CM Dhami Pays Tribute to Azad Hind Fauj on Founding Day
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on 21 October 2026 honoured the soldiers of the Azad Hind Fauj on the army's founding anniversary, saluting their sacrifice and patriotism as an enduring inspiration for every Indian.
Key Takeaways
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami posted a tribute on X on 21 October 2026 , the founding anniversary of the Azad Hind Fauj.
The Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) was reorganised under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on 21 October 1943 alongside the proclamation of the Provisional Government of Free India .
Dhami praised the soldiers' 'indomitable courage, sacrifice, and patriotism' as an inspiration to all Indians.
Tributes on 21 October form part of India's annual national commemoration of the INA's legacy across party lines.
The INA drew its ranks primarily from Indian prisoners of war and civilians in Southeast Asia during World War II.
On the 83rd founding anniversary of the Azad Hind Fauj, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, 21 October 2026 offered a heartfelt salute to the soldiers who sacrificed everything for India's freedom — men and women whose courage the nation still reaches back to for inspiration.
Posting on X in Hindi, CM Dhami wrote: 'आजाद हिंद फौज के स्थापना दिवस पर माँ भारती की स्वतंत्रता के लिए अपना सर्वस्व समर्पित करने वाले वीर सेनानियों को कोटिशः नमन।' — 'On the founding day of the Azad Hind Fauj, I bow countless times before the brave soldiers who dedicated their all for the freedom of Mother India. Your indomitable courage, sacrifice, and patriotism continue to inspire every citizen of this country.'
The army that carried a nation's hope to the front lines
The Azad Hind Fauj, or Indian National Army, was formally reorganised under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on 21 October 1943, the same day he proclaimed the Provisional Government of Free India — a government-in-exile that challenged British authority from Singapore. The INA drew its ranks from Indian prisoners of war and civilians across Southeast Asia, united by a singular objective: march to Delhi and end colonial rule. That audacity — the sheer defiance of a colonised people declaring their own government — is what Indian leaders invoke every year on this date.
A tribute woven into India's annual commemorative calendar
Across parties and governments, 21 October anchors an annual moment of national reckoning with the INA's legacy. CM Dhami's message follows a well-established pattern in which state and central leaders publicly acknowledge the INA alongside the better-known mainstream independence movement — a recognition that freedom was fought for on multiple fronts, from courtrooms and ashrams to jungle battlefields in Manipur and Burma. The tribute is brief by design; the soldiers' story does not need embellishment.
For a generation of Indians, Netaji and the INA represent the road not celebrated enough — a militant, globe-spanning bid for independence that still stirs debate about what might have been. Every October, that conversation resurfaces.
Point of View
Arriving on the precise anniversary of the Provisional Government of Free India's proclamation, reflects the BJP's sustained effort to foreground Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA within the broader nationalist canon — a project that has included declassifying INA files and elevating Bose in official commemorations. By honouring this stream of the independence movement, state leaders signal continuity with a strand of militant patriotism that complements, rather than displaces, the Gandhian narrative. The annual chorus of tributes across parties also underlines a bipartisan consensus: the INA's sacrifice is beyond political contestation, even as interpretations of Netaji's legacy sometimes diverge. For BJP-governed states in particular, such commemorations carry a dual function — honouring history and reinforcing a muscular nationalist identity ahead of electoral cycles.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Azad Hind Fauj founded?
The Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) was reorganised under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on 21 October 1943 , the day he also proclaimed the Provisional Government of Free India in Singapore.
Why is 21 October celebrated as Azad Hind Fauj Day?
21 October marks the 1943 anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose formally reorganising the INA and establishing the Provisional Government of Free India, making it the anchor date for annual national tributes to the army's soldiers.
What did CM Dhami say about the Azad Hind Fauj?
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami saluted the INA's brave soldiers, saying their 'indomitable courage, sacrifice, and patriotism continue to inspire every citizen of this country.'
Who led the Azad Hind Fauj?
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose led the Azad Hind Fauj, commanding a force drawn largely from Indian prisoners of war and civilians across Southeast Asia during World War II.
What is the significance of the Provisional Government of Free India?
The Provisional Government of Free India , proclaimed on 21 October 1943, was a government-in-exile that formally challenged British authority over India, with the INA as its armed wing, representing a militant front in the independence struggle.
