Subhash Chandra Bose

                                      

Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack  (what is today the state of Odisha in India, but was then the Orissa Division of Bengal Province in British India). Eager to join his five school-going older brothers, Subhas entered the Baptist Mission's Protestant European School in Cuttack. 

Family and Early Life

His father's name was Janakinath Bose and he was  a successful lawyer and government pleader. He was loyal to the government of British India and scrupulous about matters of language and the law. His mother was Prabhavati Bose had her first child at age 14 and 13 children thereafter. Subhas was the ninth child and the sixth son. The curriculum of his school included English—correctly written and spoken—Latin, the Bible, good manners, British geography, and British History; no Indian languages were taught. The school's curriculum contrasted with Subhas's home, where only Bengali was spoken. At home, his mother worshipped the Hindu goddesses Durga and Kali, told stories from the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana, and sang Bengali religious songs.

Important works by Subhash Chandra Bose

1. Indian National Congress

In 1927, after being released from prison, Bose became general secretary of the Congress party and worked with Jawaharlal Nehru for independence. In late December 1928, Bose organised the Annual Meeting of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta. His most memorable role was as General officer commanding (GOC) Congress Volunteer Corps. Bose stated his opinion that the INC "should be organised on the broadest anti-imperialist front with the two-fold objective of winning political freedom and the establishment of a socialist regime." By 1938 Bose had become a leader of national stature and agreed to accept nomination as Congress President. He stood for unqualified Swaraj (self-governance), including the use of force against the British. This meant a confrontation with Mohandas Gandhi, who in fact opposed Bose's presidency, splitting the Indian National Congress party. He came to believe that an independent India needed socialist authoritarianism, on the lines of Turkey's Kemal Atatürk, for at least two decades. For political reasons Bose was refused permission by the British authorities to meet Atatürk at Ankara. During his sojourn in England Bose tried to schedule appointments with several politicians, but only the Labour Party and Liberal politicians agreed to meet with him. Conservative Party officials refused to meet him or show him courtesy because he was a politician coming from a colony.

2. The Indian Struggle

During the mid-1930s Bose travelled in Europe, visiting Indian students and European politicians, including Benito Mussolini. He observed party organisation and saw communism and fascism in action. In this period, he also researched and wrote the first part of his book-The Indian Struggle, which covered the country's independence movement in the years 1920–1934.

3. Germany

Bose's arrest and subsequent release set the scene for his escape to Germany, via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. A few days before his escape, he sought solitude and, on this pretext, avoided meeting British guards and grew a beard. He journeyed to Peshawar with the help of the Abwehr, where he was met by Akbar Shah, Mohammed Shah and Bhagat Ram Talwar. Bose was taken to the home of Abad Khan, a trusted friend of Akbar Shah's. On 26 January 1941, Bose began his journey to reach Russia through British India's North West frontier with Afghanistan. From Moscow, he reached Rome, and from there he travelled to Germany. In Germany, he was attached to the Special Bureau for India under Adam von Trott zu Solz which was responsible for broadcasting on the German-sponsored Azad Hind Radio. He founded the Free India Center in Berlin, and created the Indian Legion out of Indian prisoners of war who had previously fought for the British in North Africa prior to their capture by Axis forces.

4. Japanese occupied Asia

The Indian National Army (INA) was the brainchild of Japanese Major (and post-war Lieutenant-General) Iwaichi Fujiwara, head of the Japanese intelligence unit Fujiwara Kikan. Fujiwara's mission was "to raise an army which would fight alongside the Japanese army." He first met Pritam Singh Dhillon, the president of the Bangkok chapter of the Indian Independence League, and through Pritam Singh's network recruited a captured British Indian army captain, Mohan Singh, on the western Malayan peninsula in December 1941. The First Indian National Army was formed as a result of discussion between Fujiwara and Mohan Singh in the second half of December 1941, and the name chosen jointly by them in the first week of January 1942.

Death and conspiracies

Subhas Chandra Bose's death occurred from third-degree burns on 18 August 1945 after his overloaded Japanese plane crashed in Japanese-ruled Formosa. many among his supporters, especially in Bengal, refused at the time, and have refused since, to believe either the fact or the circumstances of his death. Conspiracy theories appeared within hours of his death and have thereafter had a long shelf life, keeping alive various martial myths about Bose. Bose saved his people and sacrificed himself. He ignited himself and became a human torch so as to attract the ground staff and save his people. Bose went into coma and died at the age of 48. Among the INA personnel, there was widespread disbelief, shock, and trauma. Most affected were the young Tamil Indians from Malaya and Singapore, both men and women, who comprised the bulk of the civilians who had enlisted in the INA. Many people believed that Bose survived the plane crash and lived as Gumnami Baba.

Subhas Chandra Bose was fondly called 'Netaji' and he believed that the Bhagavad Gita was a great source of inspiration for the struggle against the British. Swami Vivekananda's teachings on universalism, his nationalist thoughts and his emphasis on social service and reform had all inspired Subhas Chandra Bose from his very young days. The fresh interpretation of India's ancient scriptures had appealed immensely to him. He coined some of the most famous quotes of the history- "Give me blood and I will give you freedom", "Dilli Chalo" and "Jai Hind". Many places in our country are dedicated to him. He was very courageous and his birthday, 23 January has been declared as "Parakram Divas". We must not forget the sacrifices made by him and always remember his teachings.