Subhas Chandra Bose was a patriot in India. He is primarily remembered for his patriotism and efforts to liberate India from British domination. He is well-known throughout the country for his daring proclamation, “Give me Blood, and I will give you Freedom,” which perfectly encapsulates his character. He envisioned an independent India, as did many other Indian nationalist leaders. Despite the fact that Bose’s theology and philosophy differed from that of Mahatma Gandhi and other ‘Indian National Congress’ leaders, his vision was no different than that of any other nationalist hero. He is well-known for his political and military expertise. His effort, which he referred to as a moral crusade, is well remembered. Bose, the originator of ‘Azad Hind Radio,’ ‘Azad Hind Fauj,’ and ‘Azad Hind Government,’ was upfront about his aims from the start. Despite the fact that he did not have much success in his endeavor, his perseverance and hard work are admirable. The Bose-led INA, it is alleged, damaged the very foundations of British forces and spurred the Royal Navy mutiny in 1946, causing the British to conclude that they were no longer in a position to administer India.
Childhood and Adolescence
Subhas Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack, Bengal Presidency, British India, on January 23, 1897, to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi.
Bose, a gifted student since boyhood, excelled in his academics, placing second overall in the matriculation examination. In 1911, he enrolled in the ‘Presidency College,’ but was expelled after assaulting Professor Oaten over anti-India remarks.
He then earned a BA in philosophy from the ‘University of Calcutta’ after graduating from ‘Scottish Church College.’ The next year, he was accepted into Cambridge’s ‘Fitzwilliam College’ to take the ‘Indian Civil Services Examination’ (ICS).
Bose aced the exam and landed a job with the civil service department, as per his father’s wishes. He did not stay at the post for long, however, as he disliked working for the British government.
Bose left his well-paid employment and returned to India, where he joined the ‘Indian National Congress’ to fight for the country’s independence. He founded a publication called ‘Swaraj’ to do so. He was also in head of public relations for the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee.
The spirit of nationalism in Bose expanded by leaps and bounds under the supervision and support of Chittaranjan Das. In 1923, he was elected as the ‘President of the All India Youth Congress’ and served as the secretary of the ‘Bengal State Congress.’
Bose also served as the editor of ‘Forward,’ a publication started by Chittaranjan Das. He went on to become the CEO of the ‘Calcutta Municipal Corporation.’
The British did not appreciate his nationalistic attitude or participation to the independence cause. He was imprisoned in Mandalay in 1925.
His Political Aspirations
Bose launched his full-fledged political career after his release from prison in 1927. He was appointed general secretary of the ‘Congress Party’ and began collaborating with Jawaharlal Nehru.
Bose was elected mayor of Calcutta three years later. He traveled to Europe in the mid-1930s, meeting Indian students and European officials, notably Benito Mussolini.
Bose’s popularity grew to the point that he became a national leader. His popularity and admiration earned him a candidacy to be the president of Congress.
Mahatma Gandhi was not pleased with Bose’s selection. Gandhi opposed Bose’s presidential campaign because he believed in complete independence, even if it meant employing force against the British. Gandhi, on the other hand, believed that nonviolence was the best way to achieve independence.
The ‘Indian National Congress’ broke due to differences of ideas, with Bose forming his own ministry. Bose defeated Pattabhi Sitaramayya (Gandhi’s selected candidate) in the 1939 Congress presidential elections, but his administration was short-lived since his beliefs were incompatible with those of the members of the ‘Congress Working Committee.’
On June 22, 1939, after resigning as president of the Congress, Bose formed the ‘Forward Bloc.’ Despite his animosity toward the British, Bose was intrigued by their orderly approach to life and staunchly disciplinarian worldview.
‘World War II,’ as it was known, was a period of conflict between the United States and the Soviet Bose called for widespread civil disobedience in response to Viceroy Lord Linlithgow’s decision to wage war on India without consulting the Congress leadership. He was sentenced to seven days in prison and 40 days of home arrest as a result of his actions.
Bose disguised himself as a Maulavi and fled from his house on the 41st day of his house arrest, traveling to Germany under the name Orlando Mazzota on an Italian passport. He traveled from Afghanistan to Germany through the Soviet Union, Moscow, and Rome.
