The life of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, especially the mystery surrounding his disappearance, has been the subject of interest and inquiry for more than half a century. Counted among the most visionary figures of the Indian Independence movement, Bose stood out for his philosophical depth and reflective temperament.
It is this gap between popular perception and the many unanswered questions around Netaji that continues to draw people into his story. While official records and philatelic material offer one layer of history, others have sought answers beyond conventional archives.
One such collector is Prithwhish Dasgupta, who has spent years travelling to places associated with Bose, often overlooked or undocumented, piecing together fragments of history through unconventional material.
On Netaji’s 129th birth anniversary, My Kolkata spoke to Dasgupta, who offered a host of information not found in books or stamps, but preserved through memories and local histories.
Reading between the lines
Dasgupta has gathered a set of letters written in Bose’s own hand, each marked “censored and passed” during his years under British surveillance. Though the content appears routine like notes on health, medicines and family matters, the context in which they were written invites closer scrutiny.
Showing these letters, Dasgupta said, “For someone as politically alert as Bose, it is difficult to believe that years of monitored correspondence contained no hidden communication at all.”
Dasgupta notes that letters in his collection without “censored and passed” markings have been formally authenticated by British archival authorities in London. Image 2:
Stories hidden in trunks and travels
Dasgupta has spent years travelling and tracking down material linked to Netaji and the INA, even planning family vacations around places connected to Bose.
Some items came from remote locations linked to the Indian National Army, others from families of former INA soldiers, and several through international auctions in Europe and Britain. Recounting a visit to Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin) in Myanmar, Dasgupta said he was introduced to the family of a former INA soldier living in the hills.
“After spending two days with them, they opened a trunk that had belonged to the soldier,” he said. “These families have received little recognition, despite the sacrifices made by the Azad Hind Fauj.”
“These are not collectibles alone,” he said. “They are pieces of India’s freedom struggle. Each object carries the memory of sacrifice,” he added.
Medals of the Azad Hind Fauj
Among the most significant objects in his collection are medals issued by the Azad Hind government during its two years as a government-in-exile. Formed during the Second World War, the Azad Hind Fauj functioned as an army-led administration and instituted a system of military honours.
There were three principal medals — Sher-e-Hind, the highest honour, Sardar-e-Jung, and Virdaan. Each existed in two versions — combatant and non-combatant. Something very similar to today’s Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakras.
Combatant medals bore crossed swords and were awarded to soldiers in active service, while non-combatant versions, without swords, recognised doctors, engineers and others who supported the cause from outside the battlefield.
Dasgupta’s examples retain their original ribbons, preserved in intact condition.
When Netaji advertised
Among the more unexpected finds in Dasgupta’s collection is a Basumati newspaper page from the period, revealing a lesser-known side of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Widely remembered as a freedom fighter and nationalist icon, Bose also lent his name to advertisements promoting swadeshi products.
Pointing to one such advertisement, Dasgupta said, “Netaji endorsed Kajal Kali, allowing his printed signature to be used. He wrote that he had used the product himself and found it good. It shows that he consciously used advertising to promote swadeshi goods, something many people don’t know today.”
A smiling face of Bose
Another rare item in Dasgupta’s collection is a post-Independence issue of Yugantar carrying an original photograph of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The image captures an unusually candid moment — a smiling Bose seated at an Azad Hind Fauj programme.
“You rarely see Netaji smiling in photographs,” Dasgupta said, smiling himself.