Business Leadership

Course Code: MGT4102

Submitted to: Dr. Ziaur Rahman
Associate Professor
Department of Business Administration in
Management Studies

Term Paper: Inspirational Leaders

Subhash Chandra Bose
Prepared By: Maisha Tanzim Rahman
ID-19241098
Section B
 Acknowledgement

This is my pleasure to prepare and submit the report to Dr.Ziaur Rahman Sir. The preparation of
this report would’ve not been possible without the valuable contribution of Department of
Management Studies and our course teacher.

I am truly grateful to our course instructor for designing the course with this report and providing
us with such an immense opportunity. I have really enjoyed the task and tried to give our full effort
to make it rich and resourceful. On a different note, I wanted to give a special thanks to all the
associates and web-based journals/information sites which provided us with all the related
information in preparing this paper.

And last but not the least, the almighty Allah to whom I am grateful forever and ever in giving us
all the opportunities in doing each and everything.

With warmest regards,

Maisha Tanzim Rahman

ID-19241098

Section B.

Department of Management Studies

Bangladesh University of Professionals

Mirpur Cantonment, Dhaka-12

Table of Contents
Acknowledgement ....................................................................................................................................... 2
Letter of Transmittal .................................................................................................................................... 4
Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................................ 5
Chapter 2: Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 6
Chapter 3: Learnings from Life of Subhash Chandra Bose .......................................................................... 6
Chapter 4: Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 23
References .................................................................................................................................................. 25
 Letter of Transmittal

31ST May 2022

Dr. Ziaut Rahman
Associate Professor
Department of Management Studies,
Bangladesh University of Professionals

Subject: Submission procedure for term paper Report on Business Leadership Course

Dear Sir

With utmost respect & immense pleasure I present to you the report on: Inspirational Leaders:
Subhash Chandra Bose. The paper aims to explore, unveil and understand the impact the said
leader created in this world and simultaneously learn the vision, and leadership qualities from real
life personalities.

It has been a great contentment to submit you the report, and therefor hope that it will be a
satisfactory report on this specific topic.

Sincerely yours,

From the Department of Management Studies

Maisha Tanzim Rahman

ID-19241098

Section B
Bangladesh University of Professionals

Mirpur Cantonment, Dhaka-12

Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
The paper has been prepared to carefully analyze the life of Subhash Chandra Bose, a leader in the
highest degree of skill, and consistently absorb, relate and visualize the learnings from his life into
the minds of the ones preparing this report as well as anyone reading it. The paper primarily covers
the complete life history of the chosen leader and tries to address the major events significantly
within the report. The purpose of this paper is to not evaluate the leader or provoke controversies,
rather, its sole motivation is to inform of about the teachings and qualities of “Netaji”.

1.2 Objectives of the study

As mentioned earlier, this paper has been prepared based upon evidence available to create a
summary of the leader’s vision, direction, purpose and inspire the forthcoming leaders to follow
the strengthening practices that he envisioned.

1.21Primary Objective
To accumulate proper information on the leader, disseminate the knowledge and carefully invoke
a thought-change amongst readers.

1.22 Secondary Objectives

• Learn about the life lessons and leadership qualities from Netaji.
• Understand a new thinking dimension to our existing mindset.
• Reflect upon the teachings to implement the understandings in practical life.

1.23 Limitations of the study

There are some drawbacks to this study. The primary stumbling block in this scenario was
gathering facts through research. Since the only accessible source was the internet and journals
and books, the complete paper is dependent on secondary evidence. On the other hand, I was
unable to access some additional sources without access to the internet to conduct a poll and offer
a more accurate picture of the situation. Time constraint was also a vital limitation
Chapter 2: Methodology
2.1 Research Design
The key aim or purpose of this paper is to understand and learn about the activities in the Subhash
Chandra Bose.

2.2 Data collection process

The complete preparation of this paper was based on secondary information from various online
resources and websites.

Chapter 3: Learnings from Life of Subhash Chandra Bose

Subhas Chandra Bose, byname Netaji (Hindi: “Respected Leader”), (born c. January 23, 1897,
Cuttack, Orissa [now Odisha], India—died August 18, 1945, Taipei, Taiwan?), Indian
revolutionary prominent in the independence movement against British rule of India. He also led
an Indian national force from abroad against the Western powers during World War II. He was a
contemporary of Mohandas K. Gandhi, at times an ally and at other times an adversary. Bose was
known in particular for his militant approach to independence and for his push for socialist policies.

Early life and political activity

The son of a wealthy and prominent Bengali lawyer, Bose studied at Presidency College, Calcutta
(Kolkata), from which he was expelled in 1916 for nationalist activities, and the Scottish Churches
College (graduating in 1919). He then was sent by his parents to the University of Cambridge in
England to prepare for the Indian Civil Service. In 1920 he passed the civil service examination,
but in April 1921, after hearing of the nationalist turmoils in India, he resigned his candidacy and
hurried back to India. Throughout his career, especially in its early stages, he was supported
financially and emotionally by an elder brother, Sarat Chandra Bose (1889–1950), a wealthy
Calcutta lawyer and Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party) politician.

