Laxmi Panda: Netaji’s Youngest Spy
Finally Gets Her Due
Savie Karnel’s new book revives
the forgotten heroine of the INA for today’s readers
The Indian National Army (INA) is
a name etched into India’s freedom struggle. Yet, one of its youngest and most
remarkable members, Laxmi Panda, remains little known outside Odisha. With her
new book, author Savie Karnel brings Panda’s extraordinary life to children and
young readers, ensuring her story of courage and sacrifice is not forgotten.
At just sixteen, Laxmi Panda joined the INA’s espionage wing. Using her wits and courage, she carried out intelligence work against the British. But after India won independence, her life slipped into poverty and obscurity. She lived unrecognised as a freedom fighter for much of her life — a fact that makes her story both inspiring and heartbreaking.
“Jai Hind!”
Laxmi Panda’s spirited greeting at every
meeting echoes her lifelong patriotism.
As Lord Rama told Lakshmana,
“Janani Janmabhoomischa Swargadapi Gariyasi” — one’s mother and homeland are
greater than heaven itself. For her homeland, Panda made sacrifices beyond
imagination. Although she was not recognized in her lifetime, she upheld the
timeless principle: do not ask what your country has done for you; ask what you
have done for your country.
I quote: “There is no bravery in
getting caught and going to jail.
A smart soldier never gets caught by the enemy.”
— Laxmi Panda
One of the most striking parts of
the book is Panda’s own account of her methods as a young spy. In her words:
“We would catch frogs and enter
British camps to sell frog meat to the officers. … She was never caught.”
It is this blend of ingenuity and
daring that makes her story so compelling for young readers. What looked like a
simple errand was, in reality, a covert mission under the enemy’s nose.
More than a biography, the book is
a reminder of how freedom was won — through small, often unacknowledged acts of
bravery. It also raises an uncomfortable truth: how easily the nation forgets
its heroes once their work is done.
As India steps into its 79th year
of independence, stories like Panda’s need to be told more widely. They instill
patriotism, gratitude, and a sense of responsibility in the next generation.
Savie Karnel has succeeded not
only in documenting the life of an unsung heroine but also in lighting a path
for readers. Laxmi Panda: The Story of Netaji’s Youngest Spy is more than a
children’s book; it is an act of remembrance — and a call to never let such
sacrifices fade into silence.
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