January 23, 2020 marks the 125th birth anniversary of the legend and freedom fighter, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who was revered for his contribution towards the freedom struggle of the country. His patriotism towards his motherland India was immeasurable. Let’s see some of his important contributions and facts about his life in this article.
- Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa Division, Bengal Province, to Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose, an advocate belonging to a Bengali Kayastha family.He was the ninth in a family of 14 children.
- After securing the second position in the matriculation examination in 1913, he was admitted to the Presidency College. His nationalistic temperament came to light when he was expelled for assaulting Professor Oaten (who had manhandled some Indian students for the latter’s anti-India comments. He was expelled although he appealed that he only witnessed the assault and did not actually participate in it. He later joined the Scottish Church College at the University of Calcutta and passed his B.A. in 1918 in philosophy.
- He prepared for ICS(Indian Civils Services) examination and came fourth in it. But he did not wanted to work under an alien government which would mean serving the British. Therefore, He resigned from his civil service job on 23 April 1921 and returned to India.
- 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.
- However, soon after being reelected in 1939, he was ousted from Congress leadership positions following differences with Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress high command. He was subsequently placed under house arrest by the British before escaping from India in 1940.
- Bose arrived in Germany thereafter and came in contact with Adolf Hitler. In November 1941, with German funds, a Free India Centre was set up in Berlin, and soon a Free India Radio, on which Bose broadcast nightly. A 3,000-strong Free India Legion, comprising Indians captured by Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, was also formed to aid in a possible future German land invasion of India.
- In 1943, with Japanese support, Bose revamped the Indian National Army (INA), then composed of Indian soldiers of the British Indian army who had been captured in the Battle of Singapore.
- In late 1944 and early 1945, the British Indian Army first halted and then devastatingly reversed the Japanese attack on India. Almost half the Japanese forces and fully half the participating INA contingent were killed. The INA was driven down the Malay Peninsula and surrendered with the recapture of Singapore.
- His death is marred with mystery. However, a lot of what he said inspired generations of Indians to come. This year, the central government has decided to rename Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti as ‘Parakram Diwas’ that will be celebrated on January 23.
- His one of the famous quotes include “ It is blood alone that can pay the price of freedom. Give me blood and I will give you freedom.”
