Prime Minister Modi would preside over the inauguration of the function in Kolkata

New Delhi: The Union Culture Ministry yesterday announced that Jan. 23, birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose, would be celebrated as “Parakram Diwas” — day of courage — every year.

In a notification, the Ministry said the Government had decided to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary year starting from Jan. 23, 2021 in a “befitting manner at national and international level”.

“Now, to honour and remember Netaji’s indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation, the Government of India has decided to celebrate his birthday every year as ‘Parakram Diwas’ to inspire people of this country, especially the youth, to act with fortitude in the face of adversity as Netaji did, and to infuse in them a spirit of patriotic fervour,” the notification said.

Later, at a press conference, Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said the day would be celebrated abroad too. He announced a slew of events beginning on Jan. 23 till Jan. 23, 2022.He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would preside over the inauguration of the celebrations in Kolkata, where a permanent exhibition on Netaji at the Victoria Memorial would be opened. A programme would be held in Cuttack, birth place of Bose, he said.

Patel said a commemorative coin and postage stamp would be released. An artists’ camp at the National Library, Kolkata and an international conference on Bose’s legacy would be organised as well.“Another programme is also being organised at Haripura in Gujarat, which also has symbolic association with Netaji,” a Ministry statement said.

The Minister said various proposals for commemorative activities had been received from other Ministries and would be sent to the High-Level Ministry set up to decide. Among the proposals are a football tournament and marathons organised by the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry, the inclusion of the tune of “Kadam Kadam Badhaye Jaa” in the Beating Retreat ceremony by the Defence Ministry, the painting of some Air India aircraft with Bose’s images by the Civil Aviation Ministry and naming of an express train after Netaji by the Railway Ministry.

Asked whether there were political motives behind holding the inaugural event in Kolkata with the West Bengal Assembly polls soon and not in Cuttack, Patel said the government was planning to construct a statue of Bose in Cuttack.