Source: IT
Subject: History
Context: The Centre is organising Parakram Diwas–2026 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to commemorate the 129th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, celebrating his legacy of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism.
About Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose:
Who he was?
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was a revolutionary nationalist leader who advocated complete independence through assertive and military means, diverging from the dominant non-violent strategy of the freedom movement.
Early life:
- Born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack, Odisha, to a prominent family.
- Brilliant student; studied at Presidency College and Scottish Church College.
- Cleared the Indian Civil Services (ICS) exam in England (1920) but resigned voluntarily to serve the freedom struggle.
Contribution to the Freedom Movement:
- Radical Congress leadership: Rose as a mass leader of the Left wing; elected Congress President in 1938 (Haripura) and 1939 (Tripuri), signalling a shift towards assertive anti-colonial politics.
- Uncompromising demand for Purna Swaraj: Rejected dominion status and constitutional gradualism; argued for immediate independence, especially during Britain’s wartime vulnerability.
- Socialist economic vision: Founded the National Planning Committee (1938), advocating state-led industrialisation, scientific planning, and economic self-reliance.
- Ideological challenge within the INC: Resigned after the Tripuri crisis, exposing tensions between Gandhian non-violence and Bose’s militant political realism.
- Forward Bloc and radical mobilisation: Established the Forward Bloc (1939) to consolidate leftists, youth, and workers under a militant nationalist platform.
Exile and Armed Struggle:
- Escape and globalisation of the struggle: Escaped house arrest in 1941, internationalising India’s freedom movement and shifting it to the geopolitical arena.
- Pragmatic Axis engagement: Sought support from Germany and Japan as a strategic anti-imperialist move, not ideological alignment.
- Revival of the INA: Reorganised the Indian National Army, instilling discipline, nationalism, and a direct military challenge to British authority.
- Azad Hind Government (1943): Proclaimed India’s first government-in-exile, with symbols of sovereignty including currency, courts, and diplomatic recognition.
- Psychological blow to colonial rule: INA’s advance to Imphal and Kohima (1944), though militarily unsuccessful, broke the myth of British invincibility and hastened colonial exit.
Last days and mystery:
- Reported to have died in a plane crash in Taiwan on 18 August 1945, though circumstances remain controversial.
- Multiple inquiries were held; debates over his death continue to this day.
Significance and legacy:
- Popularised the slogan “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.”
- Inspired mass nationalism, particularly among soldiers and youth.
- INA trials (1945–46) weakened British moral authority and accelerated India’s independence.
- 23 January is celebrated as Parakram Diwas to honour his indomitable spirit.