Bose joined the noncooperation movement started by Mohandas K. Gandhi, who had made the
Indian National Congress a powerful nonviolent organization. Bose was advised by Gandhi to
work under Chitta Ranjan Das, a politician in Bengal. There Bose became a youth educator,
journalist, and commandant of the Bengal Congress volunteers. His activities led to his
imprisonment in December 1921. In 1924 he was appointed chief executive officer of the Calcutta
Municipal Corporation, with Das as mayor. Bose was soon after deported to Burma (Myanmar)
because he was suspected of connections with secret revolutionary movements. Released in 1927,
he returned to find Bengal Congress affairs in disarray after the death of Das, and Bose was elected
president of the Bengal Congress. Shortly thereafter he and Jawaharlal Nehru became the two
general secretaries of the Indian National Congress. Together they represented the more militant,
left-wing faction of the party against the more compromising, right-wing Gandhian faction.

A Falling out with Gandhi

Vocal support for Gandhi increased within the Indian National Congress, meanwhile, and, in light
of this, Gandhi resumed a more commanding role in the party. When the civil disobedience
movement was started in 1930, Bose was already in detention for his associations with an
underground revolutionary group, the Bengal Volunteers. Nevertheless, he was elected mayor of
Calcutta while in prison. Released and then rearrested several times for his suspected role in violent
acts, Bose was finally allowed to proceed to Europe after he contracted tuberculosis and was
released for ill health. In enforced exile and still ill, he wrote The Indian Struggle, 1920–1934 and
pleaded India’s cause with European leaders. He returned from Europe in 1936, was again taken
into custody, and was released after a year.

Meanwhile, Bose became increasingly critical of Gandhi’s more conservative economics as well
as his less confrontational approach toward independence. In 1938 he was elected president of the
Indian National Congress and formed a national planning committee, which formulated a policy
of broad industrialization. However, this did not harmonize with Gandhian economic thought,
which clung to the notion of cottage industries and benefiting from the use of the country’s own
resources. Bose’s vindication came in 1939, when he defeated a Gandhian rival for reelection.
Nonetheless, the “rebel president” felt bound to resign because of the lack of Gandhi’s support.
He founded the Forward Bloc, hoping to rally radical elements, but was again incarcerated in July
1940. His refusal to remain in prison at this critical period of India’s history was expressed in a
determination to fast to death, which frightened the British government into releasing him. On
January 26, 1941, though closely watched, he escaped from his Calcutta residence in disguise and,
traveling via Kabul and Moscow, eventually reached Germany in April.

Activity in exile
In Nazi Germany Bose came under the tutelage of a newly created Special Bureau for India, guided
by Adam von Trott zu Solz. He and other Indians who had gathered in Berlin made regular
broadcasts from the German-sponsored Azad Hind Radio beginning in January 1942, speaking in
English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, and Pashto.

A little more than a year after the Japanese invasion of Southeast Asia, Bose left Germany,
traveling by German and Japanese submarines and by plane, and arrived in May 1943 in Tokyo.
On July 4 he assumed leadership of the Indian Independence Movement in East Asia and
proceeded, with Japanese aid and influence, to form a trained army of about 40,000 troops in
Japanese-occupied Southeast Asia. On October 21, 1943, Bose proclaimed the establishment of a
provisional independent Indian government, and his so-called Indian National Army (Azad Hind
Fauj), alongside Japanese troops, advanced to Rangoon (Yangon) and thence overland into India,
reaching Indian soil on March 18, 1944, and moving into Kohima and the plains of Imphal. In a
stubborn battle, the mixed Indian and Japanese forces, lacking Japanese air support, were defeated
and forced to retreat; the Indian National Army nevertheless for some time succeeded in
maintaining its identity as a liberation army, based in Burma and then Indochina. With the defeat
of Japan, however, Bose’s fortunes ended.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Biography: As per an official, the celebration for Republic Day from
this year will start on January 23 instead of January 24 to include the birth anniversary of Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose. PM Narendra Modi government "focus to commemorate important aspects
of our history and culture."

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was an Indian Nationalist whose patriotism towards India has left a
mark in the hearts of many Indians. He is famously known as the founder of 'Azad Hind Fauj' and
his famous slogan is 'Tum Mujhe Khoon Do, Main Tumhe Aazadi Dunga'.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23 January,1897 in Cuttack, Orissa and he died on 18
August,1945, in a hospital in Taiwan after suffering from burn injuries sustained in a plane crash.

Subhas Chandra Bose is considered the most influential freedom fighter with extraordinary
leadership skills and a charismatic orator. His famous slogans are 'tum mujhe khoon do, main
tumhe aazadi dunga', 'Jai Hind', and 'Delhi Chalo'. He formed Azad Hind Fauj and made several
contributions to India's freedom struggle. He is known for his militant approach that he used to
gain independence and for his socialist policies.

At a glance:

• Date of Birth: January 23, 1897

• Place of Birth: Cuttack, Odisha
• Parents: Janakinath Bose (father) and Prabhavati Devi (mother)
• Spouse: Emily Schenkl
• Children: Anita Bose Pfaff
• Education: Ravenshaw Collegiate School, Cuttack; Presidency College, Calcutta;
University of Cambridge, England
• Associations (Political Party): Indian National Congress; Forward Bloc; Indian National
Army
• Movements: Indian Freedom Movement
• Political Ideology: Nationalism; Communism; Fascism-inclined
• Religious Beliefs: Hinduism

Subhas Chandra Bose: Family history and early life

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23 January, 1897 in Cuttack (Orissa) to Prabhavati Dutt
Bose and Janakinath Bose. His father was a successful lawyer in Cuttack and received the title of
"Rai Bahadur". He did his schooling from the Protestant European School (presently Stewart High
School) in Cuttack, just like his siblings. He did baccalaureate from the Presidency College. He
was influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna after reading their works
at the age of 16. He then was sent by his parents to the University of Cambridge in England to
prepare for the Indian Civil Service. In 1920 he passed the civil service examination, but in April
1921, after hearing of the nationalist turmoils in India, he resigned his candidacy and hurried back
to India.

