INA Veteran R Madavan Pillai to Pay Tribute at National War Memorial

R Madavan Pillai, one of the last surviving INA veterans, will honor national heroes at the National War Memorial. Pillai, who turns 100 this year, joined the Azad Hind Fauj in 1943 and was imprisoned in Rangoon during WWII. He remains a vocal advocate of Netaji's legacy.

R Madavan Pillai, one of the few remaining veterans of the Indian National Army (INA), is set to pay homage at the National War Memorial and the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, officials have confirmed.

The event, scheduled for Thursday, will be a landmark occasion in Pillai's extraordinary life as he prepares to celebrate his 100th birthday this year. Born on March 13, 1926, in Swryan Township, Burma, Pillai enlisted with the INA on November 1, 1943, after initially joining the Indian Independence League as a civilian.

A former recruiting officer and fundraiser, Pillai played a pivotal role in mobilizing support for the INA across various locations in Burma, leading to his imprisonment in a Rangoon jail from May to December 1945. His active involvement earned him a silver medal on Netaji's 125th birth anniversary. Pillai continues to champion the legacy of Netaji and the INA at the age of 99.