January 23 marks the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose, popularly known as "Netaji", who was one of the most prominent Indian freedom fighters. The day is celebrated as Parakram Diwas, or the "day of valour", in India. To commemorate his 126th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday virtually inaugurate a model of a proposed memorial dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
On Subhas Chandra Bose jayanti, here are six facts to know about him:
- Bose was born in 1897 in Cuttack, into a wealthy Bengali family. He was sent to study in England, and upon his return to India in 1921, he joined the nationalist movement that was led by the Indian National Congress and Mahatma Gandhi
- He rose to become the president of the movement in 1938. However, differences arose with Gandhi with respect to the course of the national movement. Bose resigned in 1939.
- While Gandhi firmly believed in a non-violent approach in the freedom movement, Bose stood by a martial approach.
- Bose would go on to helm the Indian National Army, an armed unit that was formed during the Second World War and fought under the Japanese Empire's command.
- He spent time in Germany, attempting to shore up support for India's freedom. It was there that he raised an Indian legion comprised of those taken captive by the Germans and Italians. He is believed to have been given the title of Netaji by members of the legion.
- Bose is believed to have died in August 1945, in a plane crash in Taiwan. But the version of events is contested to this date, with some believing that he survived the crash and went to hiding. In 2015, the Indian government had decided to declassify certain files related to Bose. They are available at http://www.netajipapers.gov.in/.
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