One of the last members of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose-founded Indian National Army’s youth wing has died in Singapore. Bala A. Chandran passed away at the age of 86 on March 15, weekly tabloid for the local Indian community, Tabla , reported on Friday.
An ardent admirer of Bose, Chandran was from a migrant family of modest means in Palakkad, Kerala. He went against his family’s wishes to join the Balak Sena (youth wing of INA) in Singapore, formed in the 1940s. Inspired at the young age of 14 on hearing Netaji in Singapore on July 5, 1943, Chandran throughout his life greeted his Indian friends with a firm ’Jai Hind.’
Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and India’s High Commissioner Vijay Thakur Singh joined local politicians and community leaders to pay last respects to Chandran at his house.
Chandran, who was a journalist, a public relations man and a community service worker, will be remembered by many who benefited from his altruistic work, the Tabla reported.
