BRAVERY IN THE INTEREST OF THE NATION:
THE NAME CALLED NETAJI SUBHASH BOSE
 

It may take further generations or centuries to go on the time line, however, it may be hardly possible to get a son for India who would be as brave as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to show the bravery in the Interest of the Nation as Netaji Bose had exhibited in his efforts to free the motherland of India from the clutches of the British. Bravery comes from courage. When courage is put into action, bravery is exhibited in all kinds of manifestations. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had exhibited unimaginable bravery during the freedom movement of India to get India free from the British Rule.

Freedom movements for Independence from Colonial Rules of Foreign Nations such as British, French, German, Japanese, Spanish or Portuguese; in principle and historically have achieved its result by two routes namely:

            a) By internal mobilization of pressure

            b) By external mobilization of pressure

In both the above routes, the modality also adopted involved two types:

i)                   Military Actions

ii)                 Non-Military and Non-Violent Actions

Military and Violent Actions, either from internal mobilization or external mobilization have in many cases achieved faster results, may be in a shorter period of time in many cases; however, not without bloodshed, loss of life, loss of National Properties and National Resources. Non-military and Non-Violence have also achieved independence, however, it has taken long durations, there is no dispute about it, may be efforts spanning over years or decades together.

There are large number of instances of Wars of Independence or Revolutions over the history of the world visible by searching through internet that had led to independence of various nations from time to time, including the example of Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, that also gave birth to an independent nation, that is the present day Bangladesh. Bangladesh was born out of  External Mobilization of force and pressure and through Military and Violent Actions.  India’s Independence was achieved in 1947, primarily respected and accepted as a result of the Internal Mobilization of force and pressure through the mode of Non-military and Non-Violence, adopted under the Leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

There are enough deliberations and documentations in record to read regarding Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose having got into difference of opinion at some point of time ( in 1939 ) regarding the route and  mode of action to pursue to achieve India’s independence . While Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was deeply inspired by the Leadership of Mahatma Gandhi initially and had got into the mainstream of Freedom Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, even he rose to become the President of Indian National Congress twice in 1938 as well as in 1939, however, Netaji fell apart from Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership and Pandit Nehru’s companionship, while he resigned from the Congress and formed his own outfit named All India Forward Block, de facto a faction of the Congress then in 1939.   

Around 1939, having gone through the mainstream freedom struggle, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose felt, the Independence of India from the British could be possibly then achieved faster through the Internally Mobilized Pressure by Military and Violent Route. Whereas, Mahatma Gandhi believed, the Independence of India could be best achieved through the route of Internally Mobilized Pressure and the mode of Non-Military and Non-Violence.  Netaji’s belief was based on many instances around the world that had achieved independence through the Military and Violent mode by wars of independence documented over the history. Mahatma Gandhi’s belief of Non-Military and Non-Violence mode by the route of Internal Mobilization of Pressure was based on the observation that, at that time, the British was a too powerful a force in the World that he had seen also during his stay in South Africa and any war invoked against the British then, was not sustainable and could be crushed by the British easily. This belief was also fortified in the mind of Mahatma Gandhi, from the experience of India’s first internally raised War of Independence from British in 1857 that started from the Sepoy Mutiny which was literally crushed by the British through its military might. Mahatma Gandhi’s belief in the route of Internal Mobilization of Pressure by adopting the mode of Non-Military and Non-violence was more bought by the population and freedom fighters at large which ultimately fetched the Independence from the British in 1947, although the Indian Nation then got partitioned into two Nations named as India and Pakistan.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was carrying a relatively minority belief as explained above at that point of time, and the British ruling India then, tried to intimidate the military based efforts of Netaji by trying to jail him and keeping him under house arrest in 1940. At this point of time, Netaji was not cowed down, he exhibited his bravery generated from his exemplary courage, as he felt internal mobilization of pressure against the British by military mode would not be practicable in India then, he moved out of India in 1940 seeking to mobilize external pressure against the British by military mode of action. In 1941 he arrived in Germany and was able to mobilize support of the Germans for the cause of India’s independence from the British.

