Women of Rani Jhansi Regiment are not toy made out of wax, they fought at the front of the war as brave soldiers to dream of a …

---

‘हम मोम की गुड़ियां नहीं हैं’: The Legacy of the Rani Jhansi Regiment

The pages of India’s independence struggle are filled with countless stories of sacrifice, but few shine as brightly and yet remain as tragically under-celebrated as that of the Rani Jhansi Regiment (RJR). Founded by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as the all-female combat unit of the Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauj, these women—often young, spirited, and from Indian communities across Southeast Asia—shattered centuries of convention. Their motto and spirit were perfectly captured in a defiant declaration: “हम मोम की गुड़ियां नहीं हैं” (We are not wax dolls). They were not ornaments of the revolution; they were its steel-willed fighters.

The recent Amazon Original series, The Forgotten Army – Azaadi Ke Liye, helped bring their extraordinary journey back into the national consciousness, highlighting the incredible valour of this revolutionary regiment.

---

Netaji’s Vision: A Revolutionary Army for All

The idea for an all-women’s combat unit was a radical one, particularly in the 1940s, and a testament to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s profoundly progressive vision for a free India. He believed that for the struggle to be truly revolutionary, women had to fight alongside men, not just for independence but for their own emancipation as well.

Netaji announced the formation of the regiment on July 12, 1943, in Singapore. The name itself was a tribute to the legendary Queen Lakshmibai of Jhansi, the icon of resistance during the Revolt of 1857, whose spirit Netaji explicitly invoked.

In one of his powerful speeches, he declared his desire for a “Death-defying Regiment” of brave Indian women, who would wield the same sword of courage as the Rani of Jhansi. This regiment was not about tokenism; it was about genuine, armed participation in the war for liberation.

The Architect: Captain Lakshmi Sahgal (Swaminathan)

The momentous task of leading and training the regiment fell to Dr. Lakshmi Swaminathan, an accomplished doctor from a privileged background, who later became renowned as Captain Lakshmi Sahgal. She served as the unit’s commander and later as the Minister for Women’s Affairs in the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind).

Her leadership and the magnetic pull of Netaji’s call to arms attracted hundreds of volunteers.

---

The Rank and File: Daughters of the Diaspora

The soldiers of the Rani Jhansi Regiment were not recruited from India itself. Instead, most were young, often teenage, women of Indian descent from the expatriate communities in Southeast Asia—primarily from Malayan rubber estates and towns in Singapore and Burma.

• Age and Background: Many were in their mid-to-late teens, with some reports even noting girls as young as twelve. They left behind comfortable lives or, in some cases, joined to escape destitution after the Japanese invasion disrupted plantation work.
• The Unseen Motherland: A striking detail is that many of these volunteers had never even set foot on the soil of the India they were pledging their lives to liberate. Their dedication was to an ideal—a philosophical concept of a free Motherland.

---

Rigorous Training: More Than Just a Show

Skeptics, including Japanese allies, may have initially viewed the women’s regiment as a symbolic or decorative unit. However, the women of the RJR quickly proved them wrong through an intensive and rigorous training schedule. The training camps were established in Singapore, Rangoon, and Bangkok.

The training curriculum was the same as that for the male INA recruits, demanding significant physical and mental endurance:

• Combat Skills: Drills, route marches, and weapons training, including rifles, hand grenades, and bayonet charges.
• Specialised Training: A select number of cadets received advanced training in jungle warfare in Burma.
• The Nursing Corps: Around 200 cadets were also trained in field medicine and formed the Chand Bibi Nursing Corps to support the INA hospitals.

The sentiment “हम मोम की गुड़ियां नहीं हैं” echoed through their ranks, a powerful rejection of the patriarchal notion that women’s place in war was secondary or solely non-combative. They were prepared for guerrilla operations, sabotage missions, and front-line combat.

---

Marching to the Front: The Retreat from Imphal

The regiment’s active service began with an initial contingent moving to Maymyo, Burma, during the INA’s bold campaign to take Imphal and advance into the Gangetic plains of Bengal.

Although they were intended to be a vanguard unit, the harsh realities of the Second World War soon dominated. Following the disastrous failure of the Siege of Imphal and the subsequent retreat of the INA forces, the combat role of the RJR shifted.

The Rani troops were now tasked with the arduous and dangerous work of providing relief and care for the severely wounded and retreating INA soldiers, often under heavy fire and difficult jungle conditions. Their courage during the retreat—facing Allied air attacks and Burmese resistance—was a different but equally vital display of valour.

---

The Forgotten Chapter

After the fall of Rangoon, the regiment eventually disbanded. While the male soldiers of the INA gained a degree of political recognition later, the incredible story of the Rani Jhansi Regiment largely faded into history, becoming an almost “forgotten army.”

Their contribution represents a powerful, often overlooked, chapter of India’s freedom struggle—a chapter where young women, driven by a pure, philosophical love for an un-seen nation, proved that they were not fragile dolls, but formidable soldiers capable of making the ultimate sacrifice for Azaadi.

---

AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q1: What was the Rani Jhansi Regiment?
A: The Rani Jhansi Regiment (RJR) was the all-female combat unit of the Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauj, founded by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943. It was one of the very few all-female combat regiments in the world during World War II.

Q2: Who led the Rani Jhansi Regiment?
A: The regiment was led by Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan, who later became known as Captain Lakshmi Sahgal. She was also appointed the Minister for Women’s Affairs in the Provisional Government of Free India.

Q3: Where did the volunteers of the Rani Jhansi Regiment come from?
A: The volunteers, often teenagers, primarily came from the expatriate Indian community in Southeast Asia, particularly from Malayan rubber estates, Singapore, and Burma. Many had never been to India but were driven by a strong desire to fight for its independence.

Q4: Did the Rani Jhansi Regiment see combat?
A: Yes, the regiment received extensive combat training, including in jungle warfare, and saw action against Allied forces in Burma during 1944-45. Following the failure of the Imphal campaign, they played a crucial, dangerous role in coordinating the relief and care of wounded INA troops during the retreat.

Q5: What does the phrase “हम मोम की गुड़ियां नहीं हैं” signify?
A: The phrase, meaning “We are not wax dolls,” powerfully encapsulates the revolutionary spirit of the women in the regiment. It was a defiant assertion that they were not merely symbolic or decorative figures but dedicated, front-line soldiers prepared to fight and die for the liberation of their Motherland.