Subhash Chandra Bose Birth Anniversary: Know all about his family and where are they now

If the freedom struggle of India is ever put down on paper, one name will always be among the most courageous freedom fights and that is none other than, Subhash Chandra Bose also lovingly called, Netaji. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was one of those leaders of the Freedom struggle who fought with tyranny and oppression of the British is his own way and also laid the foundation stone of the Azad Hind Fauj. However, among all the details available about him, many don’t know that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was a loved family man as well. 

Born in January 1897 to Janaki Nath Bose and Prabhabati Bose, Subhash Chandra Bose had 13 brothers and sisters namely Pramilabala Mitra, Saralabala Dey, Sathis Chandra Bose, Sarat Chandra Bose, Suresh Chandra Bose, Sudhir Chandra Bose, Sunil Chandra Bose, Tarubala Roy, Malina Dutta, Protiva Mitra, Kanaklata Mitra, Sailesh Chandra Bose, and Santosh Chandra Bose. Among all his siblings, Sunil and Sarat were the distinguished ones. Subhas Chandra Bose was married to a woman of Austrian origin, Emilie Schenkl. He also had a daughter, Anita Bose Pfaff. 

Here’s a detailed look at Subhash Chandra Bose’s close family members:

Sarat Chandra Bose

Subhash Chandra Bose’s elder brother, Sarat Chandra Bose was a barrister and was also a part of the Freedom Struggle. He had gone to England to study post which he went to practice at  Lincoln's Inn. However, he abandoned that and came to India to actively participate in the freedom struggle. He was also an active member of Indian National Congress and also lead the efforts of INA. He was married to Bivabati Devi in 1910 and had 8 children. He died at the age of 60 in the year 1950 in Kolkata. 

Emilie Schenkl 

Born in Vienna in December 1910, Emily was an Austrian Catholic. She decided to become a nun and went to finish school at the age of 20. Due to the great depression in 1929, she had to battle unemployment. The first time she met Subhash Chandra Bose it was through his friend Dr Mathur, an Indian physician in Vienna. Post this, he hired her to work for him on his book, The Indian Struggle. They spent time together and fell in love after which they married secretly without a Hindu priest in 1937 after which Netaji went back to India. He came back to Germany during the Nazi time and they started living together. During this time, everyone disliked Emily as they thought they weren’t married. However, Subhash and Emily had a baby girl in 1942. Soon after, Bose left for Japan as they had promised him support to form his Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj. During the 9 years of marriage, Emily and Bose spent only 3 years together and she never went to India. She died in 1996. 

Anita Bose Pfaff

Subhash Chandra Bose and Emily had a baby girl who was named, Anita Bose. She spent all the time with her mother even after her father left them alone in Germany. She was raised by her mother who had to work hard to help her daughter become something in life. Anita chose not to take her father’s surname and was raised as Anita Schenkl. Later, as she grew up and studied hard, she became a Professor of Economics at the University of Augsburg in Germany. She married Professor Martin Pfaff, who was a member of the German Parliament. She had three kids, Peter Arun, Thomas Krishna and Maya Carina. She came to India in 2013 and also spoke at length about her father to the media. She is currently a German economist. 

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s contribution to India’s Freedom Struggle can never be ignored. His courage, fierceness and vision are what lead to the formation of the Azad Hind Fauj. He also gave us many motivation slogans which are remembered fondly till date like “Tum Mujhe Khoon Do, Main Tumhe Azaadi Doonga.” Many movies have also been made on his life. On his birth anniversary, we salute our nation’s hero!