Shivraj Singh Chouhan pays tribute to Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal on her birth anniversary
Synopsis
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan honoured Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal, captain of the INA's Rani of Jhansi Regiment and Padma Vibhushan awardee, on her birth anniversary, calling her life an enduring inspiration for future generations.
Key Takeaways
Shivraj Singh Chouhan posted a Hindi tribute to Dr.
Lakshmi Sahgal on her birth anniversary on October 24, 2026 .
Sahgal served as captain of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment , the women's unit of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army).
The INA was formed during World War II under Subhas Chandra Bose to resist British colonial rule.
Sahgal was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998 for her contributions to the independence movement.
Chouhan described her life as an eternal source of inspiration for future generations committed to public welfare.
A freedom fighter who traded a surgeon's scalpel for a soldier's commission — Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday, October 24, 2026, paid his respects to Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal, the legendary captain of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, on her birth anniversary.
Posting in Hindi on X, Chouhan offered his deepest salutations — 'koti-koti naman' ('a hundred million salutations') — to the Padma Vibhushan-decorated physician and independence fighter. He wrote that her life, entirely dedicated to national service and the upliftment of society, 'will forever inspire future generations towards public welfare.'
A soldier-doctor who defied an empire
Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal's story is one of the most remarkable in India's freedom movement. A trained physician, she joined the Azad Hind Fauj — the Indian National Army formed during World War II under the command of Subhas Chandra Bose — and rose to captain the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the INA's all-women combat unit. She stands as proof that the resistance to British colonial rule was not a story of men alone.
Her contributions were formally recognised by the Indian state when she was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998, the nation's second-highest civilian honour.
Why her legacy still resonates
Birth-anniversary tributes to INA veterans by serving ministers carry a quiet but consistent political signal: the Azad Hind Fauj's legacy — long overshadowed in mainstream accounts by the Congress-led mainstream movement — continues to be claimed and celebrated across party lines. Dr. Sahgal's dual identity as freedom fighter and dedicated physician makes her a figure who transcends narrow political ownership, appealing equally to those who honour armed resistance and those who celebrate lives spent in service of the poor.
Point of View
Soldier, and lifelong social worker — is an especially resonant figure for this purpose, given her non-partisan humanitarian work post-independence. Chouhan's tribute, couched in the language of 'jan kalyan' (public welfare), aligns the INA's legacy with the BJP's preferred frame of selfless national service. It also signals continuity in how India's political class uses social media to keep freedom-movement memory alive and politically relevant.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal?
Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal was a freedom fighter and physician who served as captain of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the women's unit of the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj), during World War II. She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998.
What was the Rani of Jhansi Regiment?
The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the all-women combat unit of the Indian National Army, formed under Subhas Chandra Bose to oppose British colonial rule in India during World War II.
What award did Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal receive?
Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998, India's second-highest civilian honour, for her contributions to the independence movement.
Why did Shivraj Singh Chouhan pay tribute to Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal?
Chouhan posted the tribute on Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal's birth anniversary on October 24, 2026, honouring her life of service to the nation and her role as a freedom fighter in the INA.
What is the Azad Hind Fauj?
The Azad Hind Fauj, or Indian National Army, was a military force formed during World War II with Japanese assistance under Subhas Chandra Bose, with the goal of ending British colonial rule in India.
