Lt. Bharati Asha “Asako” Sahay Choudhury, INA Freedom Fighter and India–Japan Friendship Icon Passes Away at 97

New Delhi. August 15, 2025

Bharati Asha Sahay Choudhury — widely known by her wartime name, Lt. Asha Sahay, one of the oldest surviving freedom fighters of India and a lieutenant in the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army (INA), passed away on 12th August at the age of 97 in Patna. Her life was a rare tapestry woven from courage, sacrifice, and the enduring friendship between India and Japan.

Young Lt. Asha Sahay in uniform during her service in the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the INA

A Childhood Rooted in Two Homelands

Born on February 2, 1928, in Kobe, Japan, to Anand Mohan Sahay and Sati Sen Sahay, Asha grew up in a household deeply connected to India’s independence movement. Her father, Anand Mohan Sahay, was the founding secretary of the Indian Independence League (IIL), an organization that worked towards the formation of INA the very network that brought Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to lead the cause.

Educated entirely in Japan, she completed her schooling in the Japanese language and later graduated from Showa Women’s University in Tokyo. Among her Japanese peers, she was fondly called Asako-san. Her upbringing gave her a deep understanding of both Indian and Japanese culture, a bond she cherished throughout her life.

Inspired by Netaji’s Call

In 1945, at just 17 years old, Asha met Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Tokyo. Moved by his vision for a free India, she joined the Rani of Jhansi Regiment — the INA’s all-women combat unit — earning the rank of lieutenant.

It was in those wartime years that she became known as Lt. Asha Sahay, a name that would follow her for the rest of her life.

She would later recall her interactions not only with Netaji but also with Mahatma Gandhi, along with vivid memories of the tumultuous era of World War II. \

Her story became living testimony to the role of women in India’s freedom struggle — and the deep ties between India and Japan during that time.

“India and Japan Should Move Forward Together”

Even in her later years, her passion for fostering Indo-Japanese ties never waned. During a recent meeting with Jiro Kodera, Counsellor (Economic and Development) at the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi, she shared a heartfelt message: “Both India and Japan have ancient histories. They should move forward together and become the greatest nations in the world.” These words reflected her lifelong belief in the shared destiny of the two nations she called home.

Her passing was mourned across India and Japan. Ambassador of Japan to India, Keiichi Ono, and Anita Bose Pfaff, daughter of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, were among those who paid tribute, honoring her as a bridge between two nations and a symbol of resilience.

Ambassador of Japan to India, Keiichi Ono, meeting Lt. Asha Sahay

"It is with deep sadness that I learned of the passing of Ms. Asha “Asako” Sahay. When I met her in April, I was touched by her warmth, her devotion to India and Japan, and her tireless efforts toward India’s independence.

May she rest in peace. " mentioned Ambassador ONO in his social media post

A Life That Will Inspire Generations

Lt. Bharati Asha “Asako” Sahay Choudhury’s journey from Kobe to the battlefields of the freedom struggle, and later as a custodian of Indo-Japanese friendship, embodies courage, vision, and the will to create a better future. Her life will continue to inspire generations in India, Japan, and beyond.