Today is the Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a man who has earned my deep admiration and lives in the hearts of many more. He was our true NETAJI (Leader), vindicated by the fact, him being the Commander-in-Chief of an entire Army called Azad Hind Fauz (Independent Indian Army) with no tangible military experience. This is not possible without charismatic leadership qualities.
A highly motivational and charismatic speaker, his famous speech "Give me blood, I will give you freedom" is so simple, yet so profound, inspiring millions. It still gives me goose bumps. Netaji was academically brilliant who topped Civil Services. But rather than joining the coveted job for his reluctance to serve under the British, he chose the path to travel globally, lived in dense forests and raised an army to fight the enemy almost single handed. Such depth of patriotism is unfathomable these days. My thousand salute to the man who unfortunately never got the reward and recognition he duly deserved by the country for which he made ultimate sacrifices.
Now, A tale of two NETAJIs. In pre independence time people fondly addressed Subhah Chandra Bose as NETAJI which means " Dear Leader". He earned the sobriquet. The term Netaji (leader) is very loosely used these days to depict any politician from small timers to big fishes. Any KUJI NETA (sundry leader) is a Netaji these days, the more ubiquitous being Mulayam Singh Yadav the UP politician who is addressed the same. Sadly the similarities between them ends there.
In Odia we say KAHI RANI KAHI MEHENTRANI (Where stands the Queen and where stands the Toilet Cleaner). In Hindi they say KAHA RAJA BHOJ AUR KAHA GANGU TELI. Meaning of the proverbs in both languages is quite obvious. The term NETAJI has been diluted and downgraded beyond repair, regressed over time. Hoping to be proved wrong, our generation could fade away remembering Subhas Bose as the last NETAJI of our time, a la the Royal Bengal tiger, soon to be extinct.
A highly motivational and charismatic speaker, his famous speech "Give me blood, I will give you freedom" is so simple, yet so profound, inspiring millions. It still gives me goose bumps. Netaji was academically brilliant who topped Civil Services. But rather than joining the coveted job for his reluctance to serve under the British, he chose the path to travel globally, lived in dense forests and raised an army to fight the enemy almost single handed. Such depth of patriotism is unfathomable these days. My thousand salute to the man who unfortunately never got the reward and recognition he duly deserved by the country for which he made ultimate sacrifices.
Now, A tale of two NETAJIs. In pre independence time people fondly addressed Subhah Chandra Bose as NETAJI which means " Dear Leader". He earned the sobriquet. The term Netaji (leader) is very loosely used these days to depict any politician from small timers to big fishes. Any KUJI NETA (sundry leader) is a Netaji these days, the more ubiquitous being Mulayam Singh Yadav the UP politician who is addressed the same. Sadly the similarities between them ends there.
In Odia we say KAHI RANI KAHI MEHENTRANI (Where stands the Queen and where stands the Toilet Cleaner). In Hindi they say KAHA RAJA BHOJ AUR KAHA GANGU TELI. Meaning of the proverbs in both languages is quite obvious. The term NETAJI has been diluted and downgraded beyond repair, regressed over time. Hoping to be proved wrong, our generation could fade away remembering Subhas Bose as the last NETAJI of our time, a la the Royal Bengal tiger, soon to be extinct.
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