'Netaji was the champion of secularism'

Bhubaneswar: Highlighting the bond shared by Subhash Chandra Bose with Odisha and its people, his great nephew Prof Sugata Bose on Sunday said Netaji was the champion of secularism without promoting the word secular.

Netaji's army comprised of people from all communities. He put all the minority communities at ease by allowing them larger autonomy, said Prof Bose, Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs, Harvard University.

Delivering the second Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das Memorial Lecture, he said Netaji was always of the opinion that ideas and dreams never perish. Ideas and dreams shape the future, which ultimately leads to shaping the nation.

Prof Bose also recalled the family bondage shared by Netaji and his father during Netaji?s childhood at Cuttack.

Prof Bose, also the grandson of nationalist Sarat Chandra Bose, said Netaji always believed in two aspects in life - renunciation and realisation, and sacrifice is the guiding principle for achieving the above two.

The programme was organised by the Central University of Odisha.