Chapter one — Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: "Give me blood! I shall give you freedom."

A dreamer

They call me a dreamer. I confess I am a dreamer. I have always been a dreamer — even when I was a child. The progress of the world has depended on dreamers and their dreams — not dreams of exploitation and aggrandisement and perpetuating injustice, but dreams of progress, happiness for the widest masses, liberty and independence for all nations.

I have been a dreamer of dreams. But the dream of all my dreams, the dearest dream of my life, has been the dream of freedom for India.

They think it is a discredit to be a dreamer. I take pride in being one. They do not like my dreams. But that is nothing new.

If I did not dream dreams of India's freedom, I would have accepted the chains of slavery as something eternal.

The real crux of the question is, can my dreams become realities? I submit they have increasingly become realities. The army is one such dream come true.

No, I do not mind being a dreamer.

Subhas Chandra Bose

27 September 1944