World Geography and Politics

The Azad Hind Sena (Indian National Army) was officially formed in Singapore in July 1942 after the fall of Singapore to Japan. Subhash Chandra Bose later took leadership in 1943 and proclaimed the Azad Hind government there. Singapore had a large Indian POW population who formed the initial recruitment base.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is believed to have died on August 18, 1945, when his plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Taipei (Taiwan, then Formosa). He was traveling to Japan via Taiwan to seek continued support for India's independence. The exact circumstances remain disputed, but Taiwan is the widely accepted location.

In 1943, Subhash Chandra Bose undertook a perilous submarine journey from Germany to Japan to seek support for India's independence. He traveled from Kiel, Germany on U-180 to the Indian Ocean, then transferred to a Japanese submarine (I-29) to reach Sumatra and eventually Tokyo. This was one of the most audacious submarine journeys of WWII.

Taikonaut is the Chinese term for astronaut. China's Shenzhou 7 mission, carrying taikonauts including Zhai Zhigang (who performed China's first spacewalk), was launched on September 25, 2008. This was a significant milestone in China's space program.

India has indeed maintained a historical record of never invading another country in its modern history. This principle is consistent with India's foreign policy emphasis on non-aggression and peaceful coexistence, though historical debates exist about ancient conflicts.

Taiwan was known as Formosa ('beautiful' in Portuguese) during the 16th-19th centuries under Portuguese and Dutch colonial influence. The name was used officially until the mid-20th century. Hong Kong, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan were never known as Formosa.

The Gurkhas are indeed an ethnic group originating from Nepal, particularly the Gorkha region. They have a distinguished military history serving in the British Indian Army, Indian Army, and British Army. Thailand, Taiwan, and 'Gorki Park' (which is in Moscow, not related to Gurkhas) are not their places of origin. The name 'Gurkha' comes from Gorkha, Nepal.

Indonesia was known as the Dutch East Indies during colonial rule from 1602-1945. The name reflects Dutch colonization of the archipelago, unlike Malaysia, Vietnam, or Brunei which had different colonial powers.

Thailand is traditionally known as the 'Land of White Elephants' because white elephants were considered sacred and royal in Thai culture, being highly revered and symbols of power. India and Myanmar (Mayanmar is misspelled) do not share this specific nickname, and Hanoi is a city, not a country.

Tangkuban Parahu is an active volcano in West Java, Indonesia. Its name means 'upturned boat' in Sundanese, and it last erupted in 2019.

New Delhi is the capital of India, specifically the capital district where the government operates. Delhi refers to the broader metropolitan area, but New Delhi is the official capital. Iraq is a country, not a city.