Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, India’s one of most dynamic leaders, was born today, January 23, in 1897. A champion of the freedom struggle, Subhas Chandra Bose, called Netaji as a mark of respect and love, had said: “Give me blood, I’ll give you freedom.”
The patriot remains the greatest source of inspiration till India exists. Netaji founded the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) to overthrow the British empire. India’s history will be incomplete without mention of Netaji. His unparalleled commitment to the nation, dedication to mankind and desire to build a progressive India will be written in golden letters for ever.
Netaji was born in Cuttack, Odisha on January 23, 1897. He was the ninth child among 14 siblings. His mother Prabhavati Devi was a religious lady and father Janaki Nath Bose, a renowned lawyer. A bright scholar, patriot from childhood, Netaji left for England in 1919 to appear in the Indian Civil Services Examinations (ICS). He stood fourth but had no wish to work under the Britishers. He left the job and joined the Indian National Congress inspired by Desbandhu Chittaranjan Das, his political guru.
Netaji was first jailed in 1930 for taking part in the Civil Disobedience Movement. He got released after a year as the Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed in 1931. He was again arrested during the Bengal revolution but released on medical grounds to be banned from entering into India.
Netaji defied the ban and spent one year in jail before he was released following Congress victory in 1937 general elections in seven states. He got elected as president of the Congress in 1938 in the Haripura session. Netaji brought a resolution to hand over India to Indians within six months during the World War II. But a section of the party opposed the resolution. He resigned from Congress and formed a progressive political outfit the Forward Block. Soon Netaji began a strong movement to oust the Britishers and was put under house arrest in Calcutta. He disappeared in January, 1941 and reached Germany via Afghanistan to mobilise support from Germany and Japan against the British empire in his quest for India’s freedom.
From Germany, Netaji moved to Singapore and formed the Indian National Army (INA) comprising Indian soldiers who had become prisoners of war then. Netaji motivated the soldiers and gave the slogan ‘Dilli Chalo’. The INA crossed the Burma border and touched Indian soil on March 18, 1944. But that was when Germany and Japan lost the world war and Netaji’s dream remained unfulfilled.
It is said that Netaji died in a plane crash on August 18, 1945 over Taipei, Tiwan (Formosa). But his death is still a mystery as many people refused to believe the facts and circumstances of the death. And, thus the light of a golden flame faded away spreading air of patriotism.
