Netaji Subash Chandra Bose ~ Krishna Bose (41 and 42 of 2024)

It was indeed a great blessing and privilege to be at the car and the house from which Netaji made the final escape, the three storeyed house in Elgin road, his bedroom in the first floor, his foot steps (wondering how they marked it?) his life story and events from his life. The man who influenced him very much in his school days was his Headmaster, Benimadhab Das. But it was Swami Vivekananda's writings which influenced him most in his boyhood days. Just when he was grooping for an ideal life, the words of Vivekananda - 'Say brothers, at the top of your voice - the naked Indian, the illiterate Indian, the Brahmin Indian, the pariah Indian is my brother' - kept ringing in his ears. Service to mankind, Subhas realized, included service to his country. Service to mankind and your own salvation - was his ideal from that time. 

He practised yoga, meditation, went to north India on pilgrimage without telling family but returned which was his first adventure, second was beating up Professor Oaten at Presidency college. Professor later wrote :"Did I once suffer, Subhas, at your hand? Your patriot heart is stilled! I would forget!" Subash continued his studies at Scottish church college at Calcutta, joined the university training corps enjoyed rifle shooting, which helped him become the commander-in-chief of the Azad Hind Fauj. He passed BA in philosophy and MA in psychology, but his father wanted him to appear for ICS, which he did, for the want of going to London but had no hope. He qualified, but did not want to pursue that profession. On 22 April 1921 he wrote to his friend, "The way to happiness, lay in dancing around with the surging waves of the ocean." While returning Rabindranath Tagore was in the same ship and they discussed India's freedom struggle, and as soon as he landed went to meet Mahatma Gandhi who was in Bombay at that time. He worked closed with him from 1921 to 1939 though he realised that there was a difference of approach between the two. Gandhi asked him to meet C.R. Das. He started working as the principal of the National College - there was a joke saying he was teaching empty desks. He started editing political magazines. 

In 1928 congress session in Calcutta he was the General Officer commanding organised with strict military discipline and donned military uniform sowing the seeds for Azad Hind Fauj. Gandhi put forward demand for dominion status for India, but he asked for complete independence. In 1931, he was Mayor of Calcutta, On Jan 26, 1931 the first Independence day, he led a procession in the streets of Calcutta was beaten up and in 1932 started another prolonged imprisonment. His health too was failing. But he continued to inspire others especially youth wherever he went. He was deported to Europe , he decided to arouse their sympathy for the National Movement. He formed associations for India in various countries like Austria, Czec, opposed Hitler, wrote against him, met Mussoline - told Independence would come through revolution and not reforms. He was made the Rashtrapati or president of Indian National congress in Jan 1938 when he was 41 years old. Therein was discussed the problems of India, and the first National Planning Committee was set up and Nehru made it's leader.  Next year he asked to contest election as he had lot more to do, but Gandhi proposed another person Pattabhi to be the leader, so he called for election and won. Gandhi said that Pattabhi's defeat was his defeat. He resigned in 1939.

In 1940 Gandhi told Bose, he did not think the time for the freedom struggle had come, but if he was successful, Gandhi would be the first to congratulate him. It was Netaji who called Gandhiji 'Father of the Nation' first in a radio broadcast, addressing him thus, he said "In this holy war for India's libration we ask for your blessings and good wishes." Netaji had created the Forward block to work within the congress but it soon became a separate body. During world war II "All power of people here and now" was the slogan that Subhas Chandra Bose raised. He was arrested on 3rd July 1940 which was his eleventh and last imprisonment. He declared a fast unto death demanding release and when his condition became serious he was released on 5th December 1940, with the intention of arresting him again when he was better. But Netaji escaped disguised as Mohammad Ziauddin, for 10 days the news was a secret, crossed the frontier safely and entered Afghanistan and after a prolonged stay in Kabul finally left for Berlin in the guise of an Italian named Orlando Mazzotta. 

He planned to establish a Free India Centre in Belin, from where he would organize an Indian National Army. The Azad Hind Radio started functioning. Plans chalked out there were put into practice in Singapore and Burma. He did not approve of common prayers. Religion and Politics, in Netaji's opinion, must be completely divorced from each other. He would not bow before anyone. On 8th Feb, 1943 he left Germay in a submarine cramped and restricted from the port of Kiel with Abid Hasan , 90 days later he reached Tokyo. Netaji left behind the Free India Centre and the Indian legion to be looked after by A.C.N. Nambiar. Netaji flew to Tokyo on May 16th, 1943. he was a Japanese named Matsuda. When he revelled about his presence, he said "The enemy has drawn the sword and he must be fought with the sword; he declared." He arrived in Singapore with Rashbehari Bose who was in exile in Japan. 

The provisional Government of Azad Hind was formed on October 21st, 1943 - Netaji was the Head of Stat and Prime Minister of the newly formed Government and also the Supreme Commander of the Army. The seat of the Azad Hind Government was moved from Singapore to Rangoon in 1944. 'Chalo Delhi' was their war cry. On 18th March they crossed the Indo-Burma frontier and stood on Indian soil. Japan was bombarded, and surrendered to Allies, on 15th August 1945, Netaji pleaded to the people of India, "There is no power on earth that can keep India enslaved. India shall be free and before long." Netaji had said 'On to Delhi' he had meant as head of a victorious army , but they were there as prisoners of war - three for them Major General Shah Nawaz Khan a Muslim, Colonel P.K. Sahgal a Hindu and Colonel Dhillon a Sikh. The Red Fort Trial was a blunder that shook Indian's when they got to know about it. 

