Today on the 62nd year of our country’s Independence, I wish all my fellow Indian citizens & Indophiles a very Happy 63rd Independence Day.
For 63 years we have been marching ahead and have proven critics & skeptics wrong, almost with sadistic pleasure, with their predictions of our eventual disintegration & disarray.
Not only has our sense of Nationalism grown stronger each passing day [patriotism was never in short supply among Indians], but also our country’s accomplishments & achievements in each & every sphere of life is growing by the day. Our Engineers are rated to be among the best. Our country’s educational system receives a backhanded praise from none other than the POTUS . Our doctors too have been similarly acknowledged both within and outside. Our Space program is earning laurels the world over and other countries are eagerly approaching us for their requirement. It is soon to expand & travel further into the frontiers of outer space. Our Scientists are currently engaged in some pioneering work that would be hailed as nothing short of revolutionary when completed. Their efforts are not going unnoticed as they are being recognized for their efforts the world over.
Today, we are being courted by the pioneering countries of the Industrial Revolution. We proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with them on the world platform, a sign of their acknowledgement of our inevitable rise as a developed nation in the near future. We are being recognized as a country that is going to play a major role in the future world scene.
Forever at the mercy of quasi-evil entity called the IMF till the early-90s, we have successfully escaped from its clutches & now is actually a creditor nation at that institution – giving money to the needy nations of the world.
Being born in India, to me, ensures that every moment of my life is enriched with a source of inspiration to challenge, excel & exceed. If there is one thing that an Indian will never ever run short of, that would be inspiration and motivation provided by the deeds of fellow Indians who have rightly earned their place as the stalwarts and torchbearers for the world in their respective fields.
However, at no point of time must we be lulled in to complacency with these fleeting moment of glory that we definitely must cherish, but remain hungry for far greater achievements and accomplishments with its associated glory. These accolades that we receive the world over is not solely for what we have achieved till now, but also for what we are expected to achieve or rather predicted to achieve based on our current performance. We as the proud citizens of this wonderful land called India must strive not only to make their predictions come true, but must take it upon ourselves to exceed their benchmarks for predicting the glory we shall/must attain.
We owe it to our rich and prosperous history and culture to not only regain our past glory but to build upon it and exceed it. The Mauryan empire must continually be at the back of the mind of every Indian to remind us of our glorious history and what we must strive to achieve and surpass.
Let it be made clear though, that we do not seek to expand by making our physical presence, by occupation, felt in our quest for expansion and growth. Our expansion is to be attained by becoming a constant source of inspiration, aspiration and a provider of constructive influence and guidance, whose company each seeks, and everybody flourishes and progresses under such mentoring. Such is the type of expansionist power that we need to cultivate and posses.
On this historical occasion, I wish to convey my deepest and sincerest sense of gratitude to our country’s Scientists, Engineers, Doctors and all those who are striving for the cause of nation building. I too am preparing myself to join you and assist you in your efforts to build a prosperous, progressive, advanced nation called India.
However, all these accomplishments, achievements, glories and advancement would not even be remotely possible without one person – the unnamed, unsung, often scorned soldier of the Indian Armed Forces. His daily sacrifices and valor in the most inhospitable areas of land, air and sea, for the people of this country most of whom he/she would never ever meet or get to know, ensures that we as citizens of this country can continue with the way of life as we know it. He eliminates threats meant to eliminate us and takes up the bullet meant for us. If all that they ask for, in return is humane civility in matters concerning him or his family, is it too much to ask for.
My head shall remain eternally bowed in front of you in gratitude and service, dear soldier – no amount of praise or words of appreciation would ever be enough to thank you for the service you are rendering every day to your Motherland even as I sit comfortably in front of my terminal typing this.
Vande Mataram - Anand Math - Hemant Kumar [Male version]
Jai Jawan....Jai Kisan....Jai Vigyaan!
Bharat Mataa ki Jai!