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Let us not forget them. Let us give them their due.
“Let us not seek to measure a man’s worth by the medals on his chest, but by the love he carried for his land.”
“Let the winds of freedom carry his name across the hills he loved – Poswuyi Swuro, son of Nagaland, soldier of Bharat.”
On 14th April 2025, at around 5:30 PM, I received a deeply saddening message from Dr. VeKho Swuro, the son of Swuro…
“Sad to inform you that my father Poswuyi Swuro, 106 years, who was appointed as DB by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1944, took his last breath at 4.03 PM on 14.04.2025 at his native house at Ruzazho village.”
It was not just a personal loss to the family but an irreparable loss to the entire nation. A close associate of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and a loyal foot soldier of the Azad Hind Fauj, Swuro’s passing marked the end of a living link to an extraordinary era in Bharat’s freedom struggle. Hence, I decided to offer this small tribute – a heartfelt homage to one of the great sons of our soil, who personified love for the country and devotion to Subhash Bose.
Born in 1919 into a humble agrarian family in Ruzazho village in the Phek district of present-day Nagaland, Swuro’s life was one of simplicity, service, and silent heroism. He received his early education in an English-medium missionary school, a rarity at the time, which helped him develop strong communication skills from a young age. This foundation would later prove invaluable in his service to the cause of Bharat’s independence.
In his early twenties, fate placed him in the path of one of the most charismatic leaders in Bharat’s history – Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. It was during the legendary march of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) towards Delhi, cutting through the thick jungles of the Patkai Hills, that young Swuro found himself swept up in the tide of revolutionary fervour. Inspired by Netaji’s vision of a free and united Bharat, he joined the INA’s efforts to overthrow British colonial rule.
Recognizing the intelligence, sincerity, and leadership potential in young Swuro, Netaji appointed him as Dubhashi – an interpreter and liaison officer between the INA and the local Naga communities. His name was even recorded in Netaji’s personal diary, a testament to the faith and trust the supreme commander placed in him.
Swuro’s dedication was unwavering. He traveled from village to village, spreading Netaji’s message and urging the people to rise and contribute to the war effort. He organized logistics, collected food supplies, and inspired his fellow Nagas – men, women, and even children – to actively support the INA and its Japanese allies. They cooked meals, dug trenches, collected firewood and water, and even helped carry arms and ammunition to the frontlines. Under his guidance, an entire region became a silent but resolute participant in Bharat’s armed struggle for liberation.
In July 2022, I had the honour of meeting Reverend Swuro at his modest home in Ruzazho. Sitting on a simple wooden chair beside a large cut-out of Netaji – his supreme commander – he recounted those momentous days with clarity and pride. He fondly remembered how Netaji, whom the villagers affectionately called Suba Bose, rode into Ruzazho in April 1944 on horseback, flanked by tall, turban-clad INA soldiers. Though initially frightened, the villagers were soon won over by Netaji’s warmth, humility, and visionary promises. Netaji had assured them that once Bharat gained independence, he would return to Ruzazho to build roads, schools, hospitals, and water systems. But destiny had other plans.
Swuro recalled with a heavy heart the tragic ambush laid by British forces at a strategic crossroad during April 1944, as the INA and Imperial Japanese Army moved through the region. He was among three Naga guides assisting the joint forces. In the fierce skirmish that ensued, two of his Naga companions were martyred while helping others escape the ambush. It was a brutal reminder of the dangers these unsung heroes faced at the battlefront, sacrificing their lives for a free Bharat.
Speaking of Netaji, Swuro expressed both love and anguish. He lamented that Bharat had failed to give its rightful honour to its wartime Prime Minister. “Had Suba Bose won the war,” he said, “Bharat would have been a more prosperous nation today – and perhaps my village too would have become a model of development.” He never accepted the news of Netaji’s death, holding firmly to the belief that his beloved commander would one day return to Ruzazho to fulfill the promises he had made.
Even after Netaji left the Naga Hills, Swuro remained his devoted follower. For over eight decades, he preserved not only Netaji’s memories but also the collective history of the region’s contribution to the freedom movement. He urged villagers to remember and revere Netaji, keeping alive his legacy through oral history, artefacts, and annual celebrations. To this day, Ruzazho observes Netaji’s birth anniversary with great love, honour, and pride. The house where Netaji once stayed has been carefully preserved, connecting past generations to the great freedom fighter.
But this story is also a solemn reminder of a national failing. Despite their immense contributions and sacrifices, heroes like Reverend Poswuyi Swuro and his fellow Nagas remain largely unrecognised in mainstream historical discourse. Why has their service not been acknowledged? Is it because they fought under the banner of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose – a leader who himself was sidelined from the official narrative of independent Bharat? Or is it because they did not align themselves with the Gandhi-Nehru establishment? Or perhaps it reflects a broader national apathy towards acknowledging the diverse and decentralized efforts that made Bharat’s freedom possible?
These are uncomfortable questions – but they must be asked.
As we debate these issues, one truth remains undeniable: Poswuyi Swuro, like his supreme commander Suba Bose, departed this world without ever seeking reward, recognition, or honour. He stood tall among the nameless and faceless heroes who shed blood and tears for a free Bharat.
And though no official wreath may be laid at his grave, the spirit of Swuro – and others like him – will forever live in the hearts of his people and in the oral traditions of Nagaland. Their lives remind us that the struggle for Bharat’s independence was not the story of one man or one family, but a collective epic written by countless souls from every corner of the land – from the remote hills of Nagaland to the coasts of Tamil Nadu, the sands of Rajasthan to the snow-clad peaks of Kashmir.
Let us not forget them. Let us give them their due.
(Dr. Raktim Patar, Associate Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU)
