The iconic Kalka Mail train has been renamed as Netaji Express in honour of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, Union minister of railways Piyush Goyal has announced. The train is said to be have been used by Netaji to escape from British captivity in 1941, when it was operated by the East Indian Railway Company.
"Saluting Subhash Chandra Boseji's unforgettable contribution in the freedom struggle, his birth anniversary will now be celebrated as Parakram Divas. The Indian Railways has decided to run Howrah-Kalka Mail under the name of Netaji Express in his memory," Goyal tweeted on Friday.
The train began its operation in 1866 between Kolkata, then capital of British India, and Delhi. It was later extended to Kalka situated in the foothills of the Himalayas.
The country is observing the 125th birth anniversary year of Independence movement icon Bose. In order to honour and remember Netaji's selfless service to the nation, the central government has decided to celebrate the occasion as Parakram Diwas every year to inspire the youth of the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes to Netaji in a tweet in the morning. "Bowing to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a great freedom fighter and true son of Mother India, on his birth anniversary. A grateful nation will always remember his sacrifice and dedication for the independence of the country," PM Modi tweeted in Hindi.
PM Modi will be celebrating the iconic freedom fighter’s birth anniversary in Kolkata and will attend two programmes, one at the National Library and other at Victoria Memorial Hall, during his day-long visit. This is the first time since the Bharatiya Janata Paty (BJP) came to power at the Centre that PM Modi will be observing Bose's birth anniversary.
A high-level committee has also been set up to plan a grand year-long programme to commemorate Netaji's birth anniversary. The committee will be headed by PM Modi and will decide on activities and supervise the commemoration programmes. Its members will include Union minister, members of Parliament from Bengal and historians.
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