 Thus the nucleus of what came to be the Indian National Army was born.Kuala Lumpur fell on 11 January 1942 with 3,500 Indian prisoners of war, and Singapore on 15 February with 85,000 British troops, of whom 45,000 were Indians.Mohan Singh asked for volunteers who would form the "Azad Hind Fauj" (Free India Army) to fight for Indian independence from the British rule.