A Gentleman's Word: The Legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose in Southeast Asia

Acknowledgements

ACKnowLedGeMents The last year has been one of the best years of my life. Since February 2011, which is when I started working on this book in all seriousness, I have met countless people, most of whom have become friends or at least close acquaintances. There was nobody I approached with details of the project, who did not reciprocate in all earnestness, and with each encounter my book was enriched with a new layer of understanding. On top of the list is K. Kesavapany, Director of ISEAS, who gave new meaning and direction to my life by offering me this project: it was he who set me off on this wonderful journey and encouraged me at every turn. I was overwhelmed when S. R. Nathan, former President of Singapore, agreed to actually read my manuscript. His critical marginal notes and the discussions he had with me gave me new insight. He even very kindly shared books from his personal collection with me. I met Krishna Bose, Chairperson, Netaji Research Bureau (NRB), Calcutta, twice over the course of the year and each time was an experience — Subhas Chandra Bose still resides over a large part of her consciousness and I could feel his palpable presence when I spoke to her. Her very illustrious son, Sugata Bose, Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs, Harvard University, and author of some wonderful books, set aside time from his very busy schedule and spent two long afternoons at NRB with me. As I heard his measured tone xxiii xxiv Acknowledgements and analysis of historical events and continuities, I could not resist anxiety pangs at my own temerity in deciding to research the same subject on which he had dwelled so knowledgeably and for so many years. During the year I shared a warm, albeit long-distance relationship with Joyce Chapman Lebra, Professor Emerita, University of Colorado, who was kind enough to read my initial project proposal and later clarified doubts and answered queries. Then there were the INA (Indian National Army) and Rani of Jhansi veterans. Despite their advanced years they were eager and energetic in sharing with me details of that period of their lives which they unanimously claim to be the most glorious. We rendezvoused at restaurants and residences and each time I came away fired by their enthusiasm for their leader. Today if Malaysia feels like a second home to me it is because of people like Rasammah Bhupalan, Dominic Puthucheary and Janaki Athi Nahappan who live there. The latter and her son, Ishwar Nahappan, welcomed me into their home and we spent a whole weekend ruminating and thumbing through her old albums. My guruji, Swami Muktirupanandaji and Swami Samachittanandaji of Ramakrishna Mission, Singapore, freely shared information and books from the RK Mission library. My friends at ISEAS — Tansen Sen, Head, Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre, Geoffrey Wade, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, Asad-ul Iqbal Latif, Visiting Research Fellow — gave me a crucial sense of academic comradeship even as I spent many solitary hours at the ISEAS library. Rinkoo Bhowmik very kindly agreed to do the artwork for the cover and helped me in innumerable different ways in putting the finishing touches to the book while Madan Kunnavakkam added an interesting new dimension with his photographs. I had very perceptive editors in Triena Ong and Sheryl Sin who steered the project towards its logical conclusion. There were others — Johan Saravanamuttu, Norshahril Saat, Christina Goh, Desmond Yong Acknowledgements xxv of ISEAS and others — numerous staff members and librarians of Netaji Research Bureau, ISEAS and the National Library, Singapore who contributed to making this book what it is today. And of course there was my loving family — my husband, Arindam, who smilingly welcomed Subhas Chandra Bose as the fourth member of our household and our eight-year-old daughter Ananya. Once in a while she tiptoed into my study to express her concern about my long working hours and then, closing the door with infinite care, left to watch some more television — much to my consternation! May the merits of this book be shared by all I have or have not mentioned above while the inadvertent flaws and follies come to my share. ...