It is the story of a young dreamer that tells the saga of consciousness, struggle and success in every eye; one who has the power to rip the ground with his arms; one who talks about making a hole in the sky; one who is anxious to achieve his goals; one who does not accept anything for free; and if he wants freedom, he is ready to spill his blood.

 

Subhash Chandra Bose, popularly known as “Netaji”, a great militant, freedom fighter and patriot was born at Cuttack, Orissa on January 23, 1897 to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi. Janakinath was a well- known lawyer. Prabhavati Devi was a religious and God-fearing woman.He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and was known for his patriotic zeal as a student. Subhash Chandra was a brilliant student from the very beginning and was first in the merit list of successful students in the matriculation examination.Bose did his graduation from Presidency College, Kolkata. He went to England in September 1919 for higher studies. He was selected for the Indian Civil Service but returned to India without completing his training to take part in the freedom struggle.

Bose’s selfless contribution to India’s Independence Movement and organizing and leading the Indian National Army is indispensable. His struggle of Independence was highlighted during the Civil Disobedience Movement for which he had even been arrested. In fact, he was imprisoned 11 times for his ideologies and the use of force against the British. Bose was elected the president of the Indian National Congress twice but he resigned from the post as he was against the congress internal and foreign policy.  Subhash Chandra favored complete freedom of India at the earliest while the Congress was in favor of freedom in phases in the beginning. He was also against India’s joining the Second World War as an ally of the British. This led to differences with Gandhiji, and so he resigned from the President-ship of the Congress and set up the Forward Block.Soon, he left the party and went out of the country seeking an alliance with other countries to fight against British forces. He earned the support of the Japanese and they agreed to help him in forming the Indian national army in Southeast Asia. Later on, he became the commander of the INA. The Indian National Army attacked the North-eastern parts of India. This attack took place under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose and he was even successful in acquiring a few portions of the north-eastern parts of India. Unfortunately, the surrender of the Japanese forced him to withdraw and call off the war.

Subhash Chandra launched an all-India anti-British Campaign in September, 1939. He was arrested in July, 1940. Later he was put under house-arrest, but then he disappeared in the guise of a Pa than and reached Berlin, Germany in November, 1941.He reached Malaya and established Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauz by recruiting Indian prisoners of war. In June, 1943, he visited Japan to have support of the Japanese government in the freedom struggle of India. On October 21, 1943, he became the commander of the Indian National Army in Singapore and began his military struggle against the British. He also established the Provisional Government of Free India there. In December, 1943 he occupied Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In December 1944 the Indian National Army crossed the Burma-India Border and reached Kohima and then Imphal. But the surrender of the Japanese forced him to withdraw and call off the war. It is believed that he lost his life in a plane-crash on August 18, 1945 at the Taihoku airport, Formosa. Subhash Chandra was one of the greatest freedom-fighters and patriots and the Pride of Bengal. He became a legend in his life-time as a great leader, fiery orator and organizer. He was sent to prison eleven times during 1920-1941.

After his mysterious disappearance from his house, where he was under arrest, he appeared in Kabul and again disappeared until he surfaced in Germany. From there he started publishing and broadcasting on air to help the struggle for freedom.He was promised help in his armed struggle by Germany. Then he traveled to Japan facing all the dangers posed by the Second World War. He became the commander of the Indian National Army and freed the islands of Andaman and Nicobar and renamed them as Swaraj and Saheed Islands.”Delhi Chalo” (March Delhi) becomes the battle cry of the Indian National Army and they were soon across the Indian border in Manipur but then the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the surrender of the Japanese army changed the whole course of events. Therefore, he decided to return to Tokyo to decide his further course of action, but unfortunately, his plane crashed near Taipei and he achieved martyrdom at the young age of 48 years. But the country took the news of his death with disbelief and still there are thousands and thousands of Indians who believe that he is alive.

In popular Media,

• In 2004, Shyam Benegal directed the biographical film, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero depicting his life in Nazi Germany (1941–1943), in Japanese-occupied Asia (1943–1945) and the events leading to the formation of Azad Hind Fauj. The film received critical acclaim at the BFI London Film Festival, and has garnered the National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, and the National Film Award for Best Production Design for that year .
• In 2017, ALTBalaji and BIG Synergy Media, released a 9-episode web series, Bose: Dead/Alive, created by Ekta Kapoor, a dramatized version of the book India’s Biggest Cover-up written by Anuj Dhar, which starred Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao as Subhas Chandra Bose and Anna Ador as Emilie Schenkl. The series was praised by both audience and critics, for its plot, performance and production design.
• Gumnaami is an 2019 Indian Bengali mystery film directed by Srijit Mukherji, which deals with Netaji’s death mystery, based on the Mukherjee Commission.

The Ministry of railways of India renamed one of the oldest running trains of India, Kalka Mail as Netaji Express from 23 January 2021.

Netaji was a great adventurer as well. His military exploits, unmatched patriotism and exemplary bravery have made him a role model for the young men and women of India. He still lives within our hearts and minds and works as a leading light and source of inspiration.

“By freedom I mean all-round freedom, i.e. freedom for the individual as well as for the society; freedom for the rich as well as for the poor; freedom for men as well as for women; freedom for all individuals and for all classes.” -Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

“We should have but one desire today – the desire to die so that India may live – the desire to face a martyr’s death, so that the path to freedom may be paved with the martyr’s blood”. -Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

Netaji was a true Inspiration and has enlighten our world with his Ideologies & Beliefs. He is a Forever Legend and we all are eternally in debt to him for his sacrifice towards our motherland. He will remain in our hearts and thus will lead an immortal life forever.