A vast majority of today’s generation, including those born in the late fifties, are blissfully unaware of certain momentous events that shaped the destiny of the Indian sub-continent and Turkey.
Barring the usual ‘history’ of the freedom movements that is taught in academia and popularized through cinema and television serials, very few among the nearly one and a half billion people residing in this geography have no more than a very sketchy picture of the role the colonized peoples of the Indian sub-continent played in Turkey’s struggle to get the better of Western bullying.
Incidentally, many of us in the sub-continent have never heard of the bravery of the Turks in repulsing the unholy alliance of Western powers during the early 20th century, especially when they, as a nation, were nearly down and out. No other Eastern nation has demonstrated such resilience and determination in standing up to the West. Be it the victory at Gallipoli or the success in driving out invaders from Greece, Armenia, Russia, Italy and the other Western nations– back home in India– there is virtually no awareness of these events even among the educated masses.
Please see the section titled Resources to read about the Khilafat Movement in India and the different ways in which ordinary Indians contributed funds for supporting the Turkish war efforts. One will be surprised to know how the Khilafat movement permeated into the deep South of the country in places like Malabar and Tamil Nadu as well. I have provided links to reference material that detail the Turkish battle-field achievements as well.
Just this afternoon, I was speaking to a group of young professionals from the South-Indian state of Kerala, and they had no clue that the Mappilah uprising was originally in support of the Khilafat Movement.
Interestingly, in February of this year, I met a Turk in his early thirties, in the International Islamic University in Kuala Lumpur, and he had no clue about the Khilafat Movement and the contributions of Indians in aiding Turkey during their most difficult days. Subsequently, this same gentleman has led me to a Turkish website which lists research work produced in Turkey on India. Grateful thanks to Mr. Yusuf Kara.
I am looking forward to benefiting from relatives, friends and others who can share links to resources that can throw more light on the subject. I can be reached at khalidchinoy@gmail.com or on WhatsApp +966504409915