Tribute to Gorkha Freedom Fighter and INA Soldier Major Durga Malla      

Countless Gorkhas have fought and made sacrifices for our beloved nation. From the freedom struggle to the heights of Kargil, Gorkhas have always been at the forefront in the defence of our country. Shaheed Durga Malla belongs to the front rank of Gorkha heroes martyred for the cause of our country’s freedom. Major Durga Malla stands out, as he sacrificed his life for our nation at the young age of 31. Born on 1 July 1913 in a small village called Doiwala in Dehradun (Uttarakhand), to Ganga Ram Malla who was a jamadar (present-day Naib Subedar) in the Gorkha Rifles in the military, Durga Malla was a laborious, dedicated, and bright student in his childhood. In 1931, when he was only 18, he joined the 2/1 battalion of the Gorkha Rifles. Seeing his excellent performance in the training, he was quickly promoted to the post of Signal Hawaldar. In 1941, during World War II, when the Japanese aggression had intensified, the 2/1 battalion of Gorkha Rifles were ordered to advance towards the war field Just three days after his marriage Durga Malla got an emergent call from his unit. He was called back for war by the Army even before his newly married bride Sharda Devi could get acquainted with him. Being a true patriot, Durga Malla did not get upset while leaving his newly married bride alone back at home. He marched for war with utmost courage.

Durga Malla was one of those who played an important role in the formation of the Indian National Army. In 1942, he not only joined this Army with a patriotic zeal but also inspired his fellow men to join it. Later, by virtue of his patriotic feelings, his sense of duty towards his country, and his valour, he earned a promotion to the rank of Major in INA. Durga Malla was posted in the Intelligence Branch. Posted in the Intelligence Branch he often had to go on secret missions to gather information about areas of strategic importance in the hilly tracts across the Nagaland & Burma border. The squad was operating in Burma but when the leadership of the INA decided to liberate the North-Eastern region of the nation from the Britishers they increased their intelligence-gathering activity in Assam & Nagaland. Durga Malla was assigned the task to gather information related to the movement of the British troops in Assam and Nagaland for that he crossed the India-Burma border on an intelligence mission for the Indian National Army. On 27 March 1944, when Durga Malla was on a mission to collect information of the enemy camps, he was captured by the soldiers of the enemy side at Ukhrul in Manipur. He was kept in the prison at Red Fort as a Prisoner of War before he was prosecuted and finally given the death sentence on 25 August 1944. Before the death sentence was finally executed, the British authorities tried to coax Major Durga Malla into confessing the wrong and promised him a grant of remission if he could do so. But it was against the wishes of Veer Durga Malla whose only objective was to get the country free. All persuasions having failed, Durga Malla’s wife Smt. Sharda Devi was brought before him at the prison cell as the last resort. British authorities were of the opinion that she would persuade her husband to apologise. But Major Malla yielded to no devices of the British authorities. On the contrary, he gave his wife his last words by saying “Sharda, I am sacrificing my life for the freedom of my motherland. You need not be worried and distressed. Crores of Hindustanis will be with you after my death. The Sacrifice I am offering shall not go in vain. India shall be free. I am confident; this is only a matter of time”. On 25th August 1944, he was sent to the gallows. Thus ended the journey of one noble son of mother India who laid down his precious life at the altar of Freedom.

To honour Malla, a statue donated by Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, a national body of Indian Gorkhas, was unveiled at the Parliament House Complex by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004. 25 August, the day of his hanging is observed as Balidan Diwas, or Martyrs’ Day, by Gorkhas across India.

Jacob Sundas

President

Gorkha Students’ Union Chümoukedima District