New Delhi, Jan. 30 -- For 101-year-old retired lieutenant Rangaswamy Madhavan Pillai, a former soldier of the Indian National Army (INA), the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29 was more than a military spectacle - it was a living bridge to his own past and to the nation's journey.

"I am older than what most people consider old. My memory has faded, so for me it's ceremonies like these that keep me in touch with my own life," said Pillai, who served in the India Independence League and worked closely with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Rash Behari Bose in Rangoon (now known as Yangon). The sight and sound of the marching bands at Vijay Chowk brought back memories of his service, he said. "Every time I come for these events, I am remin...