Bengal remembers Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on birth anniversary

West Bengal proudly remembered its freedom struggle hero Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 114th birthday with day-long programmes on Sunday while the day was also celebrated across the nation by the followers and admirers of the great patriot.

At Netaji Bhavan here on Elgin Road, N.R. Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, delivered the Netaji Oration 2011 on ?If only Netaji had participated in post-independent India building?.

He said India would have emerged as the second most powerful economic power in the world if Netaji had been engaged in post-Independence nation building.

“India would have done a much better job,” he said, regretting the absence of Netaji in post-Independence India, urging all to correct the historical wrongs done to Netaji’s legacy.

Singer Pramita Mallick performed a special Netaji Birthday Concert while West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan presided over the function.

The governor said he would write to the Centre so that the birthday of Netaji was observed across the country with due respect.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee earlier attended a programme to honour the freedom struggle hero at the base of his statue on Red Road in Esplanade area.

Floral tribute was paid to the leader by political leaders and the Governor.

A statue of Netaji would also be unveiled by the chief minister at Noapara near here where the leader was confined once.

The All India Forward Bloc had appealed to Prime Minister Manamohan Singh to declare January 23 as ‘Desh Prem Divas’ (Patriotism Day) across the country.

West Bengal has declared the day as Desh Prem Divas and a ceremonial march past was organised during the day.

The birthday of Netaji was celebrated by various educational institutions and communities across Bengal with various programmes, including sporting events and charity programmes.

In New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well as senior national leaders like BJP patriarch L K Advani and other lawmakers of paid floral tribute to Netaji at the portrait of the great leader in the Central Hall of Parliament.