The captain of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the women's regiment founded by Subhas Chandra Bose as part of the Indian National Army (INA), was Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan, also known as Lakshmi Sahgal. She led the regiment, which was formed on 12 July 1943 and named after the legendary Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, a symbol of resistance against British rule
. Captain Lakshmi Sahgal was a doctor by profession and a revolutionary who embraced Bose's vision of women's active participation in the freedom struggle. Under her leadership, the regiment trained and fought during World War II, recruiting Indian women from Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaya, and Burma
