Split in party;split in life,life in Europe
Two people whom Jawahar Lal Nehru loved apart from his father Motilal and Gandhi were Rafi Ahmed Kidwai and ACN Nambiar.I do not know whether we can say Nehru and Nambiar were relatives;they were related to the same family at least-Nambiar had married Suhasini,the sister of Sarojini Naidu.Nehru was in love with Padmaja Naidu,daughter of Sarojini Naidu.Nehru made Padmaja the Governor of West Bengal(1956-1967; Mother was Governor of UP,1947-1949).Nehru used to keep a portrait of Padmaja in his bedroom,which Indira would often remove.Suhasini was the first woman member of the Communist Party of India.She was instrumental in making Captain Lakshmi a politician. |
| Commander Bertling with Nambiar(second from right) and Krappe,Berlin,1944 |
Arathil Candeth(Kandoth) Narayanan Nambiar(1896-1986) was born in Tellicherry to Kesari Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar,who wrote Vasanavikrithi,the first short story in Malayalam.Vengayil family had 200,000 acres of land while Chirakkal Raja had only 30,000.Major General K P Candeth,who led the liberation of Goa,was Nayanar's grand son.Sir C Sankaran Nair,former Congress President was the maternal grandfather of Candeth.Nambiar had gone to London to pursue studies.He became influenced by the famous revolutionary Chatto or Virendranath Chatopadhyay, brother of Sarojini Naidu.Afterwards Nambiar became a reluctant recruit of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,to be on the side of the Nazis.
Somerset Maugham wrote the story,Giulia Lazzari,based on the British attempt to murder Chatto in 1915,on the Swiss border with France or Italy.Maugham was in British secret service then.The main character in the story,John Ashendon was based on Maugham himself and Chandra Lal on Chatto.It is said that Maugham wrote 21 stories on his secret service experience.Only seven saw light of the day.Winston Churchill asked him to burn the other 14.
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| Chatto |
Chatto was born in Hyderabad in 1880 and at Twenty Two, he sailed to London for studies.He came under the influence of Bipin Chandra Pal and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.Bose asked him to move to Berlin.It is there the British secret service agent Donald Gullick tried to lure him to the Swiss border.He was arrested by the Swiss police in Zurich.He felt both Nehru and Bose let him down and he escaped to Moscow.He wished to be part of the Comintern,but his rival,M N Roy made it there.He changed his name to Virendranat Agornatovich Chatopadhyay to escape from enemies.His father was the first Indian to get a Dsc, Aghoranath Chatopadhyay,Physicist from Edinburgh University and the first Principal of Nizam's College,Hyderabad.In Moscow,Chatto was very close to M N Kirov,Stalin's no.2.Kirov fell out with Stalin during the Great Purge and Chatto was executed by Stalin in 1937.The romantic Chatto had at least lived with three women;he lived with the American journalist Agnes Smedley for seven years(1921-1928) which was ruinous for both.She moved to Shanghai,where she was lover of Soviet super spy,Richard Sorge.She is well known for her novel,Daughter of Earth.
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| Agnes |
Chatto and Nambiar had shared their love for the Ghadar Party,the revolutionary party formed by Punjabi Indians in the US and Canada.Nambiar as a roving journalist had written an article,The Elephant and the Porcelaine Shop in the June 1927 issue of The United States of India published by the party.The same issue contains an article,China,India and English Imperialism by Rabindra Nath Tagore!The party which was formed in 1913 got split into Communist anti Communist factions after the first World War.
Nambiar was introduced to Suhasini in Chennai,by his brother,Madhavan,who was in the Indian Education Service.He had known Nehru while at Cambridge.Madhavan had befriended Suhasini's sister Mrinalini,while studying in London.Mrinalin had her home in Chennai .Nambiar's relationship with Suhasini was detested by Madhavan and Nambiar had to leave the home.An Industrialist by the name, Sankara Iyer helped him to pursue studies in London.Suhasini had gone to London early,to join Oxford.Together they shifted in 1922 to Berlin,at the invitation of Jayasurya Naidu,Sarojini's son.. Nambiar set up the first Information Bureau of the Indian National Congress in Berlin in October,1922,at the request of Jawahar Lal Nehru,whom he had met at Brussels..It was called The Indian News Service and Information Bureau.Suhasini joined the Communists and left for Moscow,to study in the Eastern Universitry,and Nambiar made his Secretary at the Bureau,Eva Geissler,his mistress.Eva's sister Louise became M N Roy's mistress.Suhasini returned to India with Lester Hutchinson,who guided the Communist Party of India,and got accused in the Meerut conspiracy case.Suhasini's letters to Nambiar found no solace and they got separated ;Sarojini Naidu stood by Nambiar when it happened. Nambiar had fallen out with Chatto too .There is reason:Sarojini Naidu,at the instance of Gandhi,published a statement condemning Chatto's activities as 'terrorism'.After this,her father refused to see her and didn't allow her to see even in his last days.All the available evidence shows Ms Naidu was not on speaking terms with her family members.
