World War II Changed India in Many Ways, Say Experts
Indivar Kametkar, a visiting professor at Ashoka University, Mukund Padmanabhan, professor of philosophy and author, and writer Raghu Karnad recalled the consequences of World War II during the discussion organised as part of the History Literary Festival.
By : V. Shivani Reddy
Update: 2026-02-08 17:22 GMT
Hyderabad: World War II was central to understanding modern Indian history, not just as a military event but as a force that transformed Indian society and politics, said experts during a discussion on ‘World War II: Indians in Britain's Battle’ held here on Sunday.
Indivar Kametkar, a visiting professor at Ashoka University, Mukund Padmanabhan, professor of philosophy and author, and writer Raghu Karnad recalled the consequences of World War II during the discussion organised as part of the History Literary Festival.
Raghu Karnad said the Japanese invasion caused a massive panic and migration across India. After Japan bombed places like Singapore, and especially after the fall in February 1942, people believed India would be next. False rumours of Japanese landings along the coast made the fear worse, he added.
As a result, there was a huge exodus from coastal areas and affecting towns, villages, and cities across the country, he said.
India’s history mostly looked at political leaders and movements, while the everyday experiences of ordinary people during the war were ignored, said Indivar Kametkar. He said World War II affected India more than World War I as Japan entered the war.
The war also resulted in devastating consequences, most notably the Bengal famine, in which around 30 lakh people were estimated to have died. These deaths were not accidental but were closely linked to wartime policies and priorities, he said.
According to Padmanabhan, the Japanese Navy operated close to India, with a purpose to spread terror.
In 1942, the Japanese did not plan to invade India immediately, but they wanted to create panic and show their strength and they succeeded. He said the sequence of events helps us understand why fear spread so rapidly across India during the early years of World War II.