Thanks to the instigation of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, one of the greatest Indian patriots, the Johore branch of the erstwhile Malay state had collected the Indian Independence Fund.

   For the freedom fight of India, Johore’s contribution was fixed at $1million as its target in the month of September of the year 2603. This year 2603 is equivalent to 1943, as calculated as Buddha year, on account of the Japanese occupation’s influence prevailing in those days in the Malaysian Calendar.

   The document shown alongside, is an official receipt issued to Somasundaram Chettiar, obviously a native of Karaikudi Chettinad belt. In the present state of Tamil Nadu in India, this belt is about 100kms from Tiruchirappalli. I came across this rare document, an archival material through a vendor where I used to purchase some fiscal items and other rare philatelic materials like India’s use of Burma....