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| Sarojini Naidu with Padmaja |
Motilal and Nehru visited Berlin in November,1927 at Chatto's invitation;before that Chatto and Nambiar had met Nehru at the Anti Colonial Congress in Brussels,in February.Nambiar worked as a left wing journalist when the Second World War broke out.It was in Germany Bose met Nambiar.When finally Bose got the interview with Hitler,he took Nambiar as interpreter.Hitler didn't support the ideas of Bose and he sent Bose in a submarine to Japan.When Bose left Germany,the reluctant Nambiar was given the charge of Free India Centre.Germany gave the Berlin Centre the status of a Mission.He also became Chief of the Radio station,Radio Free India and Indian Legion,the 3000 strong army of former Indian prisoners of war which was formed by Bose to fight the British in India.Commander of the Legion was first Lt Col Kurt Krappe and then Heinz Bertling.Against the wishes of the members,they were sent to defend the French coast.In April 1943,there was mutiny in the Legion itself.They refused to move to Holland.9th Company of the Legion was sent to Italy on a failed mission.In the August Allied bombing,Nambiar's own house was destroyed.Nambiar was a Minister of State in the Provincial Government formed by Bose in March,1944.Eventually Nambiar was beaten up by Nazi Storm Troopers,imprisoned and deported to Prague and then to Paris.Nehru's interim government gave him an Indian passport,against the wishes of Britain.By then the entire Nehru family had become his second family.In several articles and books,it is mentioned he was the first Indian Ambassador to (West)Germany in 1947.It is not so.First Ambassador was Subimal Dutt(1952-1954).Nambiar was appointed Ambassador to Sweden in 1953 December(See picture of him after presenting credentials to the King)and to (West)Germany or FDR in 1955.He served for three years1955-1958.
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| ACN Nambiar |
In December 1935,Nambiar was with Nehru,Kamala and Indira in Vienna and the Badenweiler health resort in Germany.Her death was just two months away.Kamala was worried about the future of Indira.Kamala shared her anxiety with Nehru in the presence of Nambiar.She expressed her disapproval of Indira marrying Feroze.He was a Parsi,the son of Jehangir Faredoon,a Marine Engineer.After his father's death,he and mother Rattimmai arrived in Allahabad to live with aunt,Dr Shirin Commisariat of Lady Dufferin Hospital.He didn't complete degree in Ewing Christian College.He had attached himself as a Congress volunteer and helper to Kamala.He was with her in the Bhawali TB Sanatorium in 1934.Feroze is not stable,not qualified,Kamala said.She spoke with emotion and became tired."You leave the matter to me",Nehru said and went out.The Nehru family used to call Nambiar,Nanu.Kamala turned to Nambiar and said:"You know what he said.Indu will listen to none except me.I could have guided Indu gently away from Feroze.But my end is near.Jawahar will give no guidance to Indu.She will be ultimately allowed to count the mistake of her life".
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| Hutchinson,Suhasini(middle)Mrinalini |
Kamala died on 28 February 1936,at Lausanne,Switzerland.Afterwards Feroze fell in love with the daughter of Vijayalakshmi Pandit,who was an editorial trainee at National Herald,of which Feroze was MD.Pandit airdashed from Moscow and rescued her.He then began a relationship with the daughter of a Muslim Minister in UP who was in the AIR.Several others-Tarakeswari Sinha admitted she was in the list.
After a visit to Spain with V K Krishna Menon in 1938,Nambiar met Nehru in Europe.Nambiar asked Nehru what would be the outcome of the civil war in Spain.Nehru replied Republicans would win.He wanted Nambiar's comments.Nambiar was blunt:"Like all the Liberals in England,Europe,US and Krishna Menon,you are indulging in wishful thinking.My assessment is that much to my dislike,the Republicans have not got the ghost of chance.More blood will flow and Franco will emerge as the ruler of Spain".Nehru was angry.
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| Nambiar's article,1927 |
During Nehru's first visit to Germany as PM in July,1956,he had to give a return banquet to Chancellor Konrad Adenauer(1949-1963) and his colleagues.Ambassador Nambiar wanted to serve drinks.He spoke to Foreign Secretary N R Pillai and Pillai to M O Mathai,Nehru's Secretary.Nehru said:"Tell Nanu he can serve Sherry to begin with and Moselle wine(white)and Rhine wine(red)and nothing else.He and Pillai should not drink".
When Maulana Abul Kalam Azad visited Germany as Congress President,he stayed at the Embassy in Cologne with Nambiar.Nambiar was a meticulous host,who knew the habits and tastes of his guests.He set up a small bar in Maulana's room with plenty of whisky,brandy,white and red wines and French Champagne.Maulana liked Champagne.Nambiar discovered that Maulana was happy to be left alone.Nambiar had invited German guests for a dinner in honor of Maulana.Maulana sneaked out immediately after the dinner was over and remained in his room alone,sipping Champagne.On return to Delhi he praised Nambiar as the best Indian Ambassador.
