Context

• Eighty years ago, on May 8, 1945, the guns of war finally fell silent across Europe with Nazi Germany’s surrender, a day commemorated as Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
• While it is celebrated with great reverence in the West, VE Day passes with little notice in India.
• In Indian collective memory, the years of the Second World War (1939–1945) are more closely associated with the nation’s struggle for independence.
• Yet, India’s role in this global conflict was far from passive or peripheral. Two extraordinary but largely forgotten Indian lives, those of Kolachala Sitaramaiah and Idris Hasan Latif, offer profound testimony to India’s significant contributions to the world, both in battle and in the laboratory.

The Scientist from Uyyuru: Kolachala Sitaramaiah

• Early Life
  • Kolachala Sitaramaiah was born in 1899 in the small town of Uyyuru, Andhra Pradesh, into a modest family.
  • His journey from rural India to international scientific acclaim is one of perseverance and brilliance.
  • After traveling to the United States by working as a coal stoker on a steamship, he earned Master’s degrees in chemistry from both the University of Chicago and Yale, an extraordinary feat for any Indian at the time.
  • He went on to secure three patents, establishing his credentials as a serious scientist.
  • However, the Great Depression of 1929 profoundly shaped Sitaramaiah’s worldview.
  • Disillusioned with the inequalities of capitalist societies, he moved to the Soviet Union in the 1930s. There, he transitioned from academic research to a life of applied science deeply intertwined with geopolitical urgency.
• Research and Role in World War 2
  • When Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa and invaded the USSR, Sitaramaiah volunteered to fight.
  • Recognised for his intellect, he was instead tasked with a critical mission: to enhance Soviet tank performance in freezing conditions.
  • His pioneering work in tribochemistry, particularly the development of kerosene-based fuels and lubricants, was instrumental in the success of Soviet T-34 tanks during the pivotal Battle of Kursk in 1943, the largest tank battle in history.
  • Sitaramaiah’s legacy extended beyond wartime. His later research into plasma physics laid the groundwork for advancements in controlled nuclear fusion, underscoring how his contributions transcended both national and temporal boundaries.
  • When he passed away in 1977, India’s Ambassador to the USSR, I.K. Gujral, hailed him as a “great scientist, a son of India, and a son of mankind.

The Pilot from Hyderabad: Idris Hasan Latif

• Early Life
  • While Sitaramaiah defended liberty in the laboratory, Idris Hasan Latif did so in the skies.
  • Born into an aristocratic Hyderabadi family of Yemeni descent, Latif chose not comfort but courage.
  • He joined the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) in 1941 and initially flew outdated biplanes on the volatile North West Frontier.
  • But as the Allied air forces suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Britain, Indian pilots like Latif were deployed to Europe in preparation for the D-Day landings in Normandy.
• Role in World War 2
  • By 1944, with German air superiority diminished, Latif was transferred to Burma where he flew Hawker Hurricanes in treacherous tropical conditions.
  • Despite falling seriously ill, he refused to leave his squadron. His dedication, professionalism, and quiet courage were later recognised in London during the 1946 VE Day celebrations.
• Life After Partition
  • When Partition came, Latif’s brother moved to Pakistan and invited him to follow. Latif refused, declaring that religion had no bearing on nationality.
  • ‘I will always stay in the land where my forefathers are buried,’ he said, affirming a patriotism rooted not in ideology, but in deep cultural and emotional belonging.
  • Latif went on to become the 10th Chief of the Indian Air Force in 1978.
  • Later, as India’s Ambassador to France (1985–88), he played a key role in nurturing the India-France defence relationship, a legacy that endures in platforms like the Rafale fighter jet.

Remembering the Forgotten

• VE Day is not merely a European milestone; it is a global remembrance.
• Millions across continents, including countless Indians, endured economic hardship, colonial exploitation, and even famine to support the Allied war effort.
• The stories of Kolachala Sitaramaiah and Idris Hasan Latif underscore India’s integral role in securing that victory.
• These were men who, despite disparate backgrounds, one from poverty and another from privilege, chose a path of duty over comfort, and sacrifice over recognition.
• Their lives are a poignant reminder that history is not only shaped by those who command headlines, but also by individuals whose quiet determination and courage change the course of nations.
• As the poet SriSri once wrote, ‘I too lent an insolent voice, to the roar that shook the heavens!’ Sitaramaiah and Latif, through science and service, did exactly that.

Conclusion

• As we reflect on the eight decades since the end of World War II in Europe, it is essential to look beyond the familiar narratives and honour the many unsung heroes of the global south.
• The lives of Kolachala Sitaramaiah and Idris Hasan Latif illuminate the Indian contribution to a global cause, a contribution built not just on numbers, but on intellect, courage, and conviction.
• Their legacy is a call to remember that even the most humble individuals can alter the trajectory of history, and that nations, even while under colonial rule, can still choose to stand on the right side of humanity.