In 1995-96, to commemorate 50 years of the Declaration of Independence by the Provisional Government of Free India, under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, I had organised and led the Azad Hind Expedition - from Singapore, where the Indian National Army (INA) was formed, to the Red Fort in Delhi - which was their goal.
The purpose of the 45-day, 10,000km expedition was to refresh the national memory with the sacrifices made by the soldiers of the INA to liberate India - and to remind the youth of their national responsibilities.
Accompanying me were the battle-scarred legendary veterans of the INA: Col. Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, Capt. Lakshmi Sehgal, Capt. SS Yadava and Capt. Janaki Thevar.
Fifty years later, the veterans returned to the scenes of action.
The film takes the reader back to time when 70,000 Indians waged war against the British Empire. It contains rare and extraordinary footage of the war in Burma.
Directed by Kabir Khan and produced by me, the television series won the Grand Jury Award at the South Asian Film Festival in Kathmandu in 1998 and was sent on a world tour.
For 15 years the series has had multiple telecasts on Indian television.
The first three episodes are presented here. The next three will be published shortly.