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| Nambiar in Sweden,outside palace1954 |
It was M N Roy who got Suhasin admitted to the University in Moscow,at the instance of Chatto..Once Sarojini Naidu introduced Suhasini to Edgar Snow ,who wrote Red Star over China,in Mumbai.He thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met.T T Krishnamachari who was Finance Minister saw Nambiar was alone in Germany.On return,he said he will sanction a social secretary to Nanu if Ministry of External Affairs demanded it.It was done.
Suhasini in the late 1920s joined the under ground Communist Party.She with brother and writer Harindranath Chatopadhyay went to Lahore from time to time,where their sister Mrinalini was Principal of Gangaram School.It was in Lahore Suhasini found a good cadre in Vimla Bakaya. Suhasini married RM Jambhekar,who joined the party in 1929 along with cousin,S G Sardesai.He was an artist and singer as well and belonged to the industrial family of Jambhekars and Kirloskars.The Communist Manifesto was translated into Marathi by Gangadhar Moreshwar Adhikari when he was in Meerut jail(1930-1931).It was edited by Jagannath Adhikari and Jambhekar.Jambhekar was arrested following the Girni Kamgar Union strike of March,1940.He was elected Generel Secretary of All India Friends of Soviet Union(AIFSU) in its first Congress on June3-4,1944.Sarojini Naidu was President.Famous poet of Kerala,Vallathol was Vice President.The Congress was dominated by B T Ranadive,Hiren Mukerjee and Jambhekar.There is a sad story on Suhasini and Jambhekar in A Traveller and the Road by Mohit Sen.In June 1950,Mohit Sen and wife Vanaja Iyengar traveled to Prague to attend the world Congress of the International Union of students.It was the period of Calcutta Thesis propounded by B T Ranadive.Suhasini,Jambhekar and Vimla Bakaya(who later married Satyapal Dang)had been aggressive exponents of the thesis,which advocated armed killings.They had used their position to damage those who
disagreed.
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| Vimla Bakaya |
Masood Khan from Bhopal dropped a bombshell in the conference.Khan had married Katya,daughter of Russian intellectuals who had run away to Czechoslovakia after the 1917 revolution.Masood in his speech said the Jambhekars and Vimla had reported on the so called revisionist views of Masood and Pradyot Mukerjee(historian who died young in Mexico) to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.Hence Masood was jailed for some time,Katya was under house arrest and Pradyot was expelled from the country.He hit out at Suhasini,Jambhekar and Vimla.It stunned everyone.Vimla wept.Suhasini and Jambhekar were suspended from the Party;Vimla was recalled to India.
Captain Lakshmi remembers Suhasini had stayed at her home in Gilchrist Gardens,Madras as a political fugitive at the time of the Meerut conspiracy case of 1929-1933.She used to sing excellently.She taught Lakshmi the Communist Internationale.Suhasini knew Madras well;she had studied in Queen Mary's College where Kamaladevi Chatopadhyay,Harindranath's future wife,was her friend.Suhasini died in 1973 and Jhambekar in 2003.It is said Suhasini first met him at the Moscow University.
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| Journal of 1927 |
When Indira's marriage with Feroze was in doldrums,she wrote to Nanu uncle,seeking his views.Nambiar replied that under certain circumstances,it was preferable to have a clear break to living in make-believe.
Nambiar used to go to BITS,Pilani to see his niece who was Dean of Humanities there,whenever he was in India.He stayed with Nehru while in India.Nehru always fought with him on political matters.In early 1964 Nambiar saw an exhausted Nehru at the break fast table.Nambiar told him:"I feel sad about one thing-you have not got angry with with me this time."Nehru tried to smile.Nambiar got the feeling that Nehru will not live long and he will not see him again.He wept.
Indira Gandhi before her death in October 1984,brought Nanu Uncle from Germany. He stayed at Uday Park,South Extention II,Newdelhi till his death two years later.He died unsung.His relatives didn't care for him.
Reference:
1.Edgar Snow:A Biography/John Maxwell/Hamilton
2.Chatto:The Life and Times of an Indian Anti Imperialist in Europe/Nirode Barooah/Oxford
3.Reminiscences of Nehru Age/M O Mathai
4.Two Alone Together/Sonia Gandhi/Penguin,2004
5.His Majesty's Opponent/Sugata Roy,Cambridge,2011
6.Bose in Nazi Germany/Romain Hayel/Random House
7.Transcultural Encounters between Germany and India/Routledge,2013
8.A Traveller and the Road/Mohit Sen/Rupa,2003
Please read, Nambiar,Bose and Germany in blog,Maddy's Ramblings.
See my posts,KRISHNA MENON AS HEAD LOAD WORKER,THREE ENGLISH MADMEN
