Independent India

200 years of foreign rule.

August 15
1947
An independent India.

"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge... At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom." Jawaharlal Nehru, 1947

For most of us Independence day is another holiday. As we grow older the significance of India's independence weakens. The excuse being there are many more 'priorities' in life than celebrating a victory that occured 61 years ago.

For me , Independence day means more than a 'chhuti'. And I have my family to thank for that. Coming from a background where my grandparents had to leave everything they had ever known and start from the bottom, like millions of others, Independence day means more than a 'chhuti' to me.

I appreciate their struggle and their unnerving faith in the Indian Govt. at a time when all was chaos and it was for each his own.
I am grateful to our forefathers for the fight of their and the future generations' lives.
I am thankful of all those Indians who might not have been Gandhis or Nehrus but were Indians, ready and willing to give it all up for the freedom of a country they could loved and cherished.
I am an Indian.

If I were the Prime Minister, I would

want to commemorate our Independence Day with gusto and involve the entire nation in celebration.

In the Prime Minister's address to the nation on the morning of the 15th, I would like to remind India of how rich her itihaas is and how beautiful and diverse a culture she has.
I would ensure that all public broadcasting media speaks of India's independence and her journey from then till now.

What I realize is that the government does all of the above. What is required is for every Indian to become conscious of the significance of our independence and to appreciate it and celebrate it with gusto. We wouldn't be who and where we are today if it weren't for our independence and all those who fought till death for it.

Kite flying is a tradition I associate with this today. We spend hours with family and friends watching our kites soar across the free skies.