Until recently, details of their Malayali connection remained hidden. Until journalist and writer G Shaheed embarked on a mission to unspool these tales. Thus was born the book Mandelayodoppam Poradiya Randu Malayalikal (Two Malayalis Who Fought Alongside Mandela).

It all started when one of Shaheed’s friends visited the Robben Island Prison, which is now a popular museum. “He noticed the name Billy Nair in front of a cell near Mandela’s. On enquiring, museum officials told him Billy was a popular figure in the country,” says Shaheed.

“Billy was a revolutionary trade unionist and two-time MP. There were not many details about his Indian connection, though. This friend of mine, Sudhakar, discussed this discovery with me when he returned to India.”

Shaheed’s search for Billy’s story began there, about six years ago. During his research, he stumbled upon Paul’s heroics. And the scale of search expanded. He reached out to many, from South African peace activist and former politician Ela Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter) and several Indian ambassadors to lawyers and journalists.