On Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary, the nation pays tribute to his courage, sacrifice, and unyielding passion for freedom. From a young age, Netaji displayed rare moral intensity — renouncing personal comfort, worldly ambition and even a prestigious career in the Indian Civil Service to dedicate himself to India’s liberation. For him, freedom was a sacred duty.

A profound insight into Netaji’s personality comes from a remarkable tribute by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in 1939. He hailed Subhas Chandra Bose as deshnayak — the leader of the nation. Gurudev observed that in troubled times, a country needs the strong hand of an inspired and valiant leader. In Netaji, he saw a rare fusion of courage, vision and moral force.

When conventional paths appeared inadequate to achieve Independence, Netaji charted his own course, transforming the freedom struggle into an international movement through the Indian National Army. He asserted, “There is no power on earth that can deprive us of our birthright of liberty any longer.” This belief found expression in the INA.

Netaji’s clarion call —“Give me blood, and I will give you freedom”— resonated deeply across regions and communities of India, especially the people of the southern regions, the Tamils in particular. The deep emotional and ideological bond between Netaji and the Tamil people became one of the strongest pillars of support for the INA and the freedom movement. Netaji’s popularity also resonated........

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