Durga Malla
Encyclopedia
Major Durga Malla was the first Gorkha
soldier of the Indian National Army
[ (INA) to sacrifice his life for the cause of the nation.
Major Malla was born in July 1913 at Doiwala
near Dehra Dun. He was the eldest son of Nb Sub Ganga Malla. In 1930, when Mahatma Gandhi
was leading the countrymen for Independence through Dandi March, Malla was in class nine. Though he was young, he caught everybody’s attention by making outbursts in public against the Britishers. In 1931, when he was 18 years-old, he moved to Dharamsala and got enrolled in 2/1 Gorkha Rifles. His patriotism brought him close to INA.
In 1942, Malla joined INA. His devotion to duty and valour coupled with other skills elevated him to the rank of a Major in INA and was asked to work in the intelligence wing of the INA. When he was collecting information about the enemy camps, he was caught in action at Kohima on March 27, 1944. He was given death sentence by the Court of Trial at Red Fort, New Delhi
. However, before the death sentence was finally executed, the authorities tried to coerce Major Durga Malla into confessing sedition. His wife was brought at the prison cell but Malla did not succumb to the pressure. “The sacrifice I am offering shall not go in vain. India
will be free. I am confident. This is only a matter of time, Sharda! Don’t worry, crores of Hindustanis
are with you”, said Malla to his wife. Those were his last words to his wife.
Malla was married to Sharda Malla of Shyam Nagar, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh
in 1941. Only three days after marriage, Malla was recalled at his headquarters and was directed to go abroad. He could meet his wife only before his hanging at Delhi District Jail. In 1944, Major Durga Malla was sent to the gallows
.
To honour this great hero, a statue was unveiled at the Parliament House Complex by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in 2004. Vice President Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
, Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr Som Nath Chatterjee and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Gorkha regiments (India)
The Gorkha regiments have been serving in the Indian Army ever since independence in 1947, when the Tripartite Agreement was signed. The regiments primarily consist of soldiers from India's Gorkha community and from the Gorkha tribes of Nepal...
soldier of the Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
[ (INA) to sacrifice his life for the cause of the nation.
Major Malla was born in July 1913 at Doiwala
Doiwala
Doiwala is a town and a nagar panchayat in Dehradun district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.-Geography:Doiwal is located at . It has an average elevation of 396 metres .The place comes under Doon Valley's Terai and bhabhar region....
near Dehra Dun. He was the eldest son of Nb Sub Ganga Malla. In 1930, when Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
was leading the countrymen for Independence through Dandi March, Malla was in class nine. Though he was young, he caught everybody’s attention by making outbursts in public against the Britishers. In 1931, when he was 18 years-old, he moved to Dharamsala and got enrolled in 2/1 Gorkha Rifles. His patriotism brought him close to INA.
In 1942, Malla joined INA. His devotion to duty and valour coupled with other skills elevated him to the rank of a Major in INA and was asked to work in the intelligence wing of the INA. When he was collecting information about the enemy camps, he was caught in action at Kohima on March 27, 1944. He was given death sentence by the Court of Trial at Red Fort, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. However, before the death sentence was finally executed, the authorities tried to coerce Major Durga Malla into confessing sedition. His wife was brought at the prison cell but Malla did not succumb to the pressure. “The sacrifice I am offering shall not go in vain. India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
will be free. I am confident. This is only a matter of time, Sharda! Don’t worry, crores of Hindustanis
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
are with you”, said Malla to his wife. Those were his last words to his wife.
Malla was married to Sharda Malla of Shyam Nagar, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
in 1941. Only three days after marriage, Malla was recalled at his headquarters and was directed to go abroad. He could meet his wife only before his hanging at Delhi District Jail. In 1944, Major Durga Malla was sent to the gallows
Gallows
A gallows is a frame, typically wooden, used for execution by hanging, or by means to torture before execution, as was used when being hanged, drawn and quartered...
.
To honour this great hero, a statue was unveiled at the Parliament House Complex by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in 2004. Vice President Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was the 11th Vice-President of India. He served in that position from August 2002, when he was elected to a five-year term by the electoral college following the death of Krishan Kant, until he resigned on July 21, 2007, after losing the presidential election to Pratibha...
, Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr Som Nath Chatterjee and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.