3000 Miles to Freedom by M.M. Pillai opens on the night of 15 February 1942, when Singapore fell to the Japanese—an event second only to Pearl Harbour in its shock. Captured after that fall, Capt. M.M. “Mark” Pillai of the Bombay Sappers confronted a hard truth: the greatest danger of captivity was not barbed wire or starvation, but the slow erosion of hope.
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About 3000 Miles to Freedom
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Driven by the conviction that a prisoner’s highest duty was to escape, he and two fellow Indian companions embarked on a daring journey to freedom. With little more than determination, a handful of dollars, and the kindness of strangers, they crossed enemy-occupied Malaya, Siam and Burma—battling hunger, disease and unforgiving terrain.
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3000 Miles to Freedom is a compelling account, simply told and un-embellished. Drawn from Brig. M.M. Pillai’s wartime diaries and memoirs, it is the extraordinary true story of courage, resilience, and an unbreakable desire to return home. Published by Penguin Veer (Penguin Random House India), this 256-page edition is scheduled for September 2026 with an India MRP of ₹499. Essential reading for WWII history and military memoir enthusiasts.
