Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is being remembered across India as the nation marks his 129th birth anniversary on January 23, 2026, observing the occasion as Parakram Diwas, a national day dedicated to courage, sacrifice, and patriotic resolve. Across the country, tributes, official ceremonies, cultural events, and educational programmes are honoring one of the most formidable figures of India’s freedom struggle.
The commemorations reflect a broader national effort to reassess Bose’s legacy, not only as a revolutionary leader and founder of the Indian National Army, but also as a symbol of discipline, political conviction, and uncompromising resistance to colonial rule.
The Significance of Parakram Diwas
Parakram Diwas, meaning the Day of Valor, was instituted by the Government of India in 2021 to honor Bose’s birth anniversary. The initiative seeks to highlight his bravery, leadership, and unwavering commitment to independence, while encouraging younger generations to embrace civic duty, national pride, and decisive leadership.
Unlike conventional remembrance days, Parakram Diwas places emphasis on action and resolve, reflecting Bose’s belief that freedom required sacrifice, organization, and courage rather than passive endurance.
National Programme
This year’s observances are being led by the Ministry of Culture through a three-day national programme running from January 23 to January 25, with the central celebrations taking place in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The location carries historical significance, as Bose hoisted the Indian national flag in Port Blair in 1943, declaring the islands liberated under the Provisional Government of Azad Hind.
The selection of the islands underscores Bose’s ambition to convert nationalist ideology into territorial and administrative authority, a rare assertion of Indian sovereignty during the colonial era.
The programme features national-level ceremonies, historical exhibitions, theatrical performances, and cultural showcases that trace Bose’s political journey and wartime leadership. A special stage production by the National School of Drama is portraying key moments from his life, while multimedia presentations and drone displays recount milestones in India’s freedom movement. Exhibitions displaying INA archives, rare photographs, and historical records aim to deepen public understanding of Bose’s ideology and military strategy.
Parallel commemorations are being organized at 13 locations across India associated with Bose’s life and political career, expanding the geographical reach of the observance.
National Tributes
India’s highest constitutional authorities have paid tribute to Bose’s enduring contribution to the nation.
President Droupadi Murmu described Bose as a visionary whose courage reshaped the course of India’s independence movement, emphasizing the continued relevance of his ideals in contemporary nation-building.
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan highlighted the global impact of the Indian National Army, noting its influence on anti-colonial movements beyond India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the government’s commitment to preserving Bose’s legacy and strengthening his place in India’s public historical memory.
The anniversary has also drawn tributes from political leaders across party lines, reflecting Bose’s stature as a national figure whose influence transcends ideological boundaries.
Preserving Bose’s Legacy
In recent years, the central government has taken multiple steps to reinforce Bose’s historical significance. These include the declassification of secret files related to his life, the installation of a statue near India Gate, and the renaming of Ross Island as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.
Museums and memorials dedicated to the Indian National Army have been expanded, including exhibitions at the Red Fort, while national observances marking the anniversary of the Azad Hind Government have further elevated Bose’s profile in India’s collective memory.
These initiatives align with a broader state-led effort to revisit colonial-era historical narratives and foreground figures who advocated direct resistance to imperial rule.
Regional Tributes
Special events are being held in Cuttack, Odisha, Bose’s birthplace, where ceremonies at the Netaji Birthplace Museum include memorial services, cultural programmes, and student outreach initiatives. Political leaders and members of the public have gathered to reflect on his early life, intellectual development, and political evolution.
Meanwhile, West Bengal, a region central to Bose’s political career, is hosting public processions, lectures, exhibitions, and patriotic cultural performances. These regional observances highlight Bose’s continuing resonance across India’s diverse cultural and historical landscapes.
National Participation
Across India, Parakram Diwas is being marked through flag-hoisting ceremonies, floral tributes, memorial gatherings, and patriotic rallies. Schools and universities are organizing essay competitions, debates, quizzes, and classroom discussions aimed at familiarizing students with Bose’s ideals of leadership, discipline, and national service.
Cultural institutions and civic organizations are staging plays, music performances, and academic seminars, while digital campaigns and social media tributes have expanded public participation in the remembrance.
The emphasis on education reflects an effort to position Bose as a role model for youth, presenting his life as an example of conviction, perseverance, and personal sacrifice in the pursuit of national goals.
Legacy Endures
More than seventy years after India gained independence, Bose remains one of the most compelling and debated figures in the country’s modern history. His leadership of the Indian National Army, his rejection of passive resistance, and his emphasis on direct action continue to influence discussions on nationalism and political courage.
His widely cited declaration, “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom,” is often interpreted today as a metaphor for total commitment to national progress, symbolizing responsibility, discipline, and service rather than militarism alone.
Freedom Debate
Bose’s political philosophy diverged sharply from that of Mahatma Gandhi, who championed non-violent civil resistance. Bose believed that armed struggle was necessary to dismantle British colonial power, creating one of the most enduring ideological debates in India’s independence movement.
While Gandhi mobilized mass popular resistance, Bose sought to challenge imperial authority through military organization and international alliances. Many historians now argue that both approaches played complementary roles in weakening British control, with the INA trials and wartime developments contributing to Britain’s eventual decision to leave India.
INA’s Impact
Formed during World War II from Indian prisoners of war and expatriates in Southeast Asia, the Indian National Army represented the first organized military challenge to British rule led by Indians themselves.
Although limited in battlefield success, the INA played a significant psychological and political role. It challenged the perception of British invincibility, inspired nationalist sentiment among Indian soldiers, and helped internationalize India’s freedom struggle at a critical moment in global history.
Bose’s Mysterious Death
Bose’s reported death in a 1945 plane crash in Taiwan continues to be a subject of public intrigue and debate. Despite official inquiries supporting the crash narrative, alternative theories persist in popular discourse.
The release of declassified government files has renewed scholarly interest, though no conclusive alternative explanation has emerged. The lingering uncertainty surrounding his fate has contributed to Bose’s enduring mystique in India’s historical imagination.
A Life Marked by Defiance
Born in 1897 in Cuttack, Bose rose to prominence within the Indian National Congress before parting ways over ideological differences. In 1941, he escaped British surveillance and sought international backing for India’s independence struggle. By 1943, he had assumed leadership of the Indian National Army and headed the Azad Hind Government in exile.
His reported death in 1945 concluded a life defined by ambition, defiance, and an unwavering belief in India’s right to self-rule.
Enduring Legacy
As India observes the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Parakram Diwas stands as more than a ceremonial tribute. It represents an ongoing national conversation about leadership, sacrifice, courage, and the cost of freedom.
Bose’s legacy continues to challenge India to reflect on its past, inspire its youth, and define what fearless patriotism means in a rapidly changing world.
