The Rani Jhansi Regiment, the Women’s Regiment of the Azad Hind Fauj, was under whose command?

The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the all-women infantry combat unit of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army), established in 1943 by Subhas Chandra Bose [c2][t8]. The regiment was placed under the command of Dr. Lakshmi Swaminathan, a medical doctor from Madras and daughter of freedom fighter Ammu Swaminathan [c1][t3]. Known as Captain Lakshmi, she led the unit which consisted primarily of Indian-origin volunteers from Malaya, Burma, and Singapore [t3][t7]. While other figures like Usha Mehta were associated with the Congress Radio and Aruna Asaf Ali with the Quit India Movement, it was Lakshmi Swaminathan (later Lakshmi Sehgal after marriage) who headed this radical military experiment [c2][t6]. The regiment was named after the legendary Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi to symbolize female bravery in the struggle against British colonial rule [c4][t8].

Sources

1. [1] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: Last Phase of Indian National Movement > Subash and INA > p. 89
2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 22: Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II > p. 432
3. [3] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 8: The Revolt of 1857 > MODERN INDIA > p. 145