The year was 1941. The day January 16. From 38/2, Elgin Road, at the dead of night, a man quietly slipped out, speeding away in a car with a dream in his eyes and a master plan ticking in his mind.

In April 1941, India and the world were stunned when Germany's Goebbel's radio service announced: India's most popular leader has arrived in Berlin to ask for Hitler's help in delivering India from British rule.

The man was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Under house arrest and strict vigilance of the British police, he had escaped from under their noses.

A manhunt was launched in India, nationwide. The British dignity had received a terrible affront. It defied their credulity that Subhas Bose had dared to plan an escape when the spirit of sacrifice among the leaders of the day dictated that going to jail was honourable. Escape from the motherland was unthinkable.

And, while the British continued their search on the eastern side from where two decades ago, another Bengali, Rash Behari Bose, had escaped, Bose had boarded the train for Peshawar and made his way to Germany, travelling incognito, with the help of his nephew Sisir Bose and Bhagat Ram Talwar, an underground worker of the Kirti party and a key agent in the escape plan.

Why Netaji sought Axis aid
The British tyranny was not easy to conquer. Netaji was of the firm belief that only an armed uprising could free India. And to achieve this end India had to work in cohesion with external aid. The World War II provided an opportune moment. UK was under attack from Japan, Germany and Italy. The three countries and India could align against the common enemy: the British kindgom. Their help had to be sought to crush British imperialism. And, Bose readied to fight with all means at his disposal to achieve his end.

Preparing for the escape
To execute his plan, he had, first, to escape from India. But Subhas was in jail. He had to appear before the British court on January 26 in a case against him.

Subhas started a fast unto death. Soon, he was released on bail on account of ill health and placed under house arrest. While convalescing at home, he worked out details for his escape plan taking into confidence his nephew Sisir Bose who was only 20 at that time.

Netaji's planning was immaculate. He started growing a beard as he planned to escape from Calcutta disguised as a maulvi. The minutest details were looked into. At 8.30 pm, January 17, 1941, dressed in a brown long coat, broad pyjamas and a black fez-type coat, he took the first step of the great escape.