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Journalism of Courage
On the 125th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, popularly known as Netaji, the copy of his resignation letter from the Indian Civil Service (ICS) is going viral.
Dated April 22, 1921, Bose addressed the letter to Edwin Montagu, the secretary of state. “I desire to have my name removed from the list of probationers in the Indian Civil Service,” Netaji wrote in the letter.
The 24-year-old also mentioned that once his resignation is accepted, he will return the allowance of 100 pounds to the India Office. Historian Leonard A. Gordon, who authored the book Brothers Against the Raj: A Biography of Indian Nationalists Sarat and Subhas Chandra Bose, says Bose was placed fourth in the competitive ICS examination held in August 1920.
A facsimile copy of Netaji’s resignation letter sourced from the National Archives India has been doing rounds on the internet. Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan also shared Bose’s letter on his Twitter account.
“Only a courageous, selfless and spirited soul like #Subhas Bose could take up such a decision for a greater cause – to free his motherland from British rule,” a user commented on the resignation letter’s photo on Kaswan’s account.
After leaving the civil services in April 1921, Bose joined the freedom movement against British colonialism. He founded the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) in 1942, which fought against the British.
He is known for the slogan, “Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!”. On August 18, 1945, Bose succumbed to injuries caused by an airplane accident. India is celebrating Bose’s birth anniversary as “Parakram Diwas” to honour his “selfless service” to the nation.
