Japanese officers who saw Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in meditation were terrified — one reportedly witnessed him levitating and fell unconscious. The spiritual dimension of the greatest military figure of the freedom struggle has barely been told.
In Episode 3 of this Sangam Talks series on the spiritual aspects of Bengal’s freedom fighters, heritage researcher Surya Sarathi Roy traces Netaji’s deep engagement with Vivekananda’s teachings as he moved from India to Singapore (Sionan) in 1943. His first meeting in Singapore was on Vijayadashami night with the head of the Ramakrishna Mission — deliberately chosen. The Ramakrishna Mission school of 350 orphan children became the Indian National School under the Azad Hind government, with military training for boys and girls.
Roy establishes a remarkable spiritual lineage: Swami Vivekananda inspired Sri Aurobindo, who inspired a generation of revolutionary-mystics, with Netaji as the supreme embodiment — a man who kept only a 2-inch Bhagavad Gita, a Tulsi mala, and reading glasses in his personal bag during wartime. His leadership radiated something that transcended military authority, and this dimension — the seva bhav, the inspirational presence — is the dimension mainstream history refuses to touch.
About the Speaker:
Surya Sarathi Roy is a technologist, cultural heritage conservationist, researcher, and author with expertise in Indic history. His research spans the history and culture of Braj Mandal, Kurukshetra, Kalinga, Shri Jagannath culture, Mewar, and Maratha history. Coming from a family of revolutionaries, he is also a passionate student of archaeology, focusing on the enlistment of heritage sites and the conservation of ancient manuscripts. A Life Member and Researcher at INTACH New Delhi HQ, Surya Ji is also an Associate Member of ICOMOS, a UNESCO body dedicated to the conservation of archaeological sites worldwide. Currently, he serves as the Director for North India Operations at IHAR (Indian History Awareness & Research), a Houston-based NGO committed to research, preservation, and the practice of India’s cultural heritage and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). Additionally, he was appointed by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a Desk Reviewer for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Panel for 2023 and 2024.
