Happy Independence Day!

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.  At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.  A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance…We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.”

– Jawaharlal Nehru

(On Independence Day, 1947)

On this day, which comes as a day of pride for Indians, when we celebrate the 64^th Independence Day, we feel privileged and have great pleasure in extending to all fellow readers, our warm greetings and felicitations.

We would also like to send a special word of greeting and felicitation to our brave jawans whose death-defying courage and valor protect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.  We salute those real brave heroes who gave their today for our tomorrow.  On this special occasion, we pay tribute to those great souls who secured our future.

We would also like to send a special word of greeting and felicitation to our kisans, who toil & sweat from dawn to dusk, and have contributed substantially by feeding our nation’s billion, and keep our country vibrant & moving.

In over 60 years, India has emerged from an exploited, imperial colony to a self-sufficient, resilient, free & strong democracy.  Our progress in several fields of development has been recognized globally.  Our great pool of technical manpower, impressive strides in Agriculture, Industry, Education, Medicine, Engineering, Sports & Games, Entertainment, Literature, Art are worth mentioning.   Our accomplishments in the field of Atomic Energy, IT, Biotechnology, Science & Technology, Space and Defence research have been highly commendable.  All these made India a front-ranking country among the leading nations of the world.  However, challenges still remain, and these issues require greater effort and endeavour on our part.  Despite all the obstacles set in our path, we are well served by the profoundness and strength of our democratic institutions.  In addition, we also draw sustenance from our rich heritage from the past, and from the reawakened spirit of our people & our culture.

As we celebrate our Independence, we recall in grateful remembrance the band of great and selfless men & women who led us in the struggle – Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Sri Aurbindo Ghosh, C Rajagopalachari, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Sarojini Naidu, Aruna Asaf Ali, Vijayalakshmi Pandit, Annie Besant and a host of others.  Along with the mentioned freedom fighters, we also recall the following greats who dedicated their lives for our country during the freedom movement viz. Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, Velu Thampi Dalawa, Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmibai, Tantiya Tope, Nana Saheb, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, to name a few.

We also recall the foot soldiers of our freedom movement, countless heroes and innumerable heroines who carried aloft the banner of Swaraj or Self-Governance.  We have yet to redeem the pledge they gave to our people. One third of our people still live below poverty line, almost half of our adult population is illiterate, and more than half of our children are under-nourished.  The women of India have not yet come out of the long night of discrimination, inequality and denial of rights.  But it is gratifying to note that in different parts of our country they have been rising and organizing themselves in movements for self-empowerment.  Let’s continue to support them to rise and move into mainstream.

India has always taken pride in the concept of ‘unity in diversity’, where regional identity takes a backseat, and what matters most is the universal appeal of unity, acceptance, tolerance and brotherhood projected by all Indians.  In spite of modernism, we still believe in religion, integrity and family values.  We must continue to have human spirit, better care, love & respect for our elders, and for fellow citizens.

On this Independence Day, let us resolve to imbue our lives with the spirit of that midnight hour when we made our tryst with destiny.  May the tricolor continue to inspire us, fulfil our destiny as a people & a caring, just nation with impartiality, objectivity & sense of responsibility.  We have the talent to create a great nation.  The dream of a prosperous, united and vibrant India can be achieved with our collective will and hard work.  Let us do it individually, and collectively by taking the onus of responsibility on our shoulders.

Let us take pledge with renewed commitment to strengthening our nation to realise its full potential!

May God Bless Indians & Our Motherland.

Jai Hind!

Hari Nair,

TechnoparkToday.com