PVLF 2025

Interview with Savie Karnel Author of Lakshmi Panda: The Story of Netaji's Youngest Spy

Discover the inspiring journey of Laxmi Panda, Netaji's youngest spy, in Savie Karnel's gripping book. A tale of bravery, sacrifice, and historical significance.
on Aug 12, 2024

Savie Karnel is the author of the critically acclaimed book The Nameless God. It was voted the most popular children’s book on Amazon India in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize in the same year. It was the only children’s book shortlisted for the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival’s Words to Screen Options Market in 2023.

Frontlist: What inspired you to write "Laxmi Panda: The Story of Netaji's Youngest Spy"? How did you first come across her story?

Savie: One late evening in 2008, when I was a reporter with a daily in Bengaluru, I had an unexpected visitor. A young man clutching a file with documents visited the newspaper office seeking to speak to any reporter who would hear his Naani-ma’s story. The young man was Probin Patro, and his grandmother was Laxmi Panda. He had been running from pillar to post, to get the freedom fighters’ pension for Laxmi Panda, who was living in penury. I was intrigued and requested to facilitate an interview with the INA soldier. He immediately called her. Her first words, ‘Jai Hind,’ was filled with so much gusto and devotion that I got goosebumps and I instinctively straightened my back. She passionately recalled her time in the INA, and mentioned how she infiltrated into British camps to sell frogs and collected intelligence. She was a spy at 14 years! She was a child spy!

After couple of months, she was invited by the then President Pratibha Patil to Rashtrapati Bhavan, and she was honoured with the Rashtriya Swatantrata Sainik Samman. A few days after being honoured, Laxmi Panda breathed her last. My heart sank on hearing it. I felt we, as a country, had failed her. That’s when I decided that her story had to be told. I didn’t want her to be remembered as a frail woman living in misery, but wanted her life to be celebrated as that of a resilient, courageous soldier and spy. That’s when for the first time, the thought of writing a book on her someday crossed my mind.

Frontlist: Laxmi Panda’s transformation from a determined young girl to becoming a formidable spy is fascinating. How did you approach developing her character throughout the book?

Savie: To develop 14-year-old Laxmi Panda’s character, I had to first research and study the history of her time. As I read more about the era of World War II, I realised Laxmi was much more formidable than I formerly imagined her. Before becoming a spy, she was a young girl orphaned in a foreign land, burdened with the responsibility of looking after her younger brother. She beat hunger and dangers of the jungle, and survived the World War. Despite the challenges, she chose to join the Rani of Jhansi Regiment and fight for a motherland which she had never set her foot upon. While living through events that changed the course of history, it was inevitable that her personality transformed. She grew stronger and fearless. Laxmi Panda came a long way from being a meek orphan and turned into a formidable spy.

Frontlist: Balancing historical accuracy with creative storytelling can be challenging. How did you navigate this balance in "Lakshmi Panda: The Story of Netaji's Youngest Spy"?

Savie: Yes, it was a challenge balancing historical accuracy and creative storytelling. I have used established facts about Laxmi Panda’s life and woven her story around historical events. There have been parts where I had to let go of the journalist in me who wanted to stick to recorded facts and give way to fiction to fill the gaps. At times, I had to look at Laxmi Panda not as a hero but as a child living through unusual times. I had to get into the character of Laxmi and see things through the perspective of a 14-year-old. This change in outlook helped me greatly to tell her story

Frontlist: What is the significance of individuals like Laxmi Panda in the Indian freedom struggle, especially as she joined the Rani of Jhansi regiment of the Indian National Army and became its youngest soldier?

Savie: The freedom that we enjoy today is a gift from countless heroes like Laxmi Panda. Of course, the leaders who led the freedom movement are well known. Have you ever wondered what would have happened if the common people hadn’t heeded their call? Who would have our leaders led? How would any march for freedom take place, without the thousands of people joining it? Would it have any impact?

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose led the INA and formed the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. What if the soldiers had refused to join the INA? What if women hadn’t broken societal norms of the time and refused to pick up arms and refused to join the regiment? Then, we would have perhaps not remembered Netaji as the way we remember him today. He would have perhaps played some other role in the freedom movement. Individuals like Laxmi Panda defied barriers of age, gender and norms and marched ahead willing to lay their lives down for their motherland. It was the sacrifices of people like her that helped change the course of the wind and bring about change.

Frontlist: You enjoy traveling and listening to stories from people you meet. Have your experiences from your travels inspired or shaped your writing in any manner?

Savie: My penchant for listening to people made me listen to Probin Patro speak about his warrior grandmother, Laxmi Panda. That conversation led to this book being written. My travels have helped me revel in the diversity of our country. I have learned to appreciate different cultures and traditions. I observe and note dialects, mannerisms, food, and topography of the regions. My travels to Manipur, Arunachal, and the bordering towns of Burma helped me a great deal in describing the locations in the book.

Frontlist: As Independence Day approaches, why do you believe it's important to keep telling stories about India's freedom fighters?

Savie: It is important to remember that freedom is not free. To remember that we need to be reminded of the sacrifices of the countless people who fought for our independence.