Colonel Inayat Khan Kiani

           

COLONEL INAYAT KHAN KIANI

            Colonel Inayat Khan Kiani, who played a vital role in the Azad Hind Fouj, under the leadership of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, was born in Rawalpindi in Pakistan.  His father was Raja Gulab Khan.  Inayat hailed from the ‘Gakhars’ dynasty, which ruled the Potor area in Pakistan for about seven hundred years.  He was an officer in the British Indian Army.  The British forces were defeated by the Japan-Germany troops while he was rendering his duties as an official of the British Army.  Kiani was caught along with the other Indian officials of the British Army as a war prisoner.  During his detention, he joined the Indian National Army led by Captain Mohan Singh under the guidance of the revolutionary leader Ras Bihari Bose.  When Captain Mohan Singh dissolved the Indian National Army, because of differences cropped up with Japan, he worked as a member of the Advisory Council of the Indian National Army as on the advice of Ras Bihari Bose.  Later, he was appointed as the Commander of the Gandhi regiment in the Indian National Army, when its leadership was taken over by Subhash Chandra Bose.  Responding to the call of Subhash Chandra Bose, ‘Chalo Delhi’, Inayat Khan reached Burma battle field from Malaya, where he led his troops towards victory.  Gandhi regiment, under the leadership of Inayat, was able to capture the Palell Airport on 2^nd May, 1944.  It also had its share in three other victories.  The Indian National Army could capture an area of 200 Sq. Miles of Indian Territory during that war.  Inayat was appreciated by Subhash Chandra Bose for his abilities in formulating the strategies and conducting ambushes and thus, he was given a place in the ‘War Council’ of the Indian National Army.  But, the troops led by Inayat were detained by the British Indian Army, when the Japan Army surrendered in the world war-II.  Later, he was presented at Delhi as the witness of the respondents for the trial held in the Red Fort.  Later, Inayat worked as the member of the Rehabilitation and Renovation Committee for the welfare of his colleagues of the Indian National Army and of their family members.  When India got independence, Colonel Inayat Khan Kiani, reached his native village in Pakistan, where he held different high profile posts in the newly formed Government of Pakistan.