Subhas Chandra Bose and Indian National Congress

He joined Non-Cooperation Movement which was started by Mahatama Gandhi who made INC a
powerful non-violent organization. During the movement, he was advised by Mahatma Gandhi to
work with Chittaranjan Das who became his political guru. After that, he became a youth educator
and commandant of the Bengal Congress volunteers. He started the newspaper 'Swaraj'. In 1927,
after being released from prison, Bose became general secretary of the Congress party and worked
with Jawaharlal Nehru for independence. Subhas Chandra Bose and CongressOn returning to
India, he came under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi. He joined Non-Cooperation Movement
started by Mahatama Gandhi who made INC as a powerful non-violent organization. During the
movement, he was advised by the Mahatma Gandhi to work with Chittaranjan Das who became
his political guru. While Chittaranjan Das was busy in developing the national strategy, Subhas
Chandra Bose played a major role in enlightening the students, youth and labourers of Calcutta.
He was eagerly waiting to see India, as an independent, federal and republic nation. After that he
became a youth educator and commandant of the Bengal Congress volunteers. He started the
newspaper 'Swaraj'. In 1924, he became the CEO of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation. Bose was
sent to prison in Mandalay for nationalist activities in 1925. In 1927, he was released from prison
and elected the President of the All India Youth Congress and also the Secretary of the Bengal
State Congress. In 1930, he became the Mayor of Calcutta. Bose authored the book The Indian
Struggle which covers the Indian independence movement from 1920 to 1942. The book was
banned by the British government.

In 1938 he was elected president of the Indian National Congress and formed a national planning
committee, which formulated a policy of broad industrialization. However, this did not harmonize
with Gandhian economic thought, which clung to the notion of cottage industries and benefiting
from the use of the country’s own resources. Besides, there seems to have been a basic difference
of policy and tactics between Bose and Gandhities in the assessment of India’s preparedness for
Civil Disobedience movement and the favourable international scenario. Bose’s vindication came
in 1939, when he defeated a Gandhian rival for reelection. Nonetheless, the “rebel president” felt
bound to resign because of the lack of Gandhi’s support. He was also against India’s joining the
Second World War as an ally of British. He said, “By freedom I mean all-round freedom, i.e.
freedom for the individual as well as for the society; freedom for the rich as well as for the poor;
freedom for men as well as for women; freedom for all individuals and for all classes.” Bose’s
ideology tilted towards socialism and leftist authoritarianism. He formed the All India Forward
Bloc in 1939 as a faction within the Congress. The prime objective of the Froward Bloc was to
bring all radical elements of the Congress party. So that he could spread the meaning of complete
independence of India with adherence of the application of principles of equality and social justice
In 1938 he was elected president of the Indian National Congress and formed a national planning
committee, which formulated a policy of broad industrialization. However, this did not harmonize
with Gandhian economic thought, which clung to the notion of cottage industries and benefiting
from the use of the country’s own resources. Bose’s vindication came in 1939 when he defeated a
Gandhian rival for reelection. Nonetheless, the “rebel president” felt bound to resign because of
the lack of Gandhi’s support.

Subhas Chandra Bose and the formation of Forward Bloc

All India Forward Bloc was a left-wing nationalist political party in India that emerged as a faction
within the India Congress in 1939, led by Subhas Chandra Bose. He was well known for his leftist
views in Congress. The prime objective of the Froward Bloc was to bring all radical elements of
the Congress party. So that he could spread the meaning of complete independence of India with
adherence to the application of principles of equality and social justice.

Subhas Chandra Bose and Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauz

An important development in the struggle for freedom during the Second World War was the
formation and activities of the Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army, or INA.
Rash Behari Bose, an Indian revolutionary who had escaped from India and had been living in
Japan for many years, set up the Indian independence league with the support of Indians living in
the countries of south-east Asia.

When Japan defeated the British armies and occupied almost all the countries of south-East Asia,
the league formed the Indian National Army from among the Indian prisoners of war with the aim
of liberating India from British rule. General Mohan Singh, who had been an officer in the British
Indian army, played an important role in organizing this army.

In the meantime, Subhas Chandra Bose had escaped from India in 1941 and gone to Germany to
work for India’s Independence. In 1943, he came to Singapore to lead the Indian Independence
League and rebuild the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) to make it an effective instrument
for the freedom of India. The Azad Hind Fauj comprised about 45,000 soldiers, among who were
Indian prisoners of war as well as Indians who were settled in various countries of south-east Asia.
On 21 October 1943, Subhas Bose, who was now popularly known as Netaji, proclaimed the
formation of the provisional government of independent India (Azad Hind) in Singapore. Netaji
went to the Andaman which had been occupied by the Japanese and hoisted there the flag of India.
In early 1944, three units of the Azad Hind Fauj (INA) took part in the attack on the north-eastern
parts of India to oust the British from India. According to Shah Nawaz Khan, one of the most
prominent officers of the Azad Hind Fauj, the soldiers who had entered India laid themselves flat
on the ground and passionately kissed the sacred soil of their motherland. However, the attempt to
liberate India by the Azad Hind Fauj failed.

