On 21 October 1943, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose established the Provisional Government of Free India, known as Azad Hind (Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind), in Singapore, declaring his determination to liberate a free, undivided and united India from British rule. This historic day deserves to be officially recognised as Azad Hind Diwas and remembered as a defining moment in India’s struggle for independence.
The Provisional Government of Free India was proclaimed in Singapore and received recognition from several countries, including the Empire of Japan, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the State of Burma, Thailand, the Second Philippine Republic, Manchukuo, the Independent State of Croatia and the Wang Jingwei Regime in China. Historical accounts differ on the precise number of countries that recognised Azad Hind, but this international recognition reflected Netaji’s determination to establish India’s claim to independence on the world stage.
Netaji’s spirit of sacrifice is further reflected in his powerful words: “We should have but one desire today — the desire to die so that India may live — the desire to face a martyr’s death, so that the path to freedom may be paved with the martyr’s blood.” These words call upon every Indian to understand the sacrifices made for the nation’s freedom. They express the willingness to put the motherland above personal interests and to endure hardship so that future generations may live in a free country. For Netaji, independence was not a gift from the British Empire; it was a cause worth fighting and sacrificing for.
India celebrates 15 August as Independence Day because the British transferred power in 1947.
But why should the date of the transfer of power be the date through which we remember our independence?
Let us look at history first. On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and on 9 August 1945, it dropped another on Nagasaki. On 15 August 1945, Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced through a radio broadcast known as the Gyokuon-hōsō that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, announcing its decision to surrender. Japan formally signed its surrender on 2 September 1945, marking the official end of the Second World War.
Exactly two years later, on 15 August 1947—the second anniversary of Japan’s surrender announcement—India’s Independence Day was celebrated following the transfer of power from British. Lord Mountbatten deliberately chose this date to commemorate Japan’s surrender, to insult INA and Netaji’s vision of true Indepedence.
The decisive role of the Indian armed forces in weakening British authority must not be overlooked. The INA campaign, the public response to its trials and the Royal Indian Navy uprising of February 1946 exposed the growing difficulty Britain faced in maintaining control over India. Mass movements led by Gandhi also mobilised millions, but independence cannot be explained through non-violence. Then British Prime Minister Clement Attlee also said that Gandhi’s role in Britain’s decision to leave was MINIMAL compared with the impact of the INA and military unrest.
Even today, merely following 15 August without giving 21 October its due recognition raises an important question about how we remember our history. The British left, but corruption, bureaucratic control, outdated laws and unequal access to opportunity continue to burden ordinary citizens. A few continue to control resources and power while the common citizen suffers.
If the rulers, systems and privileges remain unchanged, can we truly call this complete independence?
Netaji’s vision was greater than the divide-and-rule politics that continues to damage our unity. His dream was a free, undivided India in which people stood together beyond religious and communal divisions. His legacy demands not just remembrance, but a commitment to equality, dignity and genuine freedom for every citizen. Sadly, many people are not even aware of this unfinished struggle or the significance of 21 October.
(If the present government truly wishes to act in the national interest, it should consider inviting citizens to participate in a nationwide democratic vote on whether 15 August or 21 October should be recognised as India’s Independence Day. Let the people examine the historical truth, study the facts presented to them, understand the significance of both dates, and make an informed decision—not merely based on emotions, political influence or popular opinion, but on historical evidence and reason. The decision should reflect the informed will of the people, because true democracy means empowering citizens to think critically, seek the truth and participate meaningfully in decisions that shape their national identity and historical memory.)
Let 21 October be declared a national holiday and recognised as Azad Hind Diwas—The True Independence Day of India, commemorating the day Netaji proclaimed India’s independence before the world. As the spirit of his struggle reminds us, freedom is taken, not given. For Netaji, independence was a mission to be achieved through struggle and sacrifice (taken); but for India in 1947, it came through a transfer of power (given). The distinction matters. We must honour the sacrifices that challenged British rule and accept the responsibility to ensure that freedom reaches every Indian.
For the people of India today, the message is clear: read, learn about our freedom fighters, understand our history, question what you have been taught, and seek the truth. Educate yourself, unite with others, recognise the inequalities that persist, and fight against an unjust system to establish equality, dignity and genuine freedom for every Indian.
Remember Netaji’s words “Freedom is not given, it is taken”
So now, you must decide: will you wait for someone to give you freedom, or will you rise and take it?
