Subhas Chandra Bose was a charismatic Indian nationalist and a prominent figure in India’s struggle for independence from British rule.
Revered as Netaji, meaning “Respected Leader,” Bose was known for his fierce patriotism, unyielding courage, and radical approach, which made him one of the most admired and controversial leaders of the Indian freedom movement.
In the quiet lanes of Cuttack, Odisha, on January 23, 1897, a boy was born into a prosperous Bengali family — but prosperity was never his pursuit. Subhas Chandra Bose, the son of advocate Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi, was restless even as a child — not restless from mischief, but from a stirring in his soul.
A brilliant student, Bose graduated from Presidency College and later from Scottish Church College in Calcutta. In 1919, he traveled to England to appear for the Indian Civil Services (ICS) exam, which he passed with distinction.
However, driven by a deeper calling to serve his country, he resigned from the ICS in 1921, stating that he could not serve a colonial government. When the letter of appointment arrived, he tore it away from his destiny — resigning before even taking his seat.
“I cannot serve two masters — India and the Crown.”
The Rise of a Revolutionary
Subhas plunged into politics, drawn by the magnetic pull of Mahatma Gandhi’s call for freedom, yet his vision burned hotter, faster, fiercer. While Gandhi believed in non-violence as an unbreakable creed, Bose believed it a tool — one that could be set aside if the battle demanded fire.
He climbed the ranks of the Indian National Congress, becoming its President in 1938 and 1939, but his uncompromising militancy clashed with the moderates. He resigned, not defeated, but liberated to chart his own course.
“Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom.” — this was not rhetoric; it was a covenant.
The INA & the Call to Arms
World War II cracked open the world order. Bose saw in it the chance to wrest India’s freedom from Britain’s distracted grip. Evading British surveillance, he embarked on a perilous journey — through Afghanistan, Soviet Russia, and eventually Nazi Germany.
From there, he made his way to Japanese-occupied Southeast Asia, where his dream took flesh: the Indian National Army (INA).
To his soldiers, he was Netaji — respected leader, strict yet compassionate. He raised the cry, “Chalo Dilli!” as the INA marched towards India through Burma. The advance faltered against the might of Allied forces, but the movement had already ignited the national spirit.
Despite initial successes, the INA campaign faltered due to logistical challenges, Allied resistance, and Japan’s defeat in the war. Bose remained committed to the cause until the very end.
Sitting (left to right): Aruna Asaf Ali, Nellie Sengupta, Sarojini Naidu, Shahbanu Begum, and unknown.
Standing (left to right): Unknown, Dr. Syud Hossain, Subhas Chandra Bose, Hassan Suhrawardy, and unknown.
The Final Flight
In August 1945, as Japan fell, Bose boarded a Japanese plane in Taiwan. Official accounts say it crashed, and he died from burns on August 18.
Yet his death remains wrapped in smoke and speculation, a mystery that refuses to settle. For many, Netaji did not die that day — he simply vanished into history’s shadows, waiting for a dawn yet to come.
Legacy
Bose was not merely a man of war, but of vision. He dreamed of an India that was strong, industrial, and united — beyond caste, creed, or religion. His courage was absolute, his flaws human, his patriotism without compromise. Today, his voice still rises in the roar of the tricolour:
“It is our duty to pay for our liberty with our own blood.”
Subhas Chandra Bose was the monsoon storm to Gandhi’s gentle rain. Where one tilled the soil with patience, the other sought to break the dam in a single night.
And though fate denied him the sight of a free India, his life remains a blazing testament — that freedom is not always won in whispers; sometimes, it is seized in a single, thunderous cry.
Bose’s vision of a free, strong, and united India remains deeply inspiring. He is remembered for his uncompromising nationalism, strategic mind, and ability to galvanize masses across religious and regional divides.
He also promoted gender equality, famously forming the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, an all-women combat unit of the INA.
Subhas Chandra Bose’s life is celebrated across India, his birthday, January 23, is commemorated as Parakram Diwas (Day of Valor).
Give me blood, and I will give you freedom!
“Friends! Twelve months ago a new programme of ‘Total Mobilisation’ or ‘Maximum Sacrifice’ was placed before you, and you pledged your whole-hearted support to this programme. The blood of martyrs has borne fruit, and through their suffering and sacrifice, our struggle has been brought to this present stage. The time has come for the final march to Delhi. We have resolved to expand and strengthen the Azad Hind Fauj (INA) so that we may strike harder at the enemy. Every Indian, no matter where he may be, should contribute to the best of his capacity and ability to the cause of India’s freedom. Our slogan should be: ‘Give me blood, and I will give you freedom!’”