Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose remembered on 121st birth anniversary

Several other leaders such as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, BJP Chief Amit Shah, Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Harsh Vardhan honored Netaji with their tributes.

The nation paid rich tributes on Tuesday to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, one of India's most celebrated freedom fighters, on his 121st birth anniversary. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to pay their tributes. Modi tweeted a minute long video dedicated to Netaji along with a message.

Several other leaders such as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, BJP Chief Amit Shah, Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Harsh Vardhan honoured Netaji with their tributes.

The valour of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose makes every Indian proud. We bow to this great personality on his Jayanti. pic.twitter.com/Qrao1dnmQZ

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2018

On his birthday, I offer my tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. He remains one of our most beloved national heroes and an icon of India's freedom struggle #PresidentKovind

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 23, 2018

On his birth anniversary, I pay my tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, a national icon and charismatic leader, who gave ' Jai Hind' slogan. pic.twitter.com/09ls3xi5Su

— VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) January 23, 2018

His famous slogan "You give me blood, I'll give you Freedom" has continued to inspire many even today. Bose had been a leader of the younger, radical, wing of the Indian National Congress in the late 1920s and 1930s, rising to become Congress President in 1938 and 1939.

Congress' official Twitter handle posted a tribute to the leader along with a quote by Netaji.

Lovingly called as #Netaji, India's patriot #SubhashChandraBose was a leader of the Indian National Congress and served as the Congress President in 1938 and 1939. pic.twitter.com/EVQb6dy8Nq

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 23, 2018

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik paid tribute to Netaji Subash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/mNLwsp0axL

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 23, 2018

Subhash Chandra Bose's father wanted him to become a civil servant and therefore, sent him to England to appear for the Indian Civil Service Examination. Bose was placed fourth with highest marks in English. But his urge for participating in the freedom movement was intense that in April 1921, Bose resigned from the coveted Indian Civil Service and came back to India. He later joined the Indian National Congress, and also elected as the president of the Youth wing party.

Bose always believed that non-violence would never be sufficient to secure independence and advocated violent resistance. On the outbreak of the world war, Bose protested against Viceroy's decision to declare war on India as he advocated mass campaign of civil disobedience.

He escaped from India in 1941 and gone to Germany to work for India's independence. Bose travelled to a number of countries, including Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, so as to seek an alliance with each and to attack the British government in India.

In 1943, he came to Singapore to lead the Indian Independence league and re-built Indian Azad Hind Fauj or Indan National Army. Under his leadership, thousands of ex-prisoners and civilian volunteers from Malaya (Malaysia) and Burma joined the army, and together they fought to drive the British imperial rulers out of the country.

Although it was believed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died in a plane crash on 18 August 1945, his body was never recovered. There have been many theories put forward regarding his disappearance. The government of India has set up a number of committees to investigate the case and come out with the truth.

"NDA govt is committed to find out truth about disappearance of the liberator of India. We have requested PM that true history of Indian freedom struggle must be documented and published. PM Modi has accepted demand of rewriting history," Chandra Bose, the grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, told news agency ANI on Tuesday.

Here are the top quotes by Netaji which would continue to inspire generations:

"It is blood alone that can pay the price of freedom. Give me blood and I will give you freedom!"

"Freedom is not given, it is taken"

"One individual may die for an idea, but that idea will, after his death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives."

"We should have but one desire today. The desire to die so that India may live."

"India is calling. Blood is calling to blood. Get up, we have no time to lose. Take up your arms ! we shall carve our way through the enemy's ranks, or if God wills, we shall die a martyr's death. And in our last sleep we shall kiss the road that will bring our Army to Delhi."

OneIndia News