Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose stands as an immortal hero of India’s freedom movement. — Mahadevayya Karadalli
At a time when it was impossible to fight the British on Bharat’s soil, Netaji dared to challenge the British Empire by raising an army overseas. A towering personality with extraordinary leadership, Netaji can rightly be called the greatest Kshatriya warrior after Chhatrapati Shivaji in Bharat’s freedom struggle. He firmly believed that freedom is not begged for, but seized. Living up to this conviction, he united Indian soldiers captured by German and Japanese forces along with Bharatiyas’ living in Southeast Asia and formed the Azad Hind Fauj. He sounded the war trumpet against the British who boasted that their empire was one on which the sun never set. Thus, Subhas Chandra Bose created a blood-stained yet glorious chapter in the history of Bharatiya’s freedom struggle.
At a time when Bharatiyas’ were crushed under British imperial rule, Swami Vivekananda had awakened lion-like courage in their hearts by sounding the conch of spiritual nationalism at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. The sacred and divine day when he returned and touched Bharat soil was January 26, 1897. Just three days earlier, on 23-01-1897, like the dawn preceding Bharat’s new sunrise, Subhas was born in Cuttack, Odisha, to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi—simple, righteous, charitable, and deeply cultured parents.
Subhas received his early education in an English-medium European school and later studied at Presidency College. Intelligent and energetic, he excelled both in studies and sports. Under the influence of Principal Benimadhav Das, he studied and absorbed the lives, thoughts, and ideals of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Aurobindo. Inspired by Aurobindo’s call—”You must become great not for yourselves, but to make India great. Be ready to sacrifice your lives to end India’s slavery”—the young Subhas resolved to dedicate his life to the nation.
When a British professor at Presidency College, E. F. Oaten, insulted Indian students as unworthy and useless, Subhas led a protest and boycotted the class. He was expelled and later continued his education at Scottish Church College. In 1919, when his father asked whether he would go to England to prepare for the Indian Civil Services examination, Subhas initially refused. Challenged that he feared failure, he accepted the challenge, completed two years of preparation in just eight months, outperformed British candidates, and secured the fourth rank. Yet, rejecting all pressure to join British service, he resigned and returned to India on 16-07-1921 to meet Mahatma Gandhi. Disagreeing with Bose’s views on non-violence, Gandhi advised him to work with Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das in Calcutta.
Between 1921 and 1941, Netaji was imprisoned eleven times in twenty years. After Congress won the Calcutta Municipal elections in 1924, Chittaranjan Das became Mayor and Netaji was appointed Chief Executive Officer. Though entitled to a salary of Rs. 3000, he accepted only Rs. 1500. He brought bold administrative reforms and openly challenged British authority. Elected Congress President in 1938 and again in 1939, he was forced to resign due to differences with Gandhiji and later formed the Forward Bloc.
Alarmed by his popularity, the British imprisoned him in Mandalay jail in Burma, where Bal Gangadhar Tilak had earlier been confined. Denied basic facilities, his health deteriorated. In protest, he undertook a six-week hunger strike. Fearing the consequences of his death, the British brought him back to Calcutta and placed him under house arrest. After forty days of silence, disguised with a beard and moustache, Netaji executed his daring escape in early 1941—vanishing before British eyes like a tiger in pursuit of its prey.
Travelling through Russia, Germany, and France, he finally reached Japan. In February 1942, after Japan captured Singapore, over 30,000 Indian soldiers became prisoners of war. Under Captain Mohan Singh, Netaji reorganized them into the Azad Hind Army. Thousands of civilians joined voluntarily, donating money and jewellery. In June 1942, the Indian Independence League of Southeast Asia invited Netaji to assume leadership, and Rash Behari Bose formally handed over command to him.
Netaji’s stirring call—”Not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to sacrifice their life for the motherland. Better to fight and die in battle than live a hundred years as slaves. Give me your blood, and I will give you freedom”—moved soldiers so deeply that many signed their pledges in blood. He toured Thailand, Burma, China, and beyond with lightning speed, inspiring Bhartiyas’ everywhere.
On 21-10-1943, at the Cathay Cinema Hall in Singapore, Netaji formed the Provisional Government of Free Bharat, becoming its first Prime Minister—much before Jawaharlal Nehru—and gaining international recognition. Japan, Germany, Italy, Thailand, Burma, Philippines, and several other nations recognized this government. On October 24, Netaji, as Supreme Commander of the INA, declared war against Britain and America. His clarion call—”Chalo Dilli”—electrified the nation.
On 29-12-1943, the INA liberated the Andaman Islands, hoisted the tricolour at Port Blair, renamed Andaman as Shaheed Dweep & Nicobar as Swaraj Dweep. Azad Hind Radio broadcasts thrilled Indians everywhere. On 18-03-1944, INA troops entered Burma and later established the Azad Hind Bank in Rangoon. However, due to worsening war conditions and Japan’s defeat following atomic bombings, INA forces were forced to retreat.
After Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945, Netaji left for further assistance with Colonel Habib-ur- Rahman. What followed remains one of history’s greatest mysteries. On 22-08-1945, Tokyo Radio announced that Netaji had died in a plane crash on 18-08-1945. The news shocked the nation like a lightning bolt. Yet, inspired by Netaji, naval mutinies and widespread resistance erupted across India, hastening the end of British rule.
Even today, Netaji’s courage, indomitable spirit, and the visionary governance he established on foreign soil stand as a model for the world. When we remember Subhas Chandra Bose, we recall Bharat’s valour, heroism, and patriotism all at once.
Let us remember Netaji. Let us strive to make Bharat a Vishwaguru once again.
