While Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made public digital copies of 100 secret files of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in New Delhi, Netaji’s birthplace museum here also got richer when a scholar handed over to it 38 rare books written on the legendary leader’s spiritual and political life.
Scholar AS Sanyasi Rao from Andhra Pradesh handed over the books to the museum authorities at Odia Bazaar on the occasion of the Indian National Army (INA) hero’s 119th birth anniversary. The books added to the rich collection of the museum, which has now over 500 titles on Netaji.
The museum also received a copy of a 45-minute documentary film on Netaji’s INA achievements prepared by Mumbai-based Odia filmmaker Sai Mohapatra. The documentary profiles several Odia freedom fighters who had served valiantly in the INA.
The books would be on display in the galleries soon and the documentary would be screened regularly inside the museum, informed its curator JP Das. Earlier in the morning, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik hoisted the National Flag and garlanded the statue of Netaji at the museum.
“Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is a son of our soil. Cuttack is witness to his early life. His life is an example of rarest courage and patriotism. We all are proud of him. I pay my heartfelt tribute to him on his birth anniversary,” Patnaik said.
The museum witnessed day-long activities as hundreds of Netaji lovers and particularly school and college students thronged the place to participate in the special Yajna held here every year on this occasion inside the room where Netaji was born on this day in 1897.
Similarly, hundreds of functions were also held in the city and other places of the State on the day to observe Netaji Jayanti by holding padayatra, cycle rallies, art exhibition, blood donation camps and several competitions and cultural programmes among school and college students.