Explore how Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s leadership and vision of unity inspire India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 goals on Republic Day
Dr. Goutam Saha & Dr. S.N. Misra
Prime Minister’s clarion call on Viksit Bharat by 2047 became a national inspiration to be a developed nation. But how the most populous country in the world remains united, harmonious, and poised to grow as a developed nation, and how the country with huge diversity in terms of caste, religion, language, and state can still grow together is a big challenge for the nation. As our country is stepping towards its 77th Republic Day, this challenge loomed large in many of our minds. The life of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and his freedom movement through Indian National Army (INA) formation is a polestar and guiding force, from which our leaders of all spheres of public life, specially political leaders can learn how a big team, big organisation or a big country with huge diversity can be united to create excellence, to deliver superior value to its people and to be developed country.
Subhas grew up in Cuttack where Hindus and Muslims live amicably for years. It instilled the value of communal harmony, the famous Bhaichara of Cuttack, in him from childhood. Even, Netaji was a very prominent figure for uniting India, even when he was not present. The Hindu-Muslim riot-torn nation became united during the Red Fort trial days in 1945-46. In the first trial, the British Government chose 3 prominent accused INA Officers: Prem Sehgal, Gurbaksh Singh Dhilon, and Shah Nawaz Khan. The representation of Hindu, Sikhs, and Muslims in the trial accused made India united against the British rulers for defending the accused INA Officers. The Indian National Congress, Viswa Hindu Parishad and the Muslim League also came together to support the accused. Gradually, all the accused in the INA were set free primarily due to public pressure. Ait is quite evident, Netaji had a unique kind of personality and leadership style that created long-lasting communal harmony in the INA that trickled down to society. In our article, let us try to discover those master strokes that may help us to remain united and to attain the nation’s objective of being a developed nation.
The only purpose of Subhas Chandra Bose’s life was to bring freedom to his beloved country. He made it clearer when he took a different path from Gandhi’s Ahimsa, formed the INA, and declared, “Give me Blood, and I promise you freedom”. Bose created a sense of purpose among Indians through a broad-based national movement, formed the INA, and established the Provisional Government of Azad Hind. His focus on a sense of purpose to transform a religiously and linguistically diverse army into a single national force, Bose consciously shared symbols and practices that went beyond sectarian identity. Religious observances were allowed but carefully managed to reinforce unity rather than separation. On major festivals, Bose encouraged members of other communities to attend each other’s celebrations, arguing that understanding and sharing rituals would strengthen emotional bonds rather than dilute faith. The INA salutation “Jai Hind” was a consciously inclusive national slogan, like his created symbols helped cultivate a sense of cultural intimacy among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and others in a common national banner. The main pillar of his organizational strength is building trust. He rejected any notions that Hindus and Muslims were separate political entities. His great heroic escape from his house from strict British surveillance in January 1941 to go to Japan via Kabul, Russia and Germany for forming INA was supported by people like Sisir Bose, Mian Akbar Shah, Bhagat Ram Talwar, Uttam Chand & Ramo Devi, Pietro Quaroni & Abid Hassan. In INA, He placed complete trust in Muslim and Sikh commanders, female commanders (like Captain Saleem, Lt. Col. G.S. Gill, Captain Dr. Laksmi Sehegal, etc) which strengthened morale and loyalty across religious and gender lines.
Bose himself was personally devout, drawing inspiration from Hindu religious texts and figures like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo. But he refused to let personal piety turn into political sectarianism. The Provisional Government of Azad Hind stressed that independent India would belong to all its citizens irrespective of religion, caste, or region. Bose’s unity project involved not only positive integration but also outspoken criticism of communal ideologies that threatened India’s cohesion. He condemned both the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League politics when they promoted separation, aligning with the British two-nation theory. However, once he said that he did not think the Hindu Mahasabha or Muslim League are the enemy, rather they were to be convinced. His major enemy was the British, and he wanted to unify all Indians. Later on, a good number of Biswa Hindu Parishad members also joined the INA. He is also equally vocal against casteism, as he said in New India, there is no place for the hegemony of any caste. Subhas argued for a secular republic where all people from all religions and castes would be treated as equal partners. Secularism of Shubas was different from that of Gandhi as well. Gandhi supported the Khilafat movement to attract Muslims in the Indian freedom struggle, and hence brought politics into religion, and it strengthened Islamic identity politics. Unlike Nehru, Gandhi & Subhas were practicing Hinduism. However, an ardent reader of the Gita and Vivekananda, Subhash never mixed religion into politics like Gandhi did in Khilafat. Bose actually can be a real model of modern secular Indians, who believe and practice a particular faith as well but separate their professional work from personal faith.
Subhas never compromised on his belief. He resigned from the Congress Presidency, leaving Congress to reject Gandhi’s nonviolent approach. To get total independence for India, he led Indian National Army to attack British-ruled Delhi, personally commanding troops in Campaigns like Imphal and Kohima. He rallied soldiers with cries of “Delhi Chalo”, which is still an Indian political slogan. Escaping house arrest in 1941 and going to Germany and Japan to build an army against British rule is all about humongous courage and conviction. He prioritized national freedom above all and sacrificed his Indian Civil Service career, all personal comforts, his elected presidency in Congress, lastly left his wife and new-born daughter in Germany. His exemplary courage, sacrifice, and uncompromising attitude built a huge sense of respect and patriotism in every Indian mind, irrespective of their religion, caste, state, and language. Rightly, the Indian Government announced his birthday as Parakram Diwas in 2021.
Like Netaji, we need a set of political leaders and the leaders from other spheres of life, who can generate a sense of purpose in the people, without mixing faith with politics on their fields of operation, and show enough courage and sacrifice for the purpose. Taking inspiration from his life and INA, we can live with the spirit of brotherhood mentioned in the Constitution’s preamble and follow the right to freedom of religion without hampering the public interest, and with the spirit of humanity and national integrity. Idolizing him but not following his footsteps will not make us Viksit and Parakrami. Being Subhas’s home state, Odisha should be the harbinger of Viksit and Parakrami Bharat. That is our hope for this forthcoming Republic Day.
(Dr. Goutam Saha is an Associate Professor in National Institute of Fashion Technology. Satya Misra is retired IES and Professor Emeritus.)