Subhash Chandra Bose

Subhash Chandra Bose ( The Forgotten Hero)

Subhash Chandra Bose was born on 23rd January, 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa. His father Janakinath Bose was one of the successful lawyer and received the title of "Rai Bahadur".  He later became a member of the Bengal Legislative Council. Subhash Chandra Bose was founder of the Indian National Army also called 'Azad Hind Fauj'. He was one of the India's greatest freedom fighter. Subhash Chandra Bose was a very intelligent and sincere student. He passed his B.A. in Philosophy from the Presidency College in Calcutta. He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda's teachings and worshipped Vivekananda as his spiritual Guru. In December 1921, Bose was imprisoned for forming a boycott against visit of Prince of Wales's to India.

Subhash Chandra Bose appeared for the Indian Civil Service Examination and qualified with highest marks in English and was placed fourth. Bose resigned from the Indian Civil Service in April 1921,  and came back to India. He joined the Congress and was elected as the president of the party. Congress party was always lenient and never in a position to oppose British rule. Bose opposed this pacifist behaviour of Congress.  Once there was a picture of ‘Subhash Chandra Bose against entire congress party’. It was first election of congress that time. Usually closer aide of Mahatma Gandhi used to get elected; but this time Subhash Chandra Bose got elected with higher votes and this insulted Gandhi group. He went to Germany, Japan to attack on British with soldiers from outside India. It was period of IInd world war. Nehru at that time said   “If Subhash would bring soldiers from outside and enter India, then I would be the first person to take sword in hand and oppose him.”

Subhash Chandra Bose started a heavy movement against utilizing Indian resources for the war. There was a very good response to his call and the Britishers imprisoned him. In 1941 Subhash Chandra Bose suddenly disappeared and traveled by foot, car and train and reappeared in Kabul (Afghanistan). His broadcast from German radio in Nov. 1941 shocked Britishers and excited Indians who recognized that their leader was building a master plan to free their motherland.

The Axis powers in World War II assured Bose of military and other help to fight the Britishers. Bose made alliance with Germany and Japan. He was welcomed in Japan and was declared the head of the Indian army, which consisted of  about 40,000 soldiers unitedly named Indian National Army (INA). These soldiers were united by another great revolutionary Ras Behari Bose. Ras Behari handed over them to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. INA freed the Andaman and Nicobar islands from the British and were renamed as Swaraj and Shaheed islands. INA marched through Burma and occupied Coxtown on the Indian Border. A touching scene ensued when the soldiers entered their 'free' motherland. Some lay down and kissed, some placed pieces of  mother earth on their heads, others wept. They were now inside India and were determined to drive out the British! Delhi Chalo (Let's march to Delhi) was the war cry. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the history of mankind. Japan had to surrender.

It was believed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died in a plane crash, his body was never recovered. There have so many theories been put forward regarding his abrupt desertion. The government of India set up a number of committees to investigate the case and come out with truth.