Parakram Diwas is celebrated on January 23 to commemorate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. This year marks the 126th birth anniversary of Bose, fondly known as ‘Netaji’. To mark the occasion, 21 unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar will be named after Param Veer Chakra awardees. A model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji which will be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep will also be unveiled on Monday.
Here are ten things to know about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose:
1) The charismatic leader who gave popular slogans like “Delhi Chalo” was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Bengal division, Odisha.
2) His appealing slogan - "Tum mujhe khoon do, mai tumhe azadi doonga (You give me blood, I will give you freedom)”- fuelled Indians with patriotism during the freedom struggle.
3) Born to Jankinath, a prominent lawyer, and Prabhavati, Bose was the 9th child among their 14 children including 8 sons and 6 daughters.
4) He attended Presidency College, Calcutta, till his suspension in 1916 due to nationalist activities. Later he graduated from Scottish Churches College in 1919.
5) To prepare for the Indian civil service examination, he was sent by his parents to England's University of Cambridge.
6) After clearing the examination in 1920, Bose resigned a year later, in April 1921, following news of nationalist turmoil in his homeland and hurried back to India.
{{/usCountry}}6) After clearing the examination in 1920, Bose resigned a year later, in April 1921, following news of nationalist turmoil in his homeland and hurried back to India.
{{/usCountry}}7) In India, Bose joined the Indian National Congress, but with time, refuted from Mahatma Gandhi's less confrontational approach.
8) In 1938, he became the president of the Indian National Congress. But resigned a year later despite defeating his rival in reelection.
9) On October 21, 1943, Bose formed ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ and later started Azad Hind radio station in Germany
10) He went missing on August 18, 1945, after a plane crash in Taiwan. Out of three inquiry commissions on the accident, two claimed he died due to the crash while one stated was alive after the tragedy.