The 'Free India Legion' (Indische Legion or 'Tiger Legion'), made up of Indian prisoners of war, was formed in Germany during the Second World War by:

The "Free India Legion" (Legion Freies Indien, or Indische Legion), also called the "Tiger Legion", was formed in Germany by Subhas Chandra Bose during the Second World War.

Background:

• After escaping from India, Bose reached Germany, where he sought the support of the German government for India's freedom.
• He set up the "Free India Centre" in Berlin.

About the Free India Legion:

• It was formed during the war, mainly from Indian prisoners of war captured by the Germans and Italians in North Africa, where they had fought as part of the British Indian Army.
• Bose visited the prisoner-of-war camps and persuaded many soldiers to join the Legion, to fight for India's freedom.
• At its height, it had about 3,000 to 4,500 soldiers.
• Its emblem was a leaping tiger, and so it was called the "Tiger Legion".
• Its soldiers took an oath of loyalty to Bose as the leader of the Indian freedom struggle.
• It was the first to use the greeting "Jai Hind", and "Jana Gana Mana" was played as its anthem.

Its role:

• Bose hoped that the Legion would enter India along with the German army, but this did not happen.
• The Legion was placed under the German army, and was used for guard duties in the Netherlands and France.
• After Bose left Germany for South-East Asia in 1943, the Legion lost its purpose.
• At the end of the war, its soldiers were captured by the Allies and sent back to India, where some were tried.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Rash Behari Bose led the Indian Independence League in East Asia.
• ✗Lala Har Dayal led the Ghadar Party.
• ✗Champakaraman Pillai was an Indian revolutionary in Germany during the First World War.