The world doesn’t see, for how much years we live but what we did during our life span and here is the true hero who made a great impact in the struggle for Independence of our country, and he is none other than the Subhash Chandra Bose. Some people write history with a pen, some by their might, and some simply by virtue of being associated with someone. But if ever there was a man, who wrote history by his blood, courage and sheer determination, it was Subhash Chandra Bose. It is so unfortunate that he has got a tag of "A Forgotten Hero", such shame. His motivational leadership inspired thousands of Indians to die for the motherland, and his Indian National Army shook the foundations of the mighty British Empire.
When we speak about our freedom struggle and ask any person..."who got freedom for us?" I am sure 9 out of 10 will say Gandhiji. I do accept the fact that he was a great motivating force but at the same time we shouldn't forget the other freedom fighters that lost their life for the country fighting against British and one of our hero is Subhash Chandra Bose. While the Gandhi /Nehru faction of Congress has garnered much of the credit for India's freedom struggle, it is important to remember that India's freedom movement was in fact a movement of the masses and there were a number of great leaders with fierce patriotism and great visionary ideas who sacrificed their entire lives for the nation's cause.
Today i.e. 23rd January Birthday of Subhash Chandra Bose, the great patriot of India. He was born on January 23, 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa. His father Janaki Nath Bose was a famous lawyer and his mother Prabhavati Devi was a pious and religious lady. Subhas Chandra Bose was the ninth child among fourteen siblings. Subhas Chandra Bose was a brilliant student right from the childhood. Subhas was highly disciplined from his childhood days and had a burning desire to see India free. In his school days, when he chose to observe the first anniversary of Khudiram Bose, a martyr who was hung in 1910, the British government listed him in their black book. While Subhash Bose was studying in the Calcutta University, there was an English professor, who used to speak disparagingly about India and Indians. Subhash Bose, who was intensely patriotic, could not bear listening to such derogatory remarks about the Motherland. He was patient for a while, but when the professor continued in the same vein, he got up, jumped over three desks, caught the Englishman by the neck and beat him with sandals. Bose declared, I can bear anything, but I cannot bear my Motherland being abused and ridiculed. It does not matter what happens to me, but I must defend my country’s honour.
He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda teachings. He joined the Indian civil services in England but deeply disturbed by the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, and returned to India. He was the first Indian to resign from the Indian Civil Service. The Under Secretary of State for India sent for him. Subhash told him, I do not think one can be loyal to the British Raj and yet serve India honestly, heart and soul. Subhash was determined to dedicate his entire life to the service of the Motherland. I owe my food and everything else to my country. I must be grateful to the nation by serving it. This was his firm resolve.
Subhash Chandra Bose advocated complete freedom for India, whereas the congress committee wanted it in phases, through a dominion status but Subhas Chandra Bose opposed it, and he asserted that he would be satisfied with nothing short of complete independence for India. Subhas also announced the formation of the Independence League. Subhas Chandra Bose was jailed during Civil Disobedience movement in 1930. He was released in 1931 after Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed. He protested against the Gandhi-Irwin pact and opposed the suspension of Civil Disobedience movement especially when Bhagat Singh and his associates were hanged.
Subhas Chandra Bose was elected president of the Indian National congress twice in 1937 and in 1939, the second time defeating Gandhi’s nominee. He brought a resolution to give the British six months to hand over India to the Indians, failing which there would be revolt. There was much opposition to his rigid stand, and he resigned from the post of president and formed a progressive group known as the forward block. During world war-II, India was declared as a warring state. Bose started a mass movement against this and the British promptly imprisoned him. It was in 1941, that Bose suddenly disappeared. In November 1941, his broadcast from German radio sent shock waves amongst the British and electrified the Indian masses.
The Axis powers assured Bose military and other help to fight the British. He formed the Indian National army (INA) and a government by the name AZAD HIND GOVERNMENT was declared on the October 21, 1943. 'Netaji was a far-sighted leader and sowed the concept of independent India. He achieved absolute communal harmony in INA through the common salutation of Jai Hind. INA freed the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from the British and were renamed as swaraj and shaheed islands. Delhi chalo (Lets march to Delhi) was the cry of the INA. Unfortunately, Bose, while traveling from Singapore to Tokyo, reportedly died in a plane crash. He was just 48. Though it is widely believed that he was still alive after the air crash not much information could be found about him.
The contribution of Subash Chandra Bose is no less. He has been denied his rightful place in the annals of Indian history. British declared him a war criminal, Congress toed that line for sometime. In Bengal CPM branded him a fascinist but now of course that historical blunder has been corrected. Subhash Chandra Bose is one of the few heroes of history who left the deepest impress on the minds of the people of India within a short span of his charismatic life. We can see statues of Netaji in remote villages of Punjab, UP, Harayana, Bihar, Chattisgarh, and MP. Three years before, India Today conducted a poll to find out most popular Indian during the last 100 years. Netaji was found to be second to Bhagat Singh. We Indians still love our hero to be a fighter. He is the real hero who dumped luxury life and gave his life for the freedom.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was one of those who sacrificed their lives in the freedom movement of India. He was known for his dynamic personality and courage and was the role model of numerous young people of his time. He was endowed with great physical, mental and spiritual powers. But he never revealed his spiritual powers to anyone. He had a burning desire to make India a great and prosperous country. No other leader had such a strong aspiration for the freedom and progress of the country as Subhash Chandra Bose. He was the one who believed in action; not merely in speech like many other leaders. There are many great leaders in our country even today, but what is the use if they do not put into practice what they say? They say a million things but do not put into practice even one! Subhash Chandra Bose strove very hard to put the country on the path of progress and prosperity. He demonstrated the ideals of love and forbearance.
Such persons like Subhash Chandra Bose should be born in India again and again. India should attain its pristine glory again. But, unfortunately, the Indians themselves were responsible for his leaving the country. We should love and trust such noble souls his teachings were full of noble thoughts and great ideals. Unfortunately, people forget such good persons and remember the bad ones. It is a great mistake. Never forget good people. They are like precious jewels. I wish that you should always remember such noble souls. Hence, on his birthday centenary, it is appropriate to pay a tribute to this glorious son of India. Let us pray and pay a tribute to all freedom fighters on the occasion of Netaji’ s birthday.
How great were those patriots, how great was their pride, for those who sacrificed their lives for the motherland. Remember their great sacrifice! Don’t we ever forget their glory; Let us pay our rich tributes to the martyrs. One who does not have love for his country is verily a living corpse! Only a person who upholds the good name of the country can be called a living person in the true sense of the term.
I pay my humble tribute to this great personality on eve of the birthday of the great leader Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, a tribute to him and also to all those so many unnamed freedom fighters, who were given their priceless life for the supreme cause of the free India. Never forget their sacrifice. Thousands laid down their lives, someone we never knew nor will ever meet. Let those who came after see to it that these names not be forgotten. Perhaps this tribute of mine won't be able to add anything new or glorious to their life but yet my heart rending love respect and it shall remain till the last breath.