Azad hind Fauz

The Indian nationalist movement did not view the Japanese government as a friend of India. Its
sympathies were with the people of those countries which had fallen victims to Japan’s aggression.
Netaji, however, believed that with the help of the Azad Hind Fauj, supported by Japan, and a
revolt inside India, the British rule over India could be ended. The Azad Hind Fauj, with the slogan
of ‘Delhi Chalo’ and the salutation Jai Hind was a source of inspiration to Indians, inside and
outside the country. Netaji rallied together with the Indians of all religions and regions, living in
southeast Asia, for the cause of India’s freedom.

Indian women also played an important role in the activities for the freedom of India. A women’s
regiment of Azad Hind Fauj was formed, which was under the command of Captain Lakshmi
Swaminathan. It was called the Rani Jhansi regiment. The Azad Hind Fauj became the symbol of
unity and heroism to the people of India. Netaji, who had been one of the greatest leaders of India’s
struggle for freedom, was reported killed in an air crash a few days after Japan had surrendered.

The Second World War ended in 1945 with the defeat of fascist Germany and Italy. Millions of
people were killed in the war. When the war was nearing its end and Italy and Germany had already
been defeated, the U.S.A. dropped atom bombs on the two cities of Japan-Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Within a few moments, these cities were burnt to the ground and over 200,000 people were killed.
Japan surrendered soon after this. Though the use of the atom bombs brought the war to a close, it
led to new tensions in the world and to a new competition for making more and more deadly
weapons that might destroy all mankind.
Ahimsa Versus Militancy: How Subhas Chandra Bose And Mahatma Gandhi Differed In
Ideologies?

Tum Mujhe Khoon Do, Main Tumhe Aazadi Dunga’. The famous lines said by Netaji, still
resonate like a firelight of patriotism in every part of our country. Not letting any illusion or desire
influence him, Netaji’s patriotism was virtuous with morals and leaned towards a clear-sighted
idea of independence. Today Netaji’s idea of nationalism is misinterpreted as jingoism by fanatic
groups and political leaders.

Netaji believed Gandhiji as a symbol of Indian nationalism and called him “The Father of Nation.
His beliefs are contradicted by the fundamentalist they proclaim Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as
the father of the nation which is substantial, as each individual has his own thought, ideology,
beliefs, and faith and it is not at all obligatory to consider Gandhi as ‘Mahatma’ or ‘The Father of
our Nation’ but what should make us think is, Why in a country like India, who suffered years of
foreign dominance because of schism and lack of coherence, has this kind of contradictory and
malevolent approach towards its freedom fighters. Do we really think of our nation or it’s just a
dogma in the name of nationalism to establish communal supremacy over the minorities?

It’s not like what some Congress members tried to claim for a long time that only a non-violent
policy was responsible for India’s Independence. We all know that Netaji and INA’s [Indian
National Army] actions, too, contributed to India’s freedom.”

“On the other hand, it would be nonsensical to claim that only Netaji and the INA, brought about
India’s Independence. Gandhi inspired many, including Netaji,” they both had huge respect for
one another despite the hugely differing ideologies.

They were great heroes who fought for India’s Independence keeping aside political and
communal advocacy.

Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose are seen as some of the main architects of India's
freedom struggle. However, their difficult relationship during such tumultuous times is still
discussed toda
On August 15, 1947, India's independence was attributed to many significant factors. One of them
is the entire country coming together to fight the common enemy. Transcending class and religion,
the agitation against the British Raj became stronger every second, eventually forcing them to
leave us be. While the fight unified us all, the routes to the goal were different. People with varying
ideologies and methods gave India its current identity, but their execution processes often became
the bone of contention. Moderate and non-violent resistance strongly opposed radicalised agitation
that involved violence. Such differences often caused rifts that make up our history today. One of
them is the complicated relationship between Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi, and
their policies often rooted them against each other while fighting for a common cause. ''Freedom
Is Not Given - It Is Taken'' From the very beginning, Bose and Gandhi stood for polar opposite
ideologies. Subhas Chandra Bose was very well-known for his radical and militant methods to
make India independent. While he was an integral part of the Indian National Congress, his views
were highly different from Mahatma Gandhi's. Gandhi's non-violent approach in the independence
struggle gained momentum. It strongly influenced the Indian National Congress when it took part
in the historic Non-Cooperation Movement. Bose joined the Congress in 1921 and became a part
of the agitation. However, soon after, the differences in their ideologies were reflected in Congress'
proceedings. ''Netaji'' was adamant about taking up arms against the British, as he thought it was
the only way to gain freedom. Therefore, when the Civil Disobedience Movement was called off
after the Chauri Chaura violence, Bose was one of the many who criticised his move. "To sound
the order of retreat just when public enthusiasm was reaching the boiling point was nothing short
of a calamity," The Telegraph quotes. Further, he called Gandhi out for not consulting the other
representatives before ''strangling'' the agitation. The Infamous Tripuri Session Slowly and
steadily, the rift only grew. While Bose's beliefs involved an armed revolution and taking help
from Japanese and European forces, Gandhi opposed them vehemently. Their conflict spread into
their economic futures when Bose's industrial ambitions were criticised by the Gandhian principle
of promoting cottage industries in the country. The Tripuri session of the Indian National Congress
widened the differences further. Subhas Chandra Bose announced his participation in the
presidential elections, knowing that he was strongly opposed. In light of this, Mahatma Gandhi
asked Jawaharlal Nehru to stand against him. However, he refused and suggested Maulana Azad
for the candidature, who also declined the offer. Then, Dr Pattabhi Sitaramayya stood against Bose
but suffered crippling defeat as the latter won with 1580 votes. Bose'sBose's victory caused
resentment among the moderate and non-violent believers. "I am glad of his victory, and since I
was instrumental in Dr Pattabhi not withdrawing his name after Maulana Azad sahib did so, the
defeat is more mine than his," said Gandhi. As the infamous Congress session arrived, several
Gandhian followers were not keen on Bose'sBose's leadership. With the disapproval on the rise,
he decided to resign from the party and pave his path. Bose Vs Gandhi: The Infamous Rift It is a
proven fact that Bose and Gandhi were not supportive of each other regarding ideologies.
However, both of them had mutual respect. Mahatma Gandhi called him a ''patriot among patriots''
for his adamant ways to gain India'sIndia's freedom. On the other hand, Bose called him ''Father
of The Nation'', a term that is still used for Mahatma Gandhi even today. Their infamous rift is
talked about many even today. Some even have different theories proving their sides of the
argument, but both worked towards the exact cause, which was eventually achieved in 1947 'at the
stroke of midnight.''

