parents.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government was committed to reforming the current system, which costs £12 billion a year. However, she did not confirm if legally enforceable rights, such as those provided by education, health and care plans (EHCPs), would remain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week

iStock

Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London before 30°C heatwave

Key points

  • Heavy rain and thunderstorms drench London at the start of the week
  • Temperatures set to rise with highs of 31°C expected by Thursday
  • Heatwave could be declared by Friday if warm conditions persist
  • Night-time temperatures to remain high, increasing discomfort
  • UV and pollen levels forecast to be very high across the south

Thunderstorms soak London before summer heat returns

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week as heavy rain and overnight thunderstorms swept through the capital. Monday morning saw widespread downpours, leaving commuters reaching for umbrellas and Wimbledon ticket hopefuls queuing in ponchos.

The unsettled conditions followed a burst of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, prompting caution across the city. The Met Office has not issued a formal weather warning for thunderstorms, but conditions remain unstable.

Keep ReadingShow less
National Trust sets vision to heal
nature and engage more Asians

Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed, René Olivieri and Hilary McGrady at a National Trust event marking its 130th anniversary

National Trust sets vision to heal nature and engage more Asians

THE National Trust, which is seeking to broaden its appeal to British Asians, is marking its 130th anniversary with a renewed commitment to restoring nature and widening access under a 10-year strategy.

Its director-general, Hilary McGrady, also aims to inspire more people to get involved in caring for the country’s natural resources.

Keep ReadingShow less
 7/7 bombings

The King said the public should draw on the 'extraordinary courage and compassion' shown in response to the attacks. (Photo credit: X/@RoyalFamily)

Starmer and King Charles pay tribute on 20th anniversary of 7/7 bombings

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and King Charles on Monday paid tribute to the unity shown in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings in London, as the country marked 20 years since the attacks.

On 7 July 2005, four Islamist extremists carried out suicide bombings at Aldgate Station, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Tavistock Square. The attacks killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.

Keep ReadingShow less