Who among the following was the founder of ‘Tiger Legion’ or ‘Free India Legion’?

The correct answer is Subhash Chandra Bose.

The Free India Legion (also known as the Tiger Legion, or formally as Legion Freies Indien in German) was a military unit formed during World War II. Let us understand the historical context and reasoning step by step.

Step 1 – Who was Subhash Chandra Bose and what was his ideology?
Subhash Chandra Bose (1897–1945) was one of India's most prominent and radical freedom fighters. Unlike the mainstream Congress leadership, Bose believed that Indian independence could only be achieved by actively fighting the British, even if it meant seeking help from Britain's enemies — Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. This philosophy of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" drove him to form military alliances abroad.

Step 2 – How did the Free India Legion come into existence?
After escaping house arrest in India in 1941, Subhash Chandra Bose made his way to Germany, where he met with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi leadership. To build an armed force that could fight against the British, Bose recruited Indian soldiers who had been captured by Germany as prisoners of war (POWs) — primarily from the British Indian Army's North African campaign. These soldiers voluntarily joined the cause of Indian independence.

Step 3 – Formation and structure of the Legion
In 1941–1942, Bose formally established this unit, which came to be officially known as:

➤ Indische Legion (Indian Legion) or Legion Freies Indien (Free India Legion) in Germany
➤ Informally called the Tiger Legion

The force eventually comprised approximately 4,500 to 5,000 soldiers and was attached to the German Wehrmacht. Its members swore an oath of allegiance to both Adolf Hitler and Subhash Chandra Bose, with the ultimate objective being the liberation of India from British rule.

Step 4 – Eliminating the other options

➤ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar — A prominent Hindu nationalist and ideologue, founder of the concept of Hindutva. He was not involved in forming any military legion abroad.
➤ Sohan Singh Bhakhna — A key leader of the Ghadar Party, which was a revolutionary movement among Indian expatriates in North America. He had no connection to the Free India Legion.
➤ Lala Hardayal — Another co-founder of the Ghadar Party and an intellectual revolutionary. He was also not associated with the Free India Legion.

Step 5 – Conclusion
The Free India Legion (Tiger Legion) was uniquely conceived and founded by Subhash Chandra Bose as part of his broader global strategy to militarily challenge British rule in India during World War II. His efforts in Germany, and later in Southeast Asia (where he led the Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj in coordination with Japan), made him one of the most daring military-political figures in India's independence movement.