As the nation gears up to celebrate Parakram Diwas 2025, all roads lead to Cuttack, Odisha—birthplace of one of India’s most indomitable leaders, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The historic Barabati Fort, which serves as the venue for this year’s celebrations, stands as a silent witness to centuries of Odisha’s history. Born on January 23, 1897, Subhas Chandra Bose was the son of Janakinath Bose, a lawyer who had migrated to Cuttack, Odisha in the 1880s. The city, with its rich history and vibrant intellectual traditions, shaped the formative years of a boy who would grow to challenge the might of the British empire. In January 1909, Subhas Chandra Bose joined the Ravenshaw Collegiate School, Cuttack. This monumental stage of his life marked the beginning of an intellectual and moral awakening. Bose was deeply influenced by the visionary teachings of his headmaster, Beni Madhab Das, who instilled in him a sense of purpose and integrity. Complementing this foundation were the philosophical teachings of Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekanand and Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, whose ideals of nationalism and self-realization became guiding principles for Bose throughout his life.Odisha’s illustrious history of student activism also intertwines with Netaji’s rise. In 1939, when Bose was elected as President of the Indian National Congress in Tripuri, he was supported by many young leaders, including Harekrushna Mahtab, who later became the Chief Minister of Odisha. Mahtab, as a young student leader, actively participated in the session, reflecting Odisha’s enduring spirit of resistance and reform.
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