Bose formed the ‘Special Bureau for India,’ which was broadcast on the German-sponsored ‘Azad Hind Radio,’ under the direction of Adam von Trott zu Solz. He thought that an enemy’s enemy is a friend, so he sought German and Japanese assistance against the British.
Bose established the ‘Free India Center’ in Berlin and formed the Indian Legion out of Indian POWs who had previously served in the British army in North Africa. The Free India Legion attracted around 3000 Indian prisoners of war.
Following Germany’s defeat in the war and the German army’s subsequent retreat, Bose concluded that the German army was no longer in a position to assist India in driving the British out of their motherland.
Bose was so devastated that he snuck out of Germany aboard a submarine in 1943 and made his way to Japan.
With Bose’s arrival in Singapore, the INA (Indian National Army), which was created in 1942 by Captain-General Mohan Singh and later led by nationalist leader Rash Behari Bose, had a chance to resurrect.
Subhas Chandra Bose was given the entire authority of the organization by Rash Behari Bose. The Azad Hind Fauj was the name given to the INA. Subhas became known as ‘Netaji’ after that.
Netaji not only reorganized the army, but he also drew a large following of emigrant Indians across Southeast Asia. People began to provide financial support in addition to registering in the ‘Fauj.’ The ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ also established a separate women’s unit, which was Asia’s first of its type.
The ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ grew significantly and began operating under the ‘Azad Hind Administration,’ a provisional government. Nine Axis states recognized them, and they had their own postage stamps, currency, courts, and civil codes.
Netaji gave his motivational speech in 1944, in which he implored his people to give him blood in exchange for the country’s liberation. People were inspired by his highly provocative comments and joined him in his fight against British rule in big numbers.
With Netaji at the helm of the ‘Azad Hind Fauj,’ the army marched towards India in an attempt to free the country from British dominion. The troops liberated the Andaman and Nicobar Islands en route to India, renaming them ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Shaheed.’ Rangoon was designated as the army’s new base camp.
The army waged a competitive war against the British on the Burma front with their initial commitment and succeeded to hang the Indian national flag on the grounds of Imphal, Manipur.
The unanticipated counter-attack by Commonwealth forces, on the other hand, caught the Japanese and German armies off guard and forced them to retire to Burma. The retreat and loss of the Rangoon base camp put an end to Bose’s hopes of becoming a powerful political force.
Netaji planned to travel to Russia to seek assistance, undeterred by the collapse and loss of the ‘Azad Hind Fauj.’ He did not, however, make it to Russia since he was killed in a tragic accident.
Achievements & Awards
India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, was bestowed on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose after his death. The award was eventually removed when a PIL was filed in court challenging the award’s ‘posthumous’ nature; the award committee was unable to offer solid evidence proving Netaji’s death.
In front of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, a statue of Netaji has been constructed, and his photo can be seen on one of the Indian Parliament’s walls.
He has recently been portrayed in popular culture. The story of this Indian nationalist hero has been told in a number of films.
Personal History and Legacy
Bose was claimed to have married Emilie Schenkl, the daughter of an Austrian veterinarian, in 1937, despite the fact that the ‘Forward Bloc’ disapproved. In 1942, the couple welcomed a daughter named Anita Bose Pfaff into their family.
On August 18, 1945, while onboard a plane en way to Russia, Netaji was killed in a terrible event. He was traveling in a Japanese Army Air Force Mitsubishi Ki-21 bomber when it had engine failure and crashed in Taipei, Taiwan.
Bose, who was badly burned in the event, suffered major injuries. Despite being rushed to the nearest hospital, he was unable to survive and passed on to the afterlife.
His remains were cremated, and a Buddhist memorial service was held at Taihoku’s Nishi Honganji Temple. His remains were later laid to rest at Tokyo’s Renkoji Temple.
Estimated net worth
Subhas is one of the wealthiest politicians and one of the most well-known. Subhas Chandra Bose’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
One of the many famous quotations of this Indian nationalist hero during the war for independence is “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom!” “Dilli Chalo,” “Ittihad, Etemad, Qurbani,” “Jai Hind,” and “Glory to India!” are some more well-known quotes.
The ‘All India Forward Bloc Party’ was founded by him.