In public discourse and popular imagination Subhas Chandra Bose and the stalwarts of the
Congress Party like Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi are often seen at odds with each other.
The Bose-Gandhi rivalry is frequently understood as the biggest dichotomy of the Indian
nationalist movement, its narrative often picked up by parties now to futher their own agenda.

"The differences between Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose is highly exaggerated by
the people of India and more particularly by the people in Bengal. The parting that took place in
1939 was a temporary one and if we study the relationship betweeen Gandhi and Netaji, we will
find that it was one the marked with deep mutual love, affection and respect," said Sugata Bose,
the noted historian and grandnephew of Subhas Chandra Bose while delivering a lecture at Gandhi-
founded Sabarmati Ashram here.

The Harvard professor, while delivering the fifth Sabarmati lecture organised by Sabarmati
Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust, that manages the Ashram, on Friday evening said "the
way both Mahatma Gandhi and Bose were prepared to respect cultural rdifference including
religious differences and by according that respect were able to rise above that differences in order

to forge an overarching unity of the country."

"The differences between Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose is high.Subhas Chandra
Bose 's political views were in support of complete freedom for India with a classless society and
state socialism at the earliest, whereas most of the Congress Committee wanted it in phases,
through a Dominion status.[1] Even though Bose and Mahatma Gandhi had differing ideologies,
the latter called Bose the "Patriot of Patriots" in 1942. Bose admired Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi and called him Bapu, recognising his importance as a symbol of Indian nationalism and
giving him political expediency as told by Bose to Rash Behari Bose; called him "The Father of
Our Nation" in a radio broadcast from Rangoon in 1944, in which he stated, "I am convinced that
if we do desire freedom we must be prepared to wade through blood",[2] a statement somewhat at
odds with Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence. Thus, although they shared the goal of an
independent India, by 1939 the two had become divided over the strategy to achieve Indian
Independence, and to some degree the form which the post-Independence state should take:
Gandhi was hostile to industrialisation, while Bose saw it as the only route to making India strong
and self-sufficient (in this he may have been influenced, like many other Indian intellectuals of the
time, by reports of the success of the Soviet five-year plans). Jawaharlal Nehru disagreed with
Gandhi on this point as well, though not over the tactics of protest.

Bose was accused of collaborating with the Axis, after he fled to Germany in 1941 and offered
Hitler an alliance. He criticized the British during World War II, saying that while Britain was
fighting for the freedom of the European nations under Nazi control, it would not grant
independence to its own colonies, including India. In 1937 he published an article attacking
Japanese imperialism in the Far East, although he betrayed some admiration for other aspects of
the Japanese regime.[3]

Bose's earlier correspondence (prior to 1939) also reflects his deep disapproval of the racist
practices of and annulment of democratic institutions in Nazi Germany.[4] He also, however,
expressed admiration for the authoritarian methods (though not the racial ideologies) which he saw
in Italy and Germany during the 1930s, and thought they could be used in building an independent
India.[5] Nevertheless, Bose's tenure as Congress Party President (1938–39) did not reflect any
particular anti-democratic or authoritarian attributes. Nirad C. Chaudhuri, Anton Pelinka and
Leonard Gordon have remarked that Bose's skills were best illustrated at the negotiating table,
rather than on the battlefield.

