subbier appadurai ayer (14 april 1898 (in madras presidency) – 1 april 1980) was the minister for publicity and propaganda in subhas chandra bose's azad hind government between 1943 and 1945, and later a key defence witness during the first of the ina trials. ayer had travelled to bangkok in november 1940 as a special correspondent for reuters before joining the indian independence league. in october 1943, ayer was appointed the minister of publicity and propaganda in the nascent azad hind government.