Durga Malla

Durga Malla
Born	(1913-07-01)1 July 1913 Dehradun, India
Died	(1944-08-25)25 August 1944 Delhi, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Indian Freedom Fighter (Army)
Known for	Prominent Figure of Indian independence movement activism and reorganizing and Major in the Indian National Army
Title	Major of Azad Hind Indian National Army
Spouse	Sharda Devi
Parents	Ganga Ram Malla (father) Parwati Devi (mother)

Major Durga Malla was the first Gorkha soldier from Indian Gorkha ethnic group in Indian National Army (INA) to sacrifice his life for the cause of Indian independence.

Malla was born in July 1913 at Doiwala near Dehradun from Nepali citizen parents. He was the eldest son of Nb Sub Ganga Malla. In 1930, when Mahatma Gandhi was leading the countrymen for Independence through Dandi March, Malla was in class nine. Though he was young, he caught everybody’s attention by his outbursts in public against the British. In 1931, when he was 18 years old, he moved to Dharamsala and got enrolled in 2/1 Gorkha Rifles. His patriotism brought him close to INA.

In 1942, Malla joined INA. His devotion to duty and valour coupled with other skills elevated him to the rank of a Major in INA and was asked to work in the intelligence wing of the INA. When he was collecting information about the enemy camps, he was caught in action at Kohima on March 27, 1944. He was given death sentence by the Court of Trial at Red Fort, New Delhi. However, before the death sentence was finally executed, the authorities tried to coerce Major Durga Malla into confessing sedition. His wife was brought at the prison cell but Malla did not succumb to the pressure. “The sacrifice I am offering shall not go in vain. India will be free. I am confident. This is only a matter of time, Sharda! Don’t worry, crores of Hindustanis are with you”, said Malla to his wife. Those were his last words to his wife.

Malla was married to Sharda Malla of Shyam Nagar, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh in 1941. Only three days after marriage, Malla was recalled at his headquarters and was directed to go abroad. He could meet his wife only before his hanging at Delhi District Jail. In 1944, Major Durga Malla was sent to the gallows.

To honour Malla, a statue was unveiled at the Parliament House Complex by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004. Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Lok Sabha Speaker Som Nath Chatterjee and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. The statue was presented to Parliament by the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, the national organisation of Gorkhas.