At the Tripura Congress session of 1939, he demanded giving the British Government a six-month
deadline for granting independence and of launching a mass civil disobedience movement if it
failed to do so. He believed that "... the country was internally more ripe for a revolution than ever
before and that the coming international crisis would give India an opportunity for achieving her
emancipation, which is rare in human history."[6]

Bose's judgment in allying with the Japanese has been questioned, as many argue [7] that he would
have been unable to ensure an independent India had he ridden to power on Japanese bayonets,
and was in danger of becoming a puppet ruler similar to the fate that befell Puyi, the last Chinese
Emperor of Manchuria. In 1943 Rash Behari Bose had urged this on him during his last visit to
Subhas Bose in Singapore, pointing out that the Japanese had claimed right of conquest in
Manchuria and would do so in India, while Quit India had shown that this would not be accepted
by the Indian Nation.[8]

Nevertheless, given the Indian National Army's (INA) overwhelming dependence on Japanese
military support, he would have been in a weak position. Bose also seems to have ignored the
appalling treatment meted out by the Japanese to the Asian inhabitants of the lands they conquered
as part of the Greater East Asian Co-prosperity sphere, which included the forcible recruitment of
labour from the overseas Indian population to build projects such as the Burma Railway, and
massacres of Malayan Chinese in Singapore where he spent most of the war.[9]

Bose has been branded as a fascist in some quarters.[who?] Others believe that Bose had clearly
expressed his belief that democracy was the best option for India.[10][dubious – discuss]

Had either of the alliances he forged during the war resulted in Indian independence in the manner
he envisaged, it would have been at the cost of an Allied defeat in the Second World War, a price
that some Indians would argue is too high: Gandhi himself, in the immediate aftermath of the war,
said that Bose had been "foolish in imagining, that by allying himself with the Japanese and the
Germans, who were not only aggressive Powers, but also dangerous Powers, he could get Indian
freedom".[11] The alternative of non-violent protest within India espoused by Gandhi and the rest
of Congress ultimately led to British withdrawal, albeit at the expense of the partition of the
country along communal lines. Even before 1939, Congress had secured political concessions from
the British in the form of elected provincial assemblies, and an agreement that the British taxpayer
would foot the bill for Indian re-armament.[12] Although it was rejected by Congress at the time,
the 1942 Cripps mission's offer of full independence after the war could be considered the point at
which the British departure became inevitable.[13] Britain's weakness after the war, and domestic
political pressure on the Labour Government also made British withdrawal more likely. Publicly
at least, Bose never believed that this would happen unless they were driven out by force: as late
as 1944, three years prior to independence, he announced that "I am honestly convinced that the
British Government will never recognise India's demand for independence."

Nirad Chaudhuri considered it a backhanded tribute to Bose that the Congress tricolour and the
Muslim League green flag flew together for the last time during the mutiny of the Indian navy in
Bombay unleashed in 1946 partly at anger within the Navy at the trial of INA officers by the
British.[15]

Judith Brown argues that the Mutiny of the Indian Navy was a minor factor in the British decision
to leave compared to domestic political pressure, American hostility to any continuation of the
Raj, and the breakdown of almost all networks of support and collaboration brought about by thirty
years of Congress agitation. By 1946 over 50% of the members of the Indian Civil Service were
Indians, and even Churchill recognised that the offer of independence made by the Cripps Mission
in 1942 could not now be withdrawn.[16] In this interpretation concerns over the loyalty of the
military were only one factor among many amid the general breakdown in authority: nor, it could
be argued, did all this necessarily stem from the activities of Bose and the INA. The prospect of
communalism infecting the armed forces worried the British just as much.

Bose was considered a patriot even by some of his rivals in the Congress. Gandhi himself wrote
that Bose's "... patriotism is second to none", and he was moved to proclaim after Bose's death that
he was a "prince among patriots"—a reference, in particular, to Bose's achievement in integrating
women and men from all the regions and religions of India in the Indian National Army.[19] Bose
wanted freedom for India at the earliest opportunity, and to some extent, he didn't care who he had
to approach for assistance.

His Contribution in Indian Freedom StruggleSubhas Chandra Bose was one of India’s greatest
freedom fighter. As far as the history of India’s independence struggle against the British is
concerned Subhas Chandra Bose will always remain a key figure. A go-getter right from the start,
Bose decided to chart his own path towards India’s independence in spite of knowing how hard it
was going to be. He revived the Indian National Army, popularly known as ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ in
1943 which was initially formed in 1942 by Rash Behari Bose. The assault by the INA, no matter
how short-lived it was, was an important factor that eventually contributed to the British decision
to stop their operations and shift back to their own land. This, in the end, did pave the way for
India’s independence.

Controversial Death
It has been more than 70 years since Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s death, but the questions
regarding the circumstances of his demise — the time, year, and location of his passing away —
are still shrouded in mystery.

We commemorate his death anniversary on 18 August every year because, according to some of
the significant biographers, Netaji died in a plane crash in Taihoku (Japanese Taiwan) on that day
in 1945.

The initial investigations carried out by the British Army, the government of British India, the
government of Japan, and the Allied Forces also reached the same conclusion that Netaji suffered
severe burns during the crash and later died in a hospital on the same day.

According to an article published in The Wire, an independent and private investigation was
carried out by war journalist Harin Shah, also corroborated the same story.

The Beginning of The Dispute

The seed of mystery and dispute grew after Indian Independence, in 1956 when the Indian
government established the Netaji Inquiry Committee consisting of Shahnawaz Khan ( the
parliamentary secretary of the time) Netaji’s brother Suresh Chandra Bose, and S.N. Maitra of the
Indian Civil Service to investigate the freedom fighter’s death.

The committee’s report concurred with the fact that Netaji died during the crash. However, Netaji’s
brother refused to sign the report, indicating that this was a cover-up and blamed several political
leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru, for it.

