Dr. Mandeep Singh Azad
When reflecting on the Indian independence movement during the 1930s and early 1940s, two prominent figures often come to mind: Mahatma Gandhi, the frail yet beloved pacifist, and Jawaharlal Nehru. Less known in the Western context is Subhash Chandra Bose, a leader of equal significance who, while admiring Gandhi, profoundly disagreed with his methods and eventually became a rival of Nehru. Bose was actively engaged in India’s political landscape throughout much of the 1930s, notably serving as the President of the Indian National Congress in both 1938 and 1939, which was the leading force in India’s struggle for independence from British rule. Although Bose is celebrated in India, his legacy is often overshadowed in the West due to his wartime alliance with the Axis powers. During the lead-up to and throughout World War II, he sought German and Japanese support for India’s liberation. With significant backing from Japan, he led the Indian National Army into battle against British forces in the war’s closing years. A closer examination of his works reveals that many of his social and economic ideas are still relevant today. In a current climate of leadership and ideological stagnation in India, Bose’s writings, speeches, and insights could inspire those striving for positive change. His lifelong commitment to promoting communal harmony and unity among all people—regardless of their background—has become increasingly urgent, especially in a world facing ethnic, tribal, religious, and regional tensions. Bose’s fervent rejection of any form of bigotry and his calls for unity, encapsulated in the motto of his Indian National Army—”Unity, Faith, and Sacrifice”—offer a hopeful vision for a cohesive contemporary India.
The birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is celebrated annually on January 23, honoring one of India’s foremost freedom fighters. In 2025, this occasion marks his 128th birthday, a day that continues to inspire millions through his steadfast dedication and sacrifices. Since 2021, this day has been officially recognized as ‘Parakram Diwas’ (Day of Valour), celebrating Netaji’s unwavering spirit and significant contributions to India’s freedom movement. Born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack (Orissa) to Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose—an esteemed lawyer known as “Rai Bahadur”—Netaji was educated at the Protestant European School (now Stewart High School) and later received his baccalaureate from Presidency College. Influenced by Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna’s teachings, he pursued higher studies at the University of Cambridge in England to prepare for the Indian Civil Service. He passed the examination in 1920, but upon learning of the nationalist unrest in India, he returned home in April 1921, resigning his candidacy.
Upon his return, Bose emerged as a youth educator and took on leadership within the Bengal Congress volunteers, launching the newspaper ‘Swaraj.’ After his release from prison in 1927, he became general secretary of the Congress party and collaborated closely with Jawaharlal Nehru toward achieving independence. In 1938, after being re-elected as president of the Indian National Congress, he established a national planning committee that emphasized broad industrialization—a vision at odds with Gandhi’s focus on cottage industries and self-sufficiency based on local resources. Despite being successful in his re-election in 1939, he resigned due to a lack of support from Gandhi.
The All India Forward Bloc, a left-wing nationalist political group, arose from the Indian National Congress under Bose’s leadership in 1939, aiming to unite radical factions within the party to further the cause of complete independence and social justice.
Following Japan’s victories over British forces in Southeast Asia, the Indian National Army emerged from Indian POWs to fight for India’s liberation. General Mohan Singh, a former officer in the British Indian Army, was crucial in organizing this force. In 1941, Bose escaped to Germany to rally support for India’s independence. By 1943, he led the Indian Independence League in Singapore, reestablishing the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) as a formidable entity in the struggle for freedom, including around 45,000 soldiers comprised of Indian prisoners of war and expatriates. On October 21, 1943, Bose, now known as Netaji, declared the formation of the provisional government of free India (Azad Hind) in Singapore, and raised the Indian flag in the Andaman Islands occupied by Japan. In early 1944, units of the Azad Hind Fauj launched attacks in northeastern India to expel the British, with accounts of soldiers reverently kissing the soil of their homeland upon entry. However, the liberation efforts ultimately fell short.
Women played an indispensable role in the freedom struggle, exemplified by the formation of the Rani Jhansi regiment within the Azad Hind Fauj, led by Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan. The Azad Hind Fauj symbolized unity and heroism for many Indians. Tragically, shortly after Japan’s surrender, it was reported that Netaji perished in an air crash. Throughout his life, he remained a pivotal figure in the fight against over two centuries of British rule, even after being imprisoned eleven times between 1920 and 1941. His determination to resist British authority was unwavering, and even while planning a potential migration to Russia to continue his struggle, he embodied relentless patriotism. The title ‘Netaji,’ bestowed upon him in Berlin, speaks to his esteemed legacy despite critiques of his wartime allegiances and military strategies. Nevertheless, his contributions to India’s independence narrative are widely celebrated. Netaji characterized India’s aspirations and indomitable spirit in service to the nation, identifying poverty, illiteracy, and disease as paramount challenges. The vision of an independent India would not have materialized without the efforts of committed revolutionaries like Subhas Chandra Bose, whose bravery paved the way for the nation’s future.
Netaji’s adventurous spirit and heroism continue to inspire countless young individuals in India. In his lifetime, he faced opposition from political colleagues and rivals who sought to diminish his influence within Congress. It is noteworthy to consider what measures they might have undertaken, presuming he was no longer alive.
Should Netaji’s legacy take on a mystic quality in the afterlife, it would follow a precedent from his earthly existence. Known for his asceticism and detachment from personal ties (although he allegedly married his Austrian secretary in 1937 and had a daughter, Anita, in 1942), he admired Ramakrishna, the revered 19th-century Bengali mystic regarded by followers as a divine incarnation. In his unfinished autobiography, “Indian Pilgrim,” he documented his quest for spiritual enlightenment and reflected on a letter he received, stating: “Crores of Indians have placed their hopes upon you. One day the Lord Himself will alleviate the people’s suffering; evil will be vanquished, and goodness will prevail. You are our God in human form.” Bose approached his fight as a moral crusade against what he viewed as the malignance of the British Empire, famously declaring, “Give me your blood, and I shall give you freedom.” In a nation where the boundaries between mortality, sanctity, and divinity are often blurred, why not resurrect the epic hero, Netaji, to symbolize an ideal of a Divine Age on Earth?
