What Happened to Netaji? By Anuj Dhar
Introduction:
In this What Happened to Netaji book summary, we explore Anuj Dhar’s deep dive into one of India’s greatest historical mysteries — the disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Was it a plane crash in 1945, or did Netaji live on as Gumnami Baba? This summary breaks down Dhar’s investigation into clear, easy-to-read points.
Breaking the Air Crash Myth
The official story says Bose died in a plane crash in Taiwan on 18 August 1945. Dhar challenges this, arguing the evidence is weak and politically influenced. He analyzes three major inquiries:
Shah Nawaz Khan Committee (1956) and G. D. Khosla Commission (1970) – both concluded Bose died in the crash, but Dhar suggests these were politically biased.
Mukherjee Commission (2006) – found no proof of a crash in Taiwan. The government rejected this finding, deepening suspicions of a cover-up.
The Gumnami Baba Connection
Dhar’s most debated claim is that Netaji lived in hiding as Gumnami Baba, a hermit in Faizabad, until 1985. Evidence includes:
Things like Bose’s Omega watch and old books.
Handwritten letters in Bengali
Eyewitness testimonies linking Gumnami Baba to Netaji
A Story of Political Cover-Up
Dhar argues that Indian governments deliberately hid the truth to protect political interests. He reveals how intelligence agencies withheld documents and resisted public demands for declassification. His work through Mission Netaji pushed for RTI petitions and file declassifications, but many key records remain secret.
Netaji’s Legacy and the Push for Truth
From Jawaharlal Nehru to later leaders, political sensitivities shaped the narrative around Netaji’s fate. Dhar believes that transparency is the only way to honor Netaji’s legacy and bring closure to one of history’s greatest mysteries.
