Souval Azad Hind Tamgha-i-Bahaduri medal...................

[oradour]

Gentlemen, I show an Azad Hind "Tamgha-i-Bahaduri" medal (Soldiers medal) in gold with Swords, a later Souval made cast piece.......This medal was awarded with swords for valour in combat, and without swords for non-combat awards.
The Azad Hind decorations were instituted by Subhas Chandra Bose while in Germany, initially for Azad Hind Legion, to be awarded for gallantry in the field of battle. Both Indians and Germans were eligible for the decorations. Later, the same awards were instituted by the Azad Hind government for the Indian National Army during its campaign in South-east Asia. These are not German awards, but were produced for the Free India Committee of Chandra Bose. The Azad Hind awards were awarded from 1943 until 1961. Rudolf Souval of Vienna had the sole contract to produce the whole range of Azad Hind awards. Souval continued to make these awards after 1961 and these were considered for collectors.
For more information on Azad Hind awards see here Azad Hind Decorations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and on the Indian Free Army (INA) see here Indian National Army - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and for information on the "Legion Freies Indien" (German: "Free India Legion") see here Indische Legion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prost ! Steve.

[oradour]

Here are some more of Rudy's Azad Hind awards...............
Prost ! Steve.