In 1966, Suresh Bose also claimed that Netaji is all set to make a return. Although it didn’t happen,
a string of conspiracy theories and several reports of Netaji sightings begin doing rounds over the
years, keeping one question alive in public consciousness: Is Netaji Still Alive?
For years, some rumours claimed that a saint named Gumnami Baba in Uttar Pradesh was Netaji
in disguise. At the same time, a book by Retired Major Gen. GD Bakshi propounded that the plane
crash was just a distraction that the Japanese used to help Bose escape to Russia.

In 1970, Justice Khosla Commission reinvestigated Netaji’s death and reached the same
conclusion as all the other investigations before — that Netaji died in a crash.

The De-classification of Netaji Files

However, the plane crash death narrative is still challenged not only by the public but also lawyers
and academicians over the years.

One of the biggest reasons for people not believing the plane crash story came after Mukherjee
Commission’s report. In 1999, the Mukherjee Commission was founded to look into the death of
Netaji. Justice Manoj Mukherjee led it, and the conclusion of their investigation confirmed what
the public had speculated for years that Netaji did not die in a plane crash, and the ashes in the
Japanese temple is not his.

There had been several pleas to declassify Netaji’s files over the years, and in 2015, the West
Bengal government made public a set of files from the state archives related to Netaji. Following
this move, in January 2016, 304 files on Netaji were also declassified by Central Ministry.
However, the government claims that a total of over 2000 files related to Bose have been released
so far since 1997, and there aren’t any more files in the archives to be declassified.

Post declassification too, there are many questions left unanswered. While the family, in a bid to
get closure, has asked for the DNA testing of the ashes kept in the Renko-Ji temple, others have
requested that the Indian government ask all Japanese and Russian files related to Bose to be
declassified. While the files declassified by the Indian government have so far not challenged the
plane crash death narrative, it has also raised questions about the Nehru government’s need to spy
on Netaji’s family for decades, especially if they did not believe Bose to be alive.

A lot has been written and said about the unfortunate death of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. There
have been myriad theories, debates, discussions, movies, and several documentaries about the
cause of his death, yet there has so far been no confirmation to any of these theories.
Netaji had gone missing in 1945 and some of his family members had rejected the report of his
death in a plane crash in Taihoku airport in Taiwan on August 18 that year. Several reports claimed
that Netaji had on August 18, 1945, boarded a plane from Taihoku Airport in Taiwan, which
crashed leading to his death.

Japanese government report

An investigative report by the Japanese government titled "Investigation on the cause of death and
other matters of the late Subhas Chandra Bose" was declassified in 2016. It concluded that Bose
died in a plane crash in Taiwan on 18 August 1945. The report was completed in January 1956
and was handed over to the Indian embassy in Tokyo, but was not made public for more than 60
years as it was classified. According to the report, just after takeoff, a propeller blade on the
airplane in which Bose was traveling broke off and the engine fell off the plane, which then crashed
and burst into flames. When Bose exited it his clothes caught fire and he was severely burned. He
was admitted to hospital, and although he was conscious and able to carry on a conversation for
some time he died several hours later.

Figgess report
In 1946, Colonel John G. Figgess, a senior British intelligence officer on attachment in Tokyo,
said in his report in 1946 "that SC Bose died in a Taihoku Military Hospital sometime between
1900 hours and 2000 hours local time on the 18th August 1945.”

India Tv - subhash chandra bose, netaji subhas chandra bose amar jawan jyoti, netaji subhash
chandra bose subha

Govt of India's on Netaji's death

The Centre from time to time had constituted panels -- Shah Nawaz Committee in 1956, the Khosla
Commission in 1970, and the Mukherjee Commission in 2005 -- to shed light on the circumstances
leading to Netaji's death or disappearance, but none could render any answer. On September 1,
2016, the Narendra Modi government declassified investigative reports of the Japanese
government, which concluded that Bose died in a plane crash in Taiwan. Reports also suggested
that his remains are preserved at Renkoji temple in Tokyo.
Many, however, continue to believe that Netaji survived the plane crash and lived in hiding. The
Manmohan Singh government in 2006 had accepted that ashes in Renkoji Temple in Japan were
those of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

What MHA said in a reply to RTI regarding Netaji's death

In 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said in a reply to an RTI application from a
Kolkata resident that the government had come to this conclusion after considering the reports of
various committees that probed the death of Bose, who, many believed, had not perished in the
crash. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government had said that Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose died in an air crash in 1945, putting to an end a controversy that refuses to be buried
about the freedom fighter having survived the accident.

The RTI query was filed by Sayak Sen, convener of Open Platform for Netaji, under the Right To
Information Act to the Home Ministry about the whereabouts of Netaji post-August 18, 1945. The
plea also sought to know how many files were declassified by the MHA and how many were yet
to be declassified besides the information about one Gumnami Baba living in Uttar Pradesh in the
80s. On the question of Gumnami Baba, the RTI reply said, “Some information regarding
Gumnami Baba and Bhagwanji is available in the Mukherjee Commission report on page 114-
122...The Mukherjee Commission had come to the conclusion that Gumnami Baba/Bhagwanji was
not Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Ministry of Home Affairs has declassified all available files (37)
relating to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.”

In October 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met the family members of Netaji and
announced that the government would declassify the files relating to the leader. In 2016, on
Netaji’s 119th birth anniversary on January 23, as many as 100 secret files were made public by
PM Modi.

