As 15th August 2008 approaches, Indians prepare to celebrate the country’s 62nd Independence Day. 61 years ago on 15h August 1947, the tricolor was unfurled and India got independence from years of colonial rule. The country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru delivered the historic “Tryst with destiny” speech from the ramparts of Red Fort as thousands of Indians stayed glued to their radio sets to listen to their leader and be a part of the dreams envisioned by them.
It has been a journey during which India has marched along and today as a powerhouse of potential and prospect. Several milestones were achieved in this journey.
The Green Revolution under Dr. M. S. Swaminathan saw India become self-sufficient in food grains while the White Revolution pioneered by Verghese Kurien saw co-operative societies help the common man reap the benefits of a planned effort to increase productivity in milk.
In sports, India conquered the World Cup of cricket in 1983 beating the mighty West Indians at Lords while it took giant strides in space technology by launching its satellite into space Aryabhatta in 1975. On the entertainment front, Hindi Cinema churned out many talented individuals as actors and movie directors.
The industry owing to this legacy which has been passed over the years has turned out to be one of the most vibrant and one of its kind. Several movies became world-renowned and actors like Raj Kapoor become favorites in many countries while directors like Satyajit Ray captured reality in celluloid.
But the journey has had its share of dark moments. Be it the Godhra Riots in Ahmedabad, the gruesome Bombay blasts of 1993, the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, or the recent series of bomb blasts, each one left some scare in the minds. It is saddening to see that the sacrifice of the millions of Indians to get freedom for future generations is being taken for granted.
Weeds of corruption found their way into various streams of Indian bureaucracy as well as the society post Independence and this has taken its toll in various aspects pertaining to the country’s growth. But the nation has shown a great deal of resilience and fought back after each blow to prove its critics wrong who felt that it might succumb to these forces.
The country has moved from pillar to post which can be reflected in the growth of the GDP which broke the Hindu growth rate of 3%-4% to catapult to 7%-8%. Several Indian companies have made a mark for themselves on a global platform such as TCS, Wipro, Infosys, and others alike. Mergers and Acquisitions like Tata Corus, Arcelor Mittal, and others have not only been eye-catching but have established India’s presence on the global platform.
But this is just the beginning of the journey. Goes a saying that “Conquering the peak is not as important as staying there“. The present generation and the ones to follow have to keep in mind the toil, sweat, and blood of countless Indians and value each moment of freedom that we all enjoy today. Everything comes at a cost, and so does this freedom that we enjoy. But to preserve it and pass it on to the future, we need to act and be responsible for our acts.
We at WittySparks have collected some memorable movies, wallpapers (a couple of interesting wallpapers and photographs), and songs which would appear in the next post as a mark of salute to the millions of Indians who gave their lives so that we could live in a free India!
Happy Independence Day – INDIA – Mera Bharat Mahaan…..
