Vijay Balan

About: Vijay Balan is an Indian author who was born in India and later moved to the USA for further studies. His novel The Swaraj Spy was inspired by the stories his father told him about his granduncle, who after being dismissed as a foot soldier for refusing to quell peaceful protests, joined a spy school to do his part in ridding India of colonial rule. Vijay found his father’s stories extraordinary as a child and years later, he decided that these stories deserved to be told. This book is the result of over a decade of effort, and hundreds of hours of research which led him to different corners of the world to ensure an authentic portrayal of the facts that gave this book life.

BOOK

Name: The Swaraj Spy

Description:

Kumar Nair moves to Singapore after being dismissed from a British paramilitary unit for refusing to disperse unarmed women agitating for India's independence. But war breaks out and the Great Depression destroys his fledgling business.

After the fall of Singapore, he joins a secret espionage school set up by Japanese Intelligence and the rebel Indian National Army in Penang, Malaya. When several cadets trained at the school are betrayed by a double agent, Kumar is sent on a rescue mission. But while the Japanese want Kumar to continue the mission with surviving agents, Indian leaders ask Kumar to save as many as possible and hunker down until the war ends.

Inspired by a true story, The Swaraj Spy will take you on a thrilling adventure through time and history.