Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
Birth: 23 Jan 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa, India
Death: 18 Aug 1945 in Taipei, Taiwan
Birthday Celebrated as Parakram Divas – birth
Commander of the Indian National Army – death
Birthday Celebrated as Parakram Divas
Indian freedom fighter, nationalist leader and Congress President (1938), he fled to Germany in 1941, and then to Japan, where he proclaimed independence and led the Indian National Army against the British during World War II.
Son of advocate Janakinath Bose, he graduated in 1918 with a BA from Scottish Church College in Kolkata, travelled to England for a Cambridge BA, declined to join the ICS and returned home.
In India, he came under the influence of Chittaranjan Das (1870-1925), who became the first Mayor of Kolkata and co-founded the Swaraj party, both in 1923. Active as President of the Youth Congress, he was arrested and sent to prison in Mandalay in 1925. Back, he became the Mayor of Kolkata in 1930.
In 1938 he was elected President of Congress, and re-elected in 1939 but resigned, and founded the All India Forward Bloc.
When WWII began, he opposed the Viceroy and began a mass movement against. That saw him in prison for a few days.
On 17 Jan 1941, Bose escaped with the help of his nephew, Sisir Kumar Bose. Reaching Germany, he met Hitler, founded the Free India Center in Berlin, and created an army, “Indian Legion” with Indian POWs. But after Hitler attacked Russia, travelled to Japan.
There, he took charge of the Indian National Army created by Capt Mohan Singh. Then, with his famous quote “Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!” launched an offensive to conquer India. On 30th Dec 1943, he unfurled the Tricolour in Andaman Island. The INA hoisted the flag in Moirang, Manipur on 14 Apr 1944.
But by that time Japan was being pushed back in the pacific, and the INA was forced to retreat. Eventually, Bose moved to Formosa (now Taiwan) and is believed to have died in an aircraft accident.
Today We Remember 