Photography project celebrates unsung Indian soldiers of World War 2

A professor of photography at the University of Rhode Island, US, Annu Palakunnathu Matthew’s larger work delves into hidden or lesser-known histories. While doing a decade-long work on the partition, she stumbled on the history of the 2.5 million Indians who fought on the side of the Allies (which included the British, their coloniser) and are not part of history here in India let alone globally. Currently in India on a Fulbright fellowship for six months, she is working on an art project to highlight the unaddressed history of these soldiers.

“I am collecting scans of family photographs of these men and women to include in my final installation. The idea for this happened when, at the opening of the Kochi Muziris Biennale where my work on the Italian campaign was exhibited, a friend sent me a photograph of her grandfather standing in uniform in front of the leaning tower of Pisa! To collect more photos like that, I have been travelling across the country giving presentations and meeting families. Family photos reflect the personality of the person which we can relate to versus a headshot which is an archive,” says Annu.

Sharing with us some memorable incidents that happened while doing the project, she recalls, “There are two that come to mind. First, after my talk at the Bangalore International Center, I was touched by the number of people who spoke about their own family stories. Second, I read a story about Subedar Subramanian of the Madras Sappers Regiment who was the first Indian to be awarded a George Cross. I was somehow able to get his phone number. When I called I realised that my basic Tamil was not good enough to communicate. So my neighbour called and spoke for over an hour. She was in tears after hearing his story through Subedar Subramanian’s son. We can empathise with these stories which go beyond political affiliations.” While reading multiple books, meeting key people in India who deal with military history and listening to personal stories from families, Annu tells us one interesting story about a soldier. “Major RG Salvi was a POW (prisoner of war) in Avezzano, Italy. He managed to escape (with four others) and hid in a village in Italy. An Italian soldier and another family helped shelter them. His grandson Samar heard these stories as a child and recently went back and reconnected with these families and their children! The Salvi family has installed a plaque thanking the village of Villa San Sebastiano. One of its residents has also translated Salvi’s book Whom Enemies Sheltered into Italian. I would love to connect with the families of the other 4 POWs,” muses Annu.

As an artist, she believes that her role is to take that abstract number of the 2.5 million Indian soldiers who fought in the Second World War and transform it into something tangible that people can wrap their heads around. “I plan to do this through the scans that I am collecting. The photographs will become an installation that I hope to show not only in India but also in England and in countries where these soldiers fought,”she says.

If you have any relatives fight for the British in the Second World War, you can send the files to Indiansoliders1945@gmail.com.