Colonel Eshaan Qadri

COLONEL ESHAAN QADRI

Date of Birth: 1916

            Colonel Eshaan Qadri, who was famous for his warrior skills exhibited in the Indian National Army, was born in 1916 at Lahore in the Punjab Province, which is now in Pakistan.  His father was Sir Abdul Qadri.  Eshaan Qadri was trained in the Indian Military Academy of Deharadun in 1935.  He worked as the Captain in the Punjab regiment of the British Indian Army.  During Second World War he was sent to Singapore in 1939.  When the British troops surrendered to the Japanese Army during the first phase of the World War-II, troops led by Qadri were detained by Japan forces at Kaulalampur in January, 1942.  Later, Qadri met Captain Mohan Singh, the leader of the Indian National Army, which was formed on 1^st September, 1942.  Eshaan was assigned responsibilities to organise radio propaganda to garner public support for the war prisoners of British Indian Army held by Japan in the World War.  He supervised the radio programmes broadcast from Saigan.  But, he returned from Saigan to prevent Captain Mohan Singh from his plans to dissolve the Indian National Army.  When the Indian National Army was revived and taken over by Subhash Chandra Bose, he was revived and taken over by Subhash Chandra Bose; he was given the charge of recruitment for the Indian National Army.  Eshaan Qadri was appointed as the Minister for the Human Resources Development and member of the ‘War Council’ in the Azad Hind Government which was formed under the leadership of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.  Qadri went to Rangoon from Singapore along with Subhash Chandra Bose.  He was a good strategist and also an appealing orator.  He toiled hard to recruit civilians and the war prisoners for Indian National Army and to train them as warriors.  He also led the activities of the ‘Azad Hind Dal’, which was formed to admister the areas captured and occupied by the Indian National Army.  Qadri went to the battle field in April, 1944 and reached back to Rangoon in December, 1944.  When Japan was defeated in the World War-II, Qadri along with his troops of Indian National Army was caught by British Indian Army.  Along with other Azad Hind Fouz officers, Colonel Eshaan Qadri too had undergone military trial at Delhi Red fort.