Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945) retains a special place in the hearts of Indians for his militant campaign against British rule in India. Committed to winning independence for his country, he led a life of suffering and sacrifice, sought alliances with Britain’s enemies and led an army to battle for the cause of a free India. He was a charismatic speaker and inspirational leader.

To commemorate the event of his 111th birth anniversary, a 4-CD set of his speeches, INA songs, and a documentary film called Netaji & India’s Freedom was released by Netaji Research Bureau in collaboration with Saregama India Ltd.

The recordings capture all the stirring idealism, passion and heady excitement of that great nationalist period, as India looks back over 60 years of independence.

The first CD, called The Voice of Netaji, has a commentary and introduction by Sisir Bose and contains selected speeches and radio broadcasts of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from 1938 to 1944. It has historical speeches like the recorded statement after his resignation as Congress President in the year 1938, the address to the Indian Independence League in 1943 and broadcasts like the one from Tokyo in the same year and an excerpt from a speech at the Greater East Asia Conference in Tokyo, 1943.

The second CD has some rousing INA songs (vocal and orchestra) with commentary. Songs like ‘Subhasji, Subhasji’, ‘Hum Delhi Delhi Jayenge’, ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’, ‘He Veer Balako’ and ‘Azad Hind Ke Jawan’ feature on this CD.

CD 3 of this pack has INA songs by Ram Singh Thakur with commentary. These songs were recorded by Ram Singh Thakur for Netaji Research Bureau in 1970. It starts with an introduction and is followed by Netaji’s last message broadcast to his countrymen of East Asia. This message is followed by INA songs and towards the end, there is a commentary by Sisir Kumar Bose.

The only DVD of this pack is a film by Sugata Bose called Netaji and India’s Freedom. This is the most important documentary to date on the life and work of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Balanced, informed and inspiring, it is based on a wealth of original archival material collected over four decades. It situates Netaji’s personality and role within the broader context of India’s struggle for independence, revisits a most exciting epoch in our history and reminds the Indian people that their revered leader remains the truest representative of the revolutionary current of Indian nationalism and an alternative egalitarian vision in Free India.