By November 1941, with funds sponsored by the Germans, a Free India Centre was established in Berlin, and also Free India Radio, on which Netaji Bose broadcasted nightly. A Free India Legion, with the composition of a strength of 3,000 Indians captured by Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps then, was also formed to assist in a possible future German invasion of India by land route to effect British ouster.  However, in 1942, since the Japanese had the victory in southeast Asia and inclinations of Germans changed, a German invasion of India became untenable, and Netaji Bose got motivated to move to southeast Asia, primarily Japan to buy Japanese Assistance to fetch independence for India. Adolf Hitler then, was impressed by Netaji Bose in his single and only meeting with Netaji, in May 1942; and he had arranged a German submarine to transport Netaji to Madagascar sea and from Madagascar, he was transferred to a Japanese submarine which carried him to the then Japanese-held Sumatra ( now in Indonesia ) in May 1943.

The Japanese Leadership at that time was also impressed by Netaji Bose and with Japanese support, Netaji revamped the Indian National Army (INA) [ Azad Hind Fauz ], which comprised of Indian soldiers of the British Indian army who had been captured in the Battle of Singapore and Indian civilians in Malaya and Singapore. Also prior to it, the Provisional Government of Free India, presided by Netaji Bose was set up in the then Japanese-occupied Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had the charisma and conviction to get India’s independence and he was able to garner external mobilization of pressure by military mode, and his most popular Indian slogan, such as "Jai Hind” had resonated frequently around the Globe. In later part of 1944 and early part of 1945, the British Indian Army got into waring and was able to halt and then devastated Japanese invasion on India with a purpose of releasing India from the British rule; where in almost half the Japanese military force and half of the participating soldiers of Indian National Army (INA) got killed.  The INA (Indian National Army ) commanded by Netaji Bose though was pushed down the Malay Peninsula and had to surrender with the recapture of Singapore, still Netaji was not cowed down. After Japanese set back in the hands of the British, it is said through various documented records that, Netaji Bose had turned his face to the Russians ( the erstwhile Soviet Union then, a Great Might in the World ) who had largely become Anti-British. However, possibly, the destiny had planned for the end of the parallel struggle of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose for India’s independence through the route of External Mobilization of Pressure by Military mode, while it was reported that Netaji died by an Air Crash in Taiwan on 18^th August, 1945.  Though in India, the death of Netaji is still a matter of historical controversy about its fact, the effort of Netaji through External Route and by Military mode had met its end in 1945. India got its independence from British on 15^th August 1947 as largely accepted, by the freedom struggle through the route of Internal Mobilization of Pressure by Non-Military and Non-Violence mode under the Leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and his patriotic companion leaders of the freedom movement of India.

The records and documents of history of freedom struggle of India, thus evidences that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had exhibited exemplary “Bravery” emanating from his unimaginable courage in making efforts non-comparable through the route of External Mobilization of Pressure by Military Mode. Nobody can say or undermine the efforts of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his bravery for pursuing the movement for India’s independence, and nobody could postulate if his efforts would not have got results also, provided it would not have met the untimely end in 1945    ( although the death of Netaji in 1945 still remains a contention of controversy in India all these years ).

India would continue to salute and acknowledge this Brave Son of India , Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose , who was born on 23rd January 1897 at Cuttack (in Odisha State of India ) and later had moved his primary place of work to Kolkata ( former name Calcutta ) and further as described moved his places of struggle and efforts for India’s Independence to outside the India’s shores and had died as per declared records, notwithstanding the controversy regarding his death, on  18 August 1945.

( This note is written as a tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on the birth Anniversary falling on 23^rd January, 2021 ).

About the Author : Dr. Nimain Charan  Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology). M.B.A. and Ph.D.( Management Area ) by qualifications and he has 35 years of work experience in both  industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University ( with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad ). Dr.Biswal is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organisations in Senior/Top Management Capacities. He is a management  expert covering extensive areas from management in agriculture, industrial management, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.