A social media post, featuring an image of a Sikh man, claims that he is “Sardar Mohan Singh,” who fought for Germany in World War II. The post claims that after the war when Hitler wanted to reward him, he requested weapons to liberate India, which were later used by the Azad Hind Fauj (here & here). It also suggests that freedom fighters like him are eventually forgotten. This article fact-checks the claims made in the post.
Claim: Image of Sardar Mohan Singh, who fought for Germany in World War II and reportedly requested weapons from Hitler to liberate India.
Fact: The viral photo is of Sardar Mohan Singh, who was involved in banking and education, and has no connection to any military service or involvement in World War II. In contrast, General Mohan Singh was affiliated with the INA and was deployed to Malaya on behalf of the Allied forces to fight against Japan, which was an ally of Germany. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The man in the viral post is indeed Sardar Mohan Singh, but he is neither linked to the Indian Army nor did he fight for Germany in World War II. A reverse image search of the photo revealed it on a school blog in Punjab. According to the blog, the image is of Sardar Mohan Singh, the founder of Modern Senior Secondary School in Patiala. His biography indicates that he worked in the banking industry, was associated with various banks, and later established the school. There is no mention of his participation in the army.
For further clarification, FACTLY contacted the management of Modern Senior Secondary School Patiala (MSSSP). In response, Jujhar Singh, Chairman of MSSSP and grandson of the school’s founder, Sardar Mohan Singh, confirmed that the viral photo shows his grandfather. He also clarified that Sardar Mohan Singh had no military connections and did not fight in any world war.
General Mohan Singh – INA:
There is another General Mohan Singh, who worked with the Indian National Army (INA) and Subhas Chandra Bose. General Mohan Singh was a prominent INA leader, serving as its first General and leading the organization in the field of battle. Born in Sialkot, Punjab, Singh was enlisted in the British Indian Army’s 14th Punjab Regiment and was among the troops deployed to Malaya for Britain. When Japan entered World War II by bombing Pearl Harbor, it joined Germany as an ally against the Allied forces, which included Britain, the Soviet Union, and the USA. Japan swiftly overran the Allied forces in Southeast Asia, and Mohan Singh was among the British Indian soldiers captured by Japan (here & here).
The nationalist Indian soldiers in Japanese captivity were organized into an independent unit that opposed Britain. Supported fully by Japan, this unit was freed, and around 40,000 Indians formed the Azad Hind Fauj, with Mohan Singh among its leaders. Eventually, Mohan Singh became wary of Japanese intentions and had a falling out with them. He was detained by the Japanese but was released only after Netaji arrived in Tokyo and negotiated with the authorities. There are no reports of General Mohan Singh meeting Hitler or requesting weapons to liberate India.
To sum it up, Sardar Mohan Singh in this photo has no military affiliation and did not participate in any world wars.