To date, the controversy surrounding the death of Netaji has not died down. The TMC recently
renewed its demand for declassification of files on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s disappearance
in 1945 and said that ashes preserved at a temple in Japan, believed to be that of the freedom
fighter, should be sent for DNA analysis. Clearly, no freedom fighter has intrigued India as much
as Subhash Chandra Bose. Despite being one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian freedom
struggle, his cause of death remains shrouded in mystery.
Chapter 4: Conclusion
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose ’s life is a story of struggle. It is the story of a young dreamer that
tells the saga of consciousness, struggle and success in every eye; one who has the power to rip
the ground with his arms; one who talks about making a hole in the sky; one who is anxious to
achieve his goals; one who does not accept anything for free; and if he wants freedom, he is ready
to spill his blood. Thousands of people sacrificed their lives on Netaji’s call. He created an army
against the British in no time.

Netaji was born in Cuttack in Odisha in 1897, graduated from Kolkata, and proved his mettle by
becoming an Indian Civil Services (ICS) officer. But he was not accustomed to a life of comfort
and amenities that came with his job. He was a warrior, who had to wage the freedom struggle.
Not only did he embrace the freedom movement wholeheartedly, but also became an inspiration
for freedom. With the slogan “Give me blood and I will give you freedom”, he started preparing
to awaken the country. Such was the charisma of his philosophy and personality that whoever
listened to him was attracted to him. His popularity skyrocketed and he became “Netaji” to the
general public.

He was so fond of Bharat Mata that his country tied to the chains of slavery did not let him live
peacefully. People beyond India’s borders also developed a fascination for him. Heads of states of
important countries stood by him and Netaji lit the fire of the freedom struggle beyond India’s
shores. He built a force and presented that force before the enemies of the country as the Azad
Hind Fauj (Indian National Army). He gave the slogan of “Dilli Chalo” with a new spirit.
Thousands of soldiers of his 60,000-strong army sacrificed their lives for the country.

“Success always stands on the pillar of failure.” Bose lived with this philosophy and also inspired
others. Netaji encountered failures several times, but he converted those failures to triumph with
his struggle. Whether it is municipal politics, the journey from a common Congressman to the
Congress president’s position, the formation of the Forward Bloc or the struggle of the Indian
National Army, he passed every test with distinction.

Bose accepted the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, but ironically, Gandhiji himself became the
cause of him leaving the Congress. But the two leaders always had respect for each other.
At the time of India’s independence, Clement Attlee was the British Prime Minister. He came to
Kolkata in 1956. At that time, his host, governor and former Calcutta high court chief justice PB
Chakravartti, tried to find out from him the reason behind the British decision to grant freedom to
India. In response, Attlee said that the loyalty of the Indian army and navy to the British state was
declining due to the increasing military activities of Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj. This was one of the
major reasons. This acknowledgement proves the great contribution of Bose to India’s
independence. It finds a mention in a letter written to the publisher by Justice Chakravartti in the
book “A History of Bengal” by RC Majumdar.

Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh had a major contribution in the life of Netaji. The banks of the
Narmada transformed his life. The Tripuri Congress session was held from March 4-11, 1939 in
Jabalpur. Despite poor health, Netaji had arrived on a stretcher to participate in it. Thereafter, he
came again to Jabalpur on July 4, 1939 to form the Forward Bloc. The people of Madhya Pradesh
have a deep relationship with Netaji. In every town of the state, there’s a ward in his name. Subhas
Chandra Bose’s message to his colleagues was: “Success may be distant, but it is imperative”.
Bose used to say, “If a person is not obsessed, he can never become great. But he should also have
something else inside him.” Bose is credited with giving global identity to the Indian leadership.
Earlier, Swami Vivekananda had enlightened the world about India’s spiritual and cultural
superiority and identity.

Netaji was also fluent in many Indian languages. Bose’s struggle for freedom proved to be an
inspiration not just for India, but also for all Third World countries. The Indian freedom struggle
and the war of independence led by Bose had a profound impact on those countries. Netaji’s status
establishes him as the “hero of freedom” globally.
References
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Anniversary, Achievements, Contributions and More. [online] Available at:
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/subhas-chandra-bose-birth-anniversary-
achievements-and-contributions-1446798588-1 [Accessed 31 May 2022].
• www.britannica.com. (n.d.). Subhas Chandra Bose summary | Britannica. [online]
Available at: https://www.britannica.com/summary/Subhas-Chandra-Bose [Accessed 31
May 2022].
• Saxena, A. (2022). Ahimsa Versus Militancy: How Subhas Chandra Bose And Mahatma
Gandhi Differed In Ideologies? [online] thelogicalindian.com. Available at:
https://thelogicalindian.com/history/sc-bose-mahatma-gandhi-idealogies-
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ma%20Gandhi%20called%20him%20a.
• Times of India Blog. (2022). The relation of Gandhi and Bose. [online] Available at:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/why-the-constitution-is-important/the-
relation-of-gandhi-and-bose-40840/ [Accessed 31 May 2022].

• indiaherald.com. (n.d.). Mystery behind Subhash Chandra Bose s death [online]

Available at: https://www.indiaherald.com/Breaking/Read/994469527/Mystery-behind-
Subhash-Chandra-Boses-death [Accessed 31 May 2022].