Subhas Chandra Bose ( 23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945) was an Indian nationalist whose defiance of British authority in India made him a hero among many Indians, but his wartime alliances with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan left a legacy vexed by authoritarianism, anti-Semitism, and military failure. The honorific 'Netaji' (Bengali: "Respected Leader") was first applied to Bose in Germany in early 1942—by the Indian soldiers of the Indische Legion and by the German and Indian officials in the Special Bureau for India in Berlin. It is now used throughout India
Bose was born into wealth and privilege in a large Bengali family in Orissa during the British Raj. The early recipient of an Anglo-centric education, after college he was sent to England to take the Indian Civil Service examination. He succeeded with distinction in the first exam but demurred at taking the routine final exam, citing nationalism as a higher calling. Returning to India in 1921, Bose joined the nationalist movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. He followed Jawaharlal Nehru to leadership in a group within the Congress which was less keen on constitutional reform and more open to socialism.[i] Bose became Congress president in 1938. After reelection in 1939, differences arose between him and the Congress leaders, including Gandhi, over the future federation of British India and princely states, but also because discomfort had grown among the Congress leadership over Bose's negotiable attitude to non-violence, and his plans for greater powers for himself.[15] After the large majority of the Congress Working Committee members resigned in protest,[16] Bose resigned as president and was eventually ousted from the party.
Subash Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Orissa Division, Bengal Province, to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi. He was the ninth child among fourteen siblings. Bose was known for his patriotism from a young age.
After completing his schooling, Bose went to England in 1919 to compete for the Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination. He cleared the exam but resigned from the coveted position in April 1921, following the nationalist movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Bose pursued his higher education in England, studying at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and later at the University of London. During his time in England, he was deeply influenced by the nationalist ideals and joined the Indian National Congress.
Upon returning to India in 1921, Bose plunged into the nationalist movement and was arrested several times for his involvement in protests against British rule. He rose through the ranks of the Congress party and became a prominent leader known for his radical approach towards independence.
In 1943, after being disillusioned that Germany could be of any help in gaining India's independence, Bose left for Japan. He travelled with the German submarine U-180 around the Cape of Good Hope to the southeast of Madagascar, where he was transferred to the I-29 for the rest of the journey to Imperial Japan. This was the only civilian transfer between two submarines of two different navies in World War II.[100][101] The Indian National Army (INA) was the brainchild of Japanese Major (and post-war Lieutenant-General) Iwaichi Fujiwara, head of the Japanese intelligence unit Fujiwara Kikan. Fujiwara's mission was "to raise an army which would fight alongside the Japanese army."[113][114] He first met Pritam Singh Dhillon, the president of the Bangkok chapter of the Indian Independence League, and through Pritam Singh's network recruited a captured British Indian army captain, Mohan Singh, on the western Malayan peninsula in December 1941. The First Indian National Army was formed as a result of discussion between Fujiwara and Mohan Singh in the second half of December 1941, and the name chosen jointly by them in the first week of January 1942.[115] This was along the concept of, and with support of, what was then known as the Indian Independence League headed from Tokyo by expatriate nationalist leader Rash Behari Bose. The first INA was however disbanded in December 1942 after disagreements between the Hikari Kikan and Mohan Singh, who came to believe that the Japanese High Command was using the INA as a mere pawn and propaganda tool. Singh was taken into custody and the troops returned to the prisoner-of-war camp. However, the idea of an independence army was revived with the arrival of Subhas Chandra Bose in the Far East in 1943. In July, at a meeting in Singapore, Rash Behari Bose handed over control of the organisation to Subhas Chandra Bose. Bose was able to reorganise the fledgling army and organise massive support among the expatriate Indian population in south-east Asia, who lent their support by both enlisting in the Indian National Army, as well as financially in response to Bose's calls for sacrifice for the independence cause. INA had a separate women's unit, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment (named after Rani Lakshmi Bai) headed by Capt. Lakshmi Swaminathan, which is seen as a first of its kind in Asia.
Subash Chandra Bose played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. He became the president of the Indian National Congress in 1938 but later resigned due to ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi.
Bose then formed the Forward Bloc in 1939, advocating for complete independence from British rule. His differences with the Congress leadership led him to seek support from Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan during World War II.
During World War II, Bose sought international support for India's independence struggle. In 1943, he established the Provisional Government of Free India in Singapore and formed the Indian National Army (INA), also known as Azad Hind Fauj, with the help of Axis powers.
The INA aimed to liberate India from British rule with military force and played a crucial role in the struggle for independence. Bose's leadership and revolutionary spirit inspired thousands of Indian soldiers to join the INA and fight against colonial oppression.
Subash Chandra Bose's death remains a subject of debate and mystery. He was reported to have died in a plane crash in 1945 in Taiwan, but many theories suggest otherwise. Despite his controversial methods, Bose is remembered as a fearless leader who dedicated his life to the cause of India's independence.
His legacy continues to inspire generations of Indians to strive for freedom, justice, and equality. Bose's contributions to the independence movement and his unwavering commitment to the idea of a free India have earned him a revered place in the annals of Indian history.