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Subhash Chandra Bose
Context:
In a letter to Prime Minister Modi, Netaji’s grandnephew urged for the return of Subhas Chandra Bose’s remains from Renkoji to India, reiterating the appeal on the eve of Bose’s death anniversary, August 18.
Early Life and Education:
- Birth: Subhas Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Orissa (now Odisha), India.
- Family: Son of Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose, a prominent lawyer.
- Education: Expelled from Presidency College, Calcutta, in 1916 for nationalist activities. Graduated from Scottish Churches College in 1919.
- Civil Service: Studied at the University of Cambridge; passed the Indian Civil Service examination in 1920 but resigned in 1921 to join the independence movement.
Early Political Activity:
- Nationalist Involvement: Joined the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) led by Mahatma Gandhi and worked with Chittaranjan Das, becoming a youth educator, journalist, and Bengal Congress volunteers’ commandant.
- Leadership: Elected as general secretary of the Congress party in 1927. Appointed chief executive officer of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation in 1924.
Disagreements with Gandhi:
- Civil Disobedience (1930): Detained in 1930 for underground activities; elected mayor of Calcutta while imprisoned.
- Resignation: Became Congress President in 1938 (Haripura Session); formed a National Planning Committee advocating industrialisation, clashed with Gandhi’s economic policies, and resigned in 1939 (Tripuri Session) due to a lack of support.
Forward Bloc and Exile:
- Forward Bloc: Founded in 1939 to unify radical Congress factions and promote complete independence and social justice.
- Exile: Escaped to Germany in 1941, travelled to Tokyo in 1943, and led the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) from Southeast Asia.
Azad Hind Fauj (INA) and Provisional Government:
- Formation: Proclaimed the Provisional Government of Independent India on October 21, 1943.
- Military Campaigns: INA advanced into India in 1944 but was defeated in battles at Kohima and Imphal.
Final Years and Legacy:
- Death: Reportedly died on August 18, 1945, in Taiwan from burn injuries sustained in a plane crash.
- Legacy: Known for his militant approach and leadership in India’s independence struggle. Famous slogans include “Tum Mujhe Khoon Do, Main Tumhe Aazadi Dunga,” “Jai Hind,” and “Delhi Chalo.” The Azad Hind Fauj and Bose’s efforts remain significant in India’s history of independence.