Kohima, April 15: A chapter of living history came to a close on Tuesday afternoon when Reverend Poswuyi Swuro, the last surviving link to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Nagaland, passed away peacefully at his residence in Ruzazho village at 4:03 PM. He was believed to be around 110 years old.
Swuro, a revered village elder, former Dobashi (area administrator), and pastor, was not just a community leader—he was a quiet witness to and active participant in one of the most remarkable episodes of India’s freedom struggle.
Born in 1919 in Ruzazho village under Phek district, Poswuyi was the first Christian convert in his town and lived through an era that saw dramatic shifts in the region’s political and social fabric. In his early twenties, during the intensifying days of World War II, schools shut down, and Swuro returned home—unaware that history was about to knock on his door.
On April 4, 1944, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose arrived in Ruzazho with the Indian National Army (INA) and Japanese troops as part of the “Delhi Chalo” campaign. The visit turned the remote village into a strategic base and the first Indian village to be administered by the Azad Hind Government. Netaji’s presence transformed the villagers’ lives, and among those he appointed to key roles was Poswuyi Swuro, chosen as Dobashi (area administrator), while his elder brother, Vesuyi Swuro, was made interpreter.
Swuro’s responsibilities were vast and critical. He acted as the voice of Netaji to the villagers, translated instructions, and travelled on foot to surrounding villages, conveying orders and collecting food supplies for the INA and Japanese troops. From pigs and chickens to rice and vegetables, he organized the logistical lifeline that sustained the visiting forces. In many cases, he even personally carried rations through dense forests and rough terrain.
His service went beyond logistics. As someone intimately familiar with the topography, Swuro and his brother led INA and Japanese soldiers toward the British frontlines—a dangerous task that could have easily cost them their lives. On one such mission to Zunheboto, they were ambushed on their return, resulting in casualties among the Japanese and Nagas. Swuro and his brother narrowly escaped into the jungle, returning safely to their village.
Netaji’s promise to return and develop Ruzazho with schools, hospitals, and roads instilled hope in the villagers. But the INA’s defeat meant those dreams were left unfulfilled. Despite this, Swuro continued to serve his people. After the war, he introduced education to his village in 1950 and dedicated his life to social service and spiritual leadership.
In recognition of the village’s role and Swuro’s sacrifices, a commemorative tablet was erected in Ruzazho. In 2021, then-Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu visited the village and met Swuro, acknowledging his pivotal role in the freedom struggle.
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