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Daredevilry to dishes: A sorry tale of apathy: The Pioneer
Jeypore, Sept 18: From being a proud member of the Indian National Army`s (INA) Rani Jhansi Regiment in the heady days of the freedom movement to washing dishes at homes to eke out a living - life has been full of vicissitudes for Laxmi Indira Panda.
Jeypore, Sept 18: From being a proud member of the Indian National Army's (INA) Rani Jhansi Regiment in the heady days of the freedom movement to washing dishes at homes to eke out a living - life has been full of vicissitudes for Laxmi Indira Panda.
Working as a housemaid in Jeypore, the 76-year-old Laxmi, with a jobless son to look after, is so dejected with life that she has virtually forgotten that she once picked up the rifle to fight the British as one of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's foot soldiers. Sources said Laxmi, worn out by time and hardships, is so bitter that she no more cherishes the citations and the commendations which speak of her glorious past. For her, they are of little use as they cannot get her two square meals a day nor her son a job. Laxmi finds it ironical that she has to face such hardships after having fought valiantly for the country's freedom.
The wall of her thatched house in Jeypur town of Koraput district was damaged badly in the recent floods, forcing her to seek shelter at her neighbour's place. She, however, has hardly received any help from the Government. Born to a poor family of Oriya migrants in erstwhile Burma, Laxmi lost her parents in the heavy bombardment by British planes. On Netaji's call, she joined the Azad Hind Fauj and was drafted into the Rani Jhansi Regiment after receiving training for the under-16 recruits. During her years with the INA, she served in Singapore, Rangoon and Malaysia, winning laurels for her bravery. After the closure of the INA camp in Burma, she came to Orissa with her husband Krishna Chandra Panda, who passed away soon, leaving her fending for herself.
Sources said after she moved to Jeypur, the State Government had granted her a meagre pension of Rs 700, of which Rs 300 is deducted towards the servicing of a loan she had taken long ago.
Working as a housemaid in Jeypore, the 76-year-old Laxmi, with a jobless son to look after, is so dejected with life that she has virtually forgotten that she once picked up the rifle to fight the British as one of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's foot soldiers. Sources said Laxmi, worn out by time and hardships, is so bitter that she no more cherishes the citations and the commendations which speak of her glorious past. For her, they are of little use as they cannot get her two square meals a day nor her son a job. Laxmi finds it ironical that she has to face such hardships after having fought valiantly for the country's freedom.
The wall of her thatched house in Jeypur town of Koraput district was damaged badly in the recent floods, forcing her to seek shelter at her neighbour's place. She, however, has hardly received any help from the Government. Born to a poor family of Oriya migrants in erstwhile Burma, Laxmi lost her parents in the heavy bombardment by British planes. On Netaji's call, she joined the Azad Hind Fauj and was drafted into the Rani Jhansi Regiment after receiving training for the under-16 recruits. During her years with the INA, she served in Singapore, Rangoon and Malaysia, winning laurels for her bravery. After the closure of the INA camp in Burma, she came to Orissa with her husband Krishna Chandra Panda, who passed away soon, leaving her fending for herself.
Sources said after she moved to Jeypur, the State Government had granted her a meagre pension of Rs 700, of which Rs 300 is deducted towards the servicing of a loan she had taken long ago.
Laxmi has exhausted all avenues of availing of the freedom fighters' pension. Even her appeals to the authorities for a job to her son have gone unheeded. When she joined the INA, Laxmi obviously didn't realise one day her battle against the British would turn into a battle for survival in independent India.