[Points: Name of the hero—reasons for your choice—his life's activities to justify your choice—conclusion.]
My favourite hero is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. I do not interpret the word 'hero' in the military sense only. To me it has a much wider sense, meaning a person who overcomes almost insur mountable difficulties for a noble cause. Netaji Subhas achieved this in every field of activity, and so I look upon him as my ideal hero.
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth he had everything tha worldly men desire. He might roll in wealth and pass his days in ease and comfort. He bad great intelligence and could easily shine in the intellectual field. He passed the Indian Civil Service examination and could rise to the highest position in the government of the country. But nothing of these had any attraction for him. He was a born fighter and fought all his life for noble causes in utter disregard of every thing personal and of the obstacles in the way. Even as a boy he once tried to get out of the temptations of the world and become a Sannyasi. He organised a band of workers for service to the poor and needy. In the college a foreign professor once made an insulting remark about the Indians. This was more than the spirit of Subhas could bear. He took a leading part in defence of his country's honour for which he had to leave the college. It was the same spirit that led him to give up the Indian Civil Service and begin a life of struggles for his country's freedom. And what a life this was! He braved the government and suffered imprisonment again and again. His health broke down under the rigours of prison life but his spirit remained unbroken. He dared to differ with Mahatma Gandhi and other top most political leaders on political questions. When an open fight became inevitable, he faced it rather than yield, and won to the surprise of the whole country. At the time of an annual session of the Indian National Congress he was seriously ill, almost hovering between life and death. Still disregarding all advice, he forced his family to carry him there. As he delivered his brief Presidential address lying in his sick-bed, one held an ice-bag on his head, another gave him medicine, while the doctor sat anxiously by, fearing for the worst. It was indeed a sight that filled every heart with wonder at the indomitable spirit of the man. And this spirit won over medical science, and Subhas Chandra recovered.
At last came the greatest adventure of all. He had no faith in non-violent struggle which was the accepted creed of all. So he left the country in disguise at great risk of life in order that he might obtain military help from outside for his country's freedom.
The way in which he first reached Germany and the Eastern Asia to raise the I. N. A. reads like a story from the Arabian Nights Enter tainments. He had no military experience before; but the magic of his name worked wonders. Indians all over Eastern Asia-men and women, boys and girls, rich and poor, Hindus and Muslims and Sikhs gathered round him. They called him their Netaji, revered leader, and marched under him towards the borders of India. He died a hero's death, but his object was realised. His cries of Joy Hind and Delhi Chalo were taken up by the whole country. The British had to leave India for good and the land became free.
It will be thus seen that Subhas Chandra fought hard battles all his life in every sphere of human activity-spiritual, social, political and military. No obstacles, no difficulties, no temptations could daunt his spirit. Indeed, history has few examples of all-round heroes like him.
