courtesy: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: Contemporary Anecdotes, Reminiscences.. by Priyadarshi Mukherjee
On 26 August 1943, Fujiwara met Netaji at the later's official residence in Kallang on the outskirts of Singapore. Maj. Gen Kunomara chief of staff of the 15th Army paid a courtesy call on Subhas Bose on behalf of Gen. Mutaguchi. Kunomara took Fujiwara with him. Senda of Hikari Kikan was the interpreter. In May 1943, Iwakuro was replaced by col. Yamamoto Hayashi who as a militart attache in Germany, was associated intimately with Subhas Bose. It was he who had arranged for Bose's submarine journey to S.E Asia. The Kikan was now known as Hikari or the "Light". Fujiwara's first impressions about Bose was, "He was effusive in his greetings as if he was welcoming an old friend. In his appearance I saw the nobleness of a philosopher, a steely will, a passionate fighting spirit, and great wisdom and refinement. In first glance he appeared to me a man of extra ordinary ability." Netaji extended greetings with Kunomara first and then he walked towards Fujiwara and shook his hands firmly. "As he gave me a cordial look of profound appreciation and his voice spoke my name, I felt his warmth running through my body like an electric wave. He embraced me and invited me to sit on a sofa as if he would carry me there. My old INA officers gathering around us watched me with deep emotion."
Image courtesy: wikipedia
Comments