1: The Soldier in the Background

A family photo sends journalist Sami Shah on a quest to uncover the fate of his great-granduncle, revealing the forgotten story of more than one million Indian soldiers who fought in World War I. Looking through a family history, a single photo of a smiling ancestor in uniform catches Sami’s eye. The entry says Rifatullah Shah joined the British army and died in a skirmish in the First World War. That’s it, nothing on how or where or when. Living in Australia, Sami knows all about ANZAC Day, the Dawn Service and ‘Lest We Forget’, but he didn’t think it applied to his family. He’s not alone. Over a million men from undivided India fought for the British, but they are now forgotten. Why have so many of these soldiers’ stories faded from view? And how, where and when did Rifatullah die? #sbsaudiopodcast