MAJOR
GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAMAN KIANI
Date
of Birth: 1910 and Date of Death: 1986
‘If
had got ten more warriors like Kiani with me, India would have been freed long
ago’ – this is the comment by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on the ability of
Mohammad Zaman Kiani, who was born in 1910 in the Punjab province, which is now
in Pakistan. He was an intelligent
student from his childhood. He joined as
a cadet in the first batch of the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun in 1931. He stood as the best cadet, and received
Sword of Honour, a gold medal for his achievements. He joined the British Indian Army, took
responsibilities in the 14th Punjab regiment of the First
Battalion. He travelled to Malaya in
1941 as a Staff Officer-in-Charge. When
the British Army was defeated by Japan during the World War-II, he joined the
Indian National Army under the leadership of Captain Mohan Singh in September,
1942. He took the reins as the Chief of
General Staff and strengthened the Indian National Army. When Mohan Singh dissolved the Indian
National Army in December, 1942, he continued his duties on the request of
revolutionary Rash Bihari Bose, president of the Indian Independence League,
till the arrival of Subhash Chandra Bose to Singapore in July, 1943. He stood with him during the establishment of
the Indian National Government and the revamping of the Indian National
Army. He was appointed as the Commander
of the first division of the Indian National Army, which included Subhash
Brigade, Gandhi Brigade and Azad Brigade. He entered into the battle field in Burma in
1944 to materialise ‘Chalo Delhi’
call of Netaji. He led the troops of the
Indian National Army during the initial triumphs. He went to Tokyo as the General Secretary of
War Council in September, 1944, along with Netaji to participate in the
discussions with Japanese leaders. He
got promoted as Major General during that time.
Indian National Army had retreated because of the defeat of the Japan in
the World War-II. He took the reins of
the Indian National Government in August, 1945 under the directions of Netaji
in Nataji’s place. British Government
arrested and detained him in several Jails in the guise of trial. In December, 1945 after his release, Kiani
reached Delhi, and worked for the welfare of the soldiers of the Indian
National Army and established Peace Committees during the division of the
country in order to restore peace and harmony among the people. He penned a book titled ‘India’s Freedom
Struggle and the Great INA’ in 1979.
Major General Mohammad Zaman Kiani who held several posts in Pakistan
after the division of the nation, breathed his last in 1986.
No comments:
Post a Comment