In 1938 Subhas Chandra Bose reached the peak of his political life, when he was elected President of the Indian National Congress. Leading the forces of anti- colonialism and socialism, he was re-elected in 1939, having defeated Gandhi's nominee in a bitterly contested election. However, in the face of vehement opposition from the right wing of the Congress and Gandhi, he resigned.
This volume brings together Bose's letters, writings and speeches from January 1938 until just after his resignation in April 1939. It includes the famous Haripura Address of February 1938. Other pieces deal with socialism, national planning, science, Hindu– Muslim relations, the role of women, and European politics. Among the 120 letters here are sets of correspondence with Gandhi, Tagore, Jinnah, and Nehru.
This edition comes with a new Introduction which delves into the themes of Bose’s writings, which continue to inspire the need for visionary and principled leadership in the contemporary stage of national and global politics.
The Volume Editors
Sisir Kumar Bose (1920–2000) founded the Netaji Research Bureau in 1957 and was its guiding spirit until his death in 2000. A participant in the Indian freedom struggle, he was imprisoned by the British in the Lahore Fort, Red Fort, and Lyallpur Jail. In the post-independence period he played a key role in preserving the best traditions of the anti- colonial movement and making possible the writing of its history. He authored and edited biographies, memoirs, monographs, and research papers on Netaji's life and times. One of India's best pediatricians, he was Director and later President of the Institute of Child Health, Calcutta.
Sugata Bose is the Gardiner Professor of History at Harvard University. He is the author of several books on the economic, social, and political history of modern South Asia, including His Majesty’s Opponent: Subhas Chandra Bose and India’s Struggle against Empire (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 10th anniversary edition, 2022).
Photographs Acknowledgements Editor’s Introduction to the 2025 Edition Editors’ Introduction
Speeches, Articles and Statements January 1938–April 1939
1. On Congress and the Constitution, Fascism and Communism: Report of an interview with R. Palme Dutt published in the Daily Worker, London, 24 January 1938 2. The Haripura Address: Presidential Address at the 51st Session of the Indian National Congress, February 1938 3. Municipal Socialism: Address to the Bombay Corporation, 10 May 1938 …
MAJOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENCE
1. Bose–Jinnah Correspondence …
2. Bose–Gandhi Correspondence …
3. Bose–Nehru Correspondence … 4. Bose–Tagore Correspondence
…
OTHER LETTERS