Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Mystery of the Three 'Babas' and Unanswered Questions

• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's alleged death in a 1945 plane crash in Taihoku, Taiwan, has been widely disbelieved, leading to numerous claims of him being alive.
• Between the 1950s and 1980s, three 'babas'—Swami Shardanand of Shalmarhi Ashram, Swami Jyotirdev of Nagda, and Gumnami Baba of Faizabad—were widely believed to be Netaji in disguise.
• Swami Shardanand, fluent in English and Bengali, always kept his face covered and avoided photos, leading many close associates of Netaji to believe he was Subhas.
• Gumnami Baba of Faizabad, the most discussed figure, had belongings like Subhas's family photos, books, round spectacles, and expensive items, fueling speculation.
• The Justice Manoj Mukherjee Commission (1999) and the Vishnu Sahai Commission concluded that none of the 'babas' were Subhas, citing lack of matching handwriting, dental DNA, and other evidence.

Why It Matters: Despite widespread belief and speculation, investigations concluded that none of the three 'babas' were Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.