Netaji’s birthday to be celebrated as “PARAKRAM DIWAS’

In order to honour and remember Netaji’s indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation, Government of India to celebrate his birthday on the 23 day of January every year as “PARAKRAM DIWAS” to inspire people of the 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 Minister of Culture and Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel announced that the year long celebrations to commemorate 125th birth anniversary year of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will formally commence on 23rd January, 2021. Prime Minister , Sh Narendra Modi will preside over the inaugural event of the celebrations being held at  Kolkata, the Minister disclosed while addressing mediapersons in New Delhi today. The Government has decided to celebrate  23rd January as PARAKRAM DIWAS every year  and a Gazette Notification to this effect has been issued today, the Minister said.

The celebrations will be held at national and international level, beginning from 23 January 2021. A High Level Committee, headed by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has been constituted for deciding the programs, and to supervise and guide the commemoration.

The Committee will provide guidance for the commemoration activities in Delhi, Kolkata and other places associated with Netaji and Azad Hind Fauj, both in India as well as overseas.

Other Ministries under Govt. of India  have also proposed to take up a large number of activities to commemorate this occasion. These activities will be carried out upon finalisation by the High Level Committee.

Tourism Ministry will be sponsoring this year the National Level indigenous games including Kabaddi Tournament which has been organised for the last 37 years on Netaji’s Birth Anniversary in Madhya Pradesh’s Narshingpur District by the ‘SahyogKrida Mandal’.

Netaji Football Tournament and Marathons (D/o Sports), Pada Yatras and Cycle Yatras( D/o Youth Affairs), Webinar under “Dekho Apna Desh,”  Webinar on Netaji’s life and incidents in Manipur (Ministry of Tourism), INA tune ‘Kadam KadamBadhayeJa’ being included in the Beating Retreat Ceremony – 2021 (Ministry of Defence), etc.

Ministry of Civil Aviation has proposed to paint some of Air India’s aircraft with Netaji’s images , especially the ones flying to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ministry of Railways has proposed to name an express train after Netaji.

Ministry of Education proposes to establish 5 chairs on Netaji in 5 Indian Universities, organize online Lectures and Webinars on teachings of Netaji, etc. National Film Development Corporation under Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will organize a short-film competition on ‘How to fulfil  Netaji’s dreams for India’. Doordarshan and All India Radio will host panel discussions, produce documentaries and other programs on the life and times of Netaji.