Independence Day

Our country, India, is an ancient land with a glorious history. In the centuries gone by, our free spirit, futuristic ideas, rich traditions, and teeming prosperity made India a coveted land. We traded in gold, spices, indigo, and textiles. It is perhaps this wealth and industry that brought invaders to our land throughout the medieval ages. In the 1600s when Britain’s ambitious colonialism reached out far into Asia, India became a natural object of conquest. The days of the British Raj were the darkest in modern Indian history. Not only were our indigenous industries destroyed and wealth and produce exported back to Great Britain, our protests and struggles for freedom were put down ruthlessly. In this backdrop, brave men and women rose from every corner of the country – some adopted peace and non-violence and some rather radical methods. It is after much sacrifice and indomitable resistance that the British realized that their days in the country were numbered. By the mid-1900s, however, India’s colonial masters could not quell the voice of a united India, of millions of Indians seeking their freedom.

On August 15, 1947, India awoke into independence once again. In fact, the country did not sleep. India’s first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his historic address and our countrymen geared up to keep our “tryst with destiny”.

Each year we celebrate our Independence Day as a tribute to this spirit of freedom, and to the courage and sacrifices made by countless men and women. It is entirely due to their actions that we live as free people who enjoy natural legal rights and exercise our electoral mandate, thereby participating in the administration of our country. India is the world’s largest democracy – a matter of pride for each Indian, but also a product of their labours.

The unfurling of the national flag by the Prime Minister of India from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort and the accompanying 21 gun salute is the highpoint of every Independence Day. In fact, every Indian’s eyes glisten with tears of pride and patriotism on this day. As the Prime Minister delivers a stately speech, millions tune in through their television sets looking towards the head of our government for direction. So when our PM speaks of the need for hygiene and sanitation in his Independence Day speech, millions of children and adults become foot soldiers of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. When it is the turn for a Make In India call, the industries gear up for a massive overhaul – ready to service the manufacturing needs of the world. When the matter of national security is addressed, lakhs of young men and women orient themselves to enlist in the armed forces.

Independence Day is a celebration of the freedoms that we enjoy – of thought, action, speech, movement, and mandate. While Delhi is certainly at the heart of national level celebrations, state capitals are not far behind. Schools and colleges too unfurl the tricolour, reenact the freedom struggle, sing songs, and glorify the nation’s heroes. This is a reminder of what we have achieved and what values we enshrine. It teaches our children and inspires our youth.

India’s Independence Day is not only a day of celebration, it is also a day of remembrance and veneration. We owe our very existence, and our cherished freedom, to the martyrs who have given up their lives in the service of the nation. We owe our undying gratitude to the armed forces personnel who guard us day and night at the cost of their own happiness, wellbeing, and safety.

This year as we celebrate the nation, its sovereignty, the tricolour, and its leaders – Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru, Tilak, Gokhale, Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh and others, let us look back at the hardships they overcame, and inculcate their values to take the nation ahead on a path of glorious progress and development. And let our nation, its security, and the sanctity of its freedom be our guiding light in this noble endeavour.