Today, January 23, is the 125th birth anniversary of the iconic freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to the fighter in his 'Mann Ki Baat'. A statue of Netaji Subhas will also be installed at the India Gate, however, until the statue is completed, a hologram of Natiaji will be placed at the same spot.
Netaji Subhas has been one of the most important freedom fighters and influential leaders who played a significant role under the British rule that got India its independence. Netaji Subhas' birth anniversary is also called Netaji Jayanti across the country.
Netaji Subhas was born in Odisha’s Cuttack to Prabhabati Bose and Janakinath Bose in 1897. Netaji considered Swami Vivekanand as his spiritual guru at a very young age. He was the son of a wealthy and prominent Bengali lawyer. Netaji studied at the prestigious Presidency College in Kolkata but was also expelled in 1916 for nationalist activities. He was then sent by his parents to the University of Cambridge in England to prepare for the Indian Civil Service but Netaji came back from England even though he had an Indian Civil Service (ICS) job to be a part of the freedom struggle in India.
To counter British rule, Netaji formed the Azad Hind Fauj, which was basically a military regiment that was going to fight with the British government. He also formed a separate battalion for women to join the freedom struggle and named it the Rani Jhansi regiment.
It was Netaji who was amongst those who first referred to Mahatma Gandhi as the Father of the nation.
