Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's 122nd birth anniversary: Read on to know about his childhood, political journey

The country is celebrating Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s 122 birth anniversary today, i.e, January 23. He was one of the prominent figures in the Indian struggle for freedom. During the Second World War, he led the Indian National Army known aka Azad Hind Fauj to fight against the British. One of his most famous slogans: “Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe aazadi dunga” continues to inspire many even today.

Read on to know more about Netaji’s childhood and life:

• Subhash Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897, to notable lawyer Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi at Cuttack in Odisha. 
• As a child, he was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekanand’s teachings.
• After pursuing BA in philosophy, he was to the University of Cambridge in England to prepare for the Indian Civil Service.
• In 1920, he passed the civil service examination.
  
• In April 1921, Netaji decided to do his bit to free India from the shackles of the British empire. He came back to India and left his candidacy. 
• In December 1921, Bose was imprisoned after he organised an event to boycott the celebrations to mark the Prince of Wales' visit to India. 
• He later joined the Indian National Congress and was also elected as the president of the Youth Wing Party.

• He worked under the leadership of Chittaranjan Das, who was an active member of the Calcutta Congress. 
• Netaji regarded Chittaranjan Das as his guru and he started the newspaper ‘Swaraj’ and even edited ‘Forward’ and served as the CEO of Calcutta Municipal Corporation under Das’ stint as the mayor.
•  In a roundup of nationalists in 1925, Bose was arrested and sent to prison in Mandalay, where he contracted tuberculosis.
• In 1927, after being released from prison, Bose became general secretary of the Congress party and worked with Jawaharlal Nehru for independence.

  

• But the differences between Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose increased to an extent that Bose decided to resign from the party in 1939.
• Subhas Chandra Bose served as president of the Congress during 1938–39.
• Bose also opposed Congress’ support to the British during the World War 2.

  

• On 22 June 1939 Bose organised the All India Forward Bloc a faction within the Indian National Congress
• Soon in 1943, Netaji bounced back with his movement against the British when Rash Behari handed the Indian National Army or the Azad Hind Fauj to Netaji Subhash.
• In 1945, Bose reportedly died in a Japanese hospital in Taiwan due to burn injuries from a plane crash.