Netaji left Singapore and halted in Bangkok for a day, he flew to Saigon on August 17th, the last available photograph of Netaji was taken when he was coming down the steps of the aircraft of Saigon airport. It is believed Netaji was going to Manchuria to seek asylum in Soviet Russia. He had decided to continue the war of independence from other territory. But destiny ordained otherwise. Netaji's plane landed in Taipei in Formosa for refuelling on August 18th, 1945 and while taking off the plane crashed. Netaji was severely burned and injured and with others injured was rushed to the military hospital at Taipei. 5 days later it was announced by Japanese Military Headquarters that he died the same evening.  Habib-ur-Rahaman was with him who was also injured but not so seriously. Netaji gave the last message to him. "Jab apney mulk wapis jayen to mulk ki bhaiyon ko batana ki men akhri dam tak mulk ki azadi key liyay larta raha hoon; woh jange Azadi ko jari rakhen. Hindustan zaroor azad hoga, us ko koi gualm nahin rakh sakta."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D1PJgNPtcM

Krishna Bose is an eminent expert on Netaji's life and struggles. After her marriage to Sisir Bose - son of Sarat Chandra Bose, the barrister and nationalist leader who was his younger brother Subhas's closest comrade - she joined Sisir's efforts to research and document Netaji's life and work.  Sisir became a renowned paediatrician as well as the founder and builder of the Netaji Research Bureau at Kolkata's Netaji Bhawan, the former Bose family residence, Krishna's prolific writings include several original books on Netaji. 

A Biography for the Young ~ Netaji : By Krishna Bose

The story begins with Netaji's dramatic escape from his Calcutta residence in January 1941. His early home life and education culminating in his resignation from the Indian Civil Services at his motherland's call are elucidated. After an eventful and stormy public life spanning over two decades he becomes the Congress President, commanding the national scene alongside Mahatma Gandhi. 

Netaji organized the Indian National Army, achieving a unique harmony and understanding among its officers and men in the country's cause, irrespective of religion, caste, sect or region. The Red Fort trials revealed the heroic saga of Netaji and the INA to the people of India. They rose as one man, not only in defence of the INA but to demand immediate national independence, thereby turning the apparent temporary defeat of the INA into a permanent victory. 

Primarily meant to be a concise biography of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for the young, the book will help inculcate in the rising generation feelings of patriotism, national oneness, self-sacrifice for a greater cause, courage, and a concern for the poor - qualities of which Netaji was the shining example. 

The book covers 8 chapters, named - The Great Escape, Growing Up, The Freedom Fighter, Rashtrapati and After, Azad Hind, A perilous Journey, Onto Death, and Victory in Defeat. 

A True Love Story ~ Emilie and Subhas : By Krishna Bose

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's relationship with his wife, Emilie Schenkl, is one of the least-known aspects of the leader's life. They met in Vienna in June 1934 when Subhas was looking for a secretary who knew English to assist with his book 'The Indian struggle' and soon became friends, secretly married in December 1937 in Badgastein, a spa resort in Austria's Salzburg province, and saw each other for the last time in Berlin in February 1943, two months after the birth in Vienna of their daughter Anita who was born on 29th November 1942.  In honour of Anita Garibaldi, they had named her Anita. From 1934 onwards, Subhas and Emilie corresponded continuously through letters whenever the were physically separated. 

This is a letter written by Subhas to Emilie:

Born in 1910 into a middle-class Austrian family of Vienna, Emilie Schenkl nurtured her husband's memory and cultivated a deep attachment from afar to India all her life, until her death in 1996. She brought up their daughter on her own, working to support herself and Anita. Fiercely self-reliant and very private, Emilie lived a life of great dignity and quiet courage. 

Emilie was especially close to Netaji's nephew Sisir Kumar Bose, whom she first met in Vienna in the late 1940s and after his marriage in December 1955 she also formed a close friendship with his wife Krishna. Krishna knew Emilie personally from 1959 until Emilie's death in 1996. 

This book, illustrated with forty-eight photographs from archives and family albums, is a unique record of Emilie's life of fortitude and the love story of Emilie and Subhas. 

Emilie had brought Anita facing lot of hardship, as it was war times too and her only comfort was her mother Omama. Emilie was so attached to Anita that she did not like anyone else getting closer to her, or she having close friends. She even rejected Martin Pfaff, when Anita introduced him. They celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding in July 2015 . They have three children Thomas Krishna, Peter Arun Pfaff, Maya Pfaff

Emilie passed away in March 1996. Krishan in the obituray for her wrote: "I shall not lament for her. For her it is the end of a long separation [Bengali, biraha] from her beloved. 

Netaji surely had a charmed life.  His family got to know of his wife and child after his death so also Indian's

Long ago in the course of a benediction, Rabindranath Tagore had said of Netaji: "I can only bless him and take my leave knowing that he had made his country's burden of sorrow his own, that his final reward is fast coming as his country's freedom," Freedom came. 

It was Netaji's belief: "In this mortal world everything perishes and will perish - but ideas, ideals and dream do not....the ideas, ideals and dreams of one generation are bequeathed to the next."