Discovery Plus premiers documentary on India's "forgotten army"

Mumbai: Discovery Plus has started streaming a documentary, projecting the role played by Indian soldiers during the World War I.

"India: The Forgotten Army", the streamer announced on Wednesday, is an adaptation of the book "World War Sikh: Memoirs Of An Indian Cavalryman 1913-45" by Rana TS Chhina, the film traces and documents the courage of Indian soldiers, shipped to distant shores to live and fight in deplorable conditions during the First World War.

It will feature expert insights from politician-writer Shashi Tharoor and a host of notable personalities including Tony McClenaghan- Military Historian, England and Dr Santanu Das- Professor of English Literature, King's College London, the streamer said in a statement.

The documentary also uses first-person accounts to tell the story of the war and the circumstances that Indian cavalrymen faced, as revealed in the letters they wrote to their families, more than a hundred years ago.

Tharoor said that stories about the World War I have no mention of the Indian soldiers as they were relegated to the footnotes.

"These men were undoubtedly heroes: pitchforked into battle in unfamiliar lands, in climatic conditions they were neither used to nor prepared for, fighting an enemy of whom they had no knowledge, risking their lives every day for little more than pride.

"Yet they were destined to remain largely unknown once the war was over: neglected by the British, for whom they fought, and ignored by their own country, since they were fighting a colonial war. History had orphaned them. This film is a valuable contribution to their overdue rehabilitation," Tharoor said.

Issac John, Business Head – Digital (South Asia) at Discovery, said that "India: The Forgotten Army" will shine a light on the tales of courage and sacrifice of Indian soldiers.

"Our users have repeatedly expressed their interest in knowing more about the storied past of our brave soldiers and this release reaffirms our brand's commitment to listen to our users," he said.

"At Discovery Plus, we aim to bring meaningful and relevant content for our passionate users. It is our constant effort to offer world class documentaries to discerning Indian fans who are looking for such content which not only entertains but also encourages and inspires them," he added.