Remembering Subhash Chandra Bose

Widely venerated as Netaji, Subhas Chandra Bose emerged as an ardent nationalist, a compelling orator, an innovative organizer, a resolute patriot, and a preeminent protagonist in Bharat’s struggle for independence. Revered for the establishment of the Indian National Army, he orchestrated its formation from the remnants of war prisoners. Bose waged a decisive war against the British, culminating in the establishment of an autonomous provisional Government on 21 October 1943.
In 1927, Bose assumed the role of General Secretary of the Indian National Congress, collaborating initially for Bharat’s liberation. Consequently, he embarked on an armed crusade for freedom against the British administration. Netaji stands out as one of the most venerated leaders of his era in Indian history, characterized by an unwavering patriotism, formidable intellect, and an intense commitment to Bharat’s progress and destiny.
Subhas Bose was born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack to Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose, an advocate belonging to a Bengali Kayastha family. Bose was the ninth child of a family of 14 and the sixth son of his parents. He entered an English School in Cuttack at the age of five and was transferred to Ravenshaw Collegiate School. He matriculated from Cuttack in 1913 and joined the Presidency College in Calcutta. His early influences included his headmaster, Beni Madhav Das and the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. The latter brought about a spiritual awakening in the 15-year-old Bose.
At 17, Bose suddenly left his college in Calcutta without a word to his parents and went on a pilgrimage in search of a spiritual guru. After visiting renowned gurus of his day in places such as Rishikesh, Hardwar, Mathura, Brindavan, Varanasi and Gaya, he failed to find a guru whom he could follow and returned to Calcutta utterly disappointed. He graduated from Scottish Church College, Calcutta with first class honours in philosophy. He entered Cambridge University to study for the Indian Civil Service Examination. Bose took the ICS exams in London and he came at fourth rank. Bose then faced a dilemma as to whether to take up this opportunity and sought advice from his family through correspondence to Bharat. Finally Bose withdrew from taking up this post with the ICS and returned to Bharat in 1921.
Here Bose met with Mahatma Gandhi and Chittaranjan Das, and joined the Congress Party. Soon after, Bose and Das were arrested on Christmas day in 1921 for successfully organising a boycott against the Prince of Wales’s visit to Bharat, and were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. Bose was again detained in Mandalay and released only two-and-a-half years later on the grounds of ill health. From 1928 to 1937, he remained in politics, and was arrested twice by British authorities. He was appointed President of the Indian Congress Party in 1938 but resigned soon after.
Upon his resignation, he formed the All India Forward Bloc on 3 May 1939, a party within Congress, in an attempt to bring together the leftist faction and to fight Gandhism. He was later removed from the presidency of the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee.
With the help of the Italian embassy, he escaped from house arrest and reached Germany via Moscow. There he recruited Indian prisoners-of-war in Europe and north Africa to form the Azad Hind Fauj to fight for freedom.
Later Bose arrived in Singapore following the invitation from revolutionary freedom fighter Rash Bihari Bose. He was appointed President of the Indian Independence League and took over from Rashbehari as leader of the Independence League in East Asia. Bose proclaimed the formation of the Provisional Government of Free India in 1943. Soon he declared war on Britain and the United States. With help from the Japanese, he re-organised and rejuvenated the Azad Hind Fauj. On 14 April 1944, he led the force on an offensive against the British and crossing the Burmese border, he planted the National tri-colour flag at Moirang. It was a symbol of claiming Indian soil from the British.
On the birth anniversary of the great son of Bharat we pay our heartiest tribute to Netaji Subhash.