Stamp on Subhas Chandra Bose

It is our duty to pay for our liberty with our own blood. The freedom that we shall win through our sacrifice and exertions, we shall be able to preserve with our own strength.
Subhas Chandra Bose

Subhash Chandra Bose was one of the most celebrated freedom fighters of India. He was a charismatic influencer of the youth and earned the epithet ‘Netaji’ by establishing and leading the Indian National Army (INA) during India’s struggle for independence. Although initially aligned with the Indian National Congress, he was ousted from the party due to his difference in ideology. He sought assistance from Nazi leadership in Germany and Imperial forces in Japan during the World War II, to overthrow the British from India. His sudden disappearance post 1945, led to surfacing of various theories, concerning the possibilities of his survival.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born on 23 January, 1897 in Cuttack (Orissa) to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi. Subhash was the ninth child among eight brothers and six sisters. His father, Janakinath Bose, was an affluent and successful lawyer in Cuttack and received the title of "Rai Bahadur". He later became a member of the Bengal Legislative Council.

Bose had great drive and charisma—creating popular Indian slogans, such as "Jai Hind,"—and the INA under Bose was a model of diversity by region, ethnicity, religion, and even gender. 

 In 1943 Bose’s arrival at Singapore gave hopes of revival of INA (Indian National Army), originally founded in 1942 by Captain General Mohan Singh and then headed nationalist leader Rash Behari Bose. Rash Behari Bose handed complete control of the organisation.to Subhas Chandra Bose. The INA came to be known as the Azad Hind Fauj and Subhas as ‘Netaji’. Netaji not only re-organized the army troops but attracted immense support from the emigrant Indians in Southeast Asia. Apart from enrolling themselves in the Fauj, people began to lend financial support as well. The Azad Hind Fauj also came up with a separate women unit, the first of its kind in Asia The Azad Hind Fauj expanded considerably and started functioning under a provisional government, Azad Hind Government. They had their own postage stamps, currency, courts and civil codes and were recognized by nine Axis states. It was in 1944 that Netaji gave his motivational speech where he asked his people to give him blood while he promised freedom of the country in return. Inspired by the highly provocative words, people joined him in large numbers for his fight against the British Raj.

With Netaji as the Chief Commander of the Azad Hind Fauj, the army proceeded towards India to liberate the country from the British Raj. En-route it freed the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and named the two islands as Swaraj and Shaheed. Rangoon became the new base camp for the army. With their first commitment at the Burma front, the army fought a competitive battle against the British and finally managed to hoist the Indian national flag on the grounds of Imphal, Manipur.

On 30th Dec 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the National Flag for the first time at the Gymkhana Ground (present Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair. He also announced the Islands, the first Indian Territory freed from the British rule.

     The island at the time was liberated from British rule by Japan which captured it during the World War -II. 

Awards & Achievements:

• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was posthumously honoured with a Bharat ratna award, India’ highest civilian award. However, the same was later withdrawn, following a PIL which was filed in the court against the ‘posthumous’ nature of the award.
• A statue of him has been erected in front of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, while his photo prominently dawns in one of the walls of the Indian Parliament.

Personal Life & Legacy:

On board a plane en-route to Russia on August 18, 1945, Netaji met with an unfortunate accident, which led to his death. The Japanese Army Air Force Mitsubishi Ki-21 bomber, which he was traveling on, experienced engine trouble, and crashed at Taipei, Taiwan. Bose who suffered from major injuries was badly burnt. Though he was taken to the nearest hospital, he could not make it and left for the heavenly abode in a four hours’ time. His body was cremated and a Buddhist memorial service was held at Nishi Honganji Temple in Taihoku. Later, his ashes were interred at the Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan.

Trivia:

• On 29th Jan 1939 he became the president of Indian National Congress. 
• Subhash Chandra Bose announced the formation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind (Free India) in Singapore on October 21, 1943, with himself as Head of State, Prime Minister, and Minister of War.