98-year old served Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose




South Asia Mail exclusive

Mr. Ram Mukerjee, father of Mr. Roman Mukerjee of Ottawa, is 98 years old and is filled with the India nationalist spirit.

During the war and over four years, he served under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Berlin where the India National Army did propaganda and recruitment plus seek support from Germany. This support from Germany was a convenient alliance with a common enemy at that time, Great Britain.

Senior Mukerjee married a Slovak, whilst he was in training in Bata International. He returned to India from the current Czech Republic which was his European family home base when India gained independence.

Junior Mukerjee, Roman, spent his formative school years in India to then came on fellowship to McGill, married and settled down. Upon his mother's passing away, senior Mukerjee came to Canada. “I am Indo-Slovak, my wife is Jewish and I have two adopted aboriginal daughters one Inuit and the other Mayan from Honduras”, says Roman. From his first marriage he has two biological mixed race daughter and son. “By definition, we are a multicultural family” says Roman.

Ram Mukerjee was awarded recognition by the India Canada Association of Ottawa for his services for independent India and by the India High Commission

Interestingly, “his Bengali community did not give him this formal recognition for his devout services for the freedom of India from which all Indians, including Bengalis in Canada have benefited”, says Roman.

When asked what is the secret of his long and healthy life, the senior Mukerjee jokes: “It is Scotch whisky, every day!”