SC notice to Centre on plea of Netaji's daughter for return of his ashes from Japan
New Delhi, August 11
The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Central government on a plea filed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's octogenarian daughter, Anita Pfaff, seeking a direction to the government to bring his ashes back from the Renkoji temple in Japan.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana sought response from the Central government on the plea.
Senior advocate Abhishek Amani Singhvi, appearing for Pfaff, an Austrian-German economist, told the bench that Netaji's daughter has moved the court.
Pfaff said there is prolonged failure by India to take a final, reasoned and time-bound decision to repatriate to India the mortal remains/ashes attributed to Netaji, preserved at Renkoji temple.
Pfaff asked to repatriate the ashes of Netaji to India to allow the sole living direct lineal descendant to perform his last rites with dignity and finality.
She has repeatedly been appealing to the Indian government to bring Netaji's ashes back from Renkoji temple in Tokyo, where they have been preserved since 1945.
Pfaff has argued that the remains should be returned to India for a proper and dignified funeral, saying it is time to end what she has described as Netaji's long "exile".
She sought repatriation of Netaji's ashes by India or, as an alternative, "facilitate her to repatriate the ashes"
On Netaji's 129th birth anniversary in January 2026, she renewed her appeal and noted that she had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the government's intervention in bringing the ashes back.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's heartbreaking that Netaji's own daughter, now in her 80s, has to fight a legal battle to get her father's ashes back. We have numerous memorials for him but can't bring his mortal remains home? Shame on us. I hope the court gives a time-bound direction so she can perform his last rites in her lifetime.
For decades, successive governments have used the mystery around Netaji's death for political mileage. Now his 80-year-old daughter is seeking a simple human right - to perform her father's last rites. The Centre must comply gracefully rather than creating more procedural hurdles. This is basic human dignity.
🇮🇳 It's time we honour our freedom fighters with the respect they deserve. Netaji's ashes sitting in Japan while we argue about technicalities is just sad. His daughter should have been given a red-carpet welcome and the ashes returned decades ago. Hope the SC sets a strict timeline.
This is a purely humanitarian issue. Whether you believe those are Netaji's ashes or not, his daughter believes they are. Her age makes this urgent. The government should set aside political considerations and do the needful with grace.
A daughter waiting to perform her father's last rites - can't imagine the pain. We often celebrate Netaji's courage but forget his family's struggle. It's okay to admit the government has been insensitive here. Hope this court case finally gives her closure and brings Netaji's journey to a dignified end.
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