India is a country full of diversities in landscapes, cultures, religions and languages. We too celebrate various festivals, both Cultural and National. Among those, we celebrate the Independence Day of our nation with great pleasure. No matter wherever we live, the celebrations won’t be having any shortage as the patriotic feeling doesn’t leak from us. On that day we visit our friends, relatives and loved ones and wish them and also gift them.

On August 15, 2012, Wednesday, India will be witnessing her glorious and colorful 66th Independence Day.

On this day we think about Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s inspirational speech titled ‘Tryst with Destiny’ which was said on August 15, 1947 after hoisting our National Flag for the first time and the famous quotation by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, ‘Freedom is our Birthright and we shall have it’. Every nuke and corner of the country experiences the sense of patriotism. People hoist the National Flag, distribute sweets, fly kites, sing patriotic songs, various cultural programs, march pasts, speech and all fill the day. Firstly the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh pays homage to martyrs and visit several places like India Gate, Raj Ghat etc. While the main function is held at the Red Fort, New Delhi. The Prime Minister takes the Ceremonial Salute and Guard of Honor from the three wings of the Defence Forces of India. The main event is the ‘Flag Hoisting Ceremony’. After hoisting the National Flag on the Ramparts of the Red Fort, the National Anthem is sung and the Gun-Salute is been given. The Prime Minister then addresses the nation. He also gives a summary of the achievements of his Government, its policies, currently occurring major issues, the future plans and wishes each and every Indian a ‘Happy Independence Day’. Television channels telecast this live both in India and abroad. The speech of the Prime Minister is recorded and those words are spread all over the country. Different sized kites and tri-colored balloons fill the sky on this occasion. Also the Air Force exhibits certain colorful items.

Not only at the central, the day is well celebrated at the state levels too. As this day is a national holiday all the offices, markets, groceries, factories and other establishments remain closed. While in the schools, the staff members and students meet each other to enjoy this event while the Head of the school raises the flag. In the State capitals, the Chief Minister of the respective state hoists the flag, inspects the Police Parade and addresses the audience. At the District Headquarters, the District Collector hoists the flag, receives the salute and addresses the gathering. This too takes place at various colleges, offices and other establishments. Meanwhile the TV channels broadcast several movies and programs related to India’s Independence and fill the peoples mind with a feeling of patriotism. On these days we also remember the great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad, Jhansi Rani etc. who shed their lives for the freedom of our country and pay due respect to them.

Our pathway to freedom was not really easy. After 200 years of British colonial rule, we got complete freedom. For the sake of this many suffered severe pain and struggle while some had to shed their lives. So it’s really important to respect and acknowledge them.

India before Independence is not the same as India after Independence. Since Independence India has acquired development in its government, economic system, agriculture, service sectors, industries, settlement, military, education, space research and many other.

• After Independence, India changed from a British Commonwealth to a secular, social and sovereign country. It has a President, Prime Minister and a Council of Ministers all appointed through elections. It is also the largest democracy in the world.

• The greatest achievement of India since 65 years of Independence is its Economic System. Even when many European and other Western countries underwent Global Recession, India remained unaffected. This was strongly because of its Economic System.

• India is a country in which majority of its citizens being relied on agriculture as the nation has appropriate weather conditions and soil fertility. It still remains as the largest economic sector. India is one of the major producers of rice, wheat, tea, coffee, tobacco and spices. India also has a good export of many varieties of fruits.

• A major development of India’s service sectors has been in the case of IT sectors. Many multi-national firms have been attracted by Indian services and its IT sectors because of its English speaking, low wage and highly educated work-force.

• Industrialization in India has been probably the country’s main development since Independence. Technology has been one of the major factor for India’s Industrial Development. As industries grew, it involved many job opportunities and thus many got employment.

• As industrialization and modernization became so rapid, it led to large scale urbanization. As factories and industries flourished, people starting moving in search of work and a better standard of living. This also led to the development of metropolitan cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengluru etc.

• During the time of Independence India was not able to defeat British using their weapons as they weren’t enough to fight against the Britishers sophiscated weapons. But now it’s not the same. India has achieved development in its military forces as well as the equipments they use.

• There are a number of schools and colleges all over India to provide education to the students. The government has also started certain facilities like mid-day meal in which the school management itself provides food to their students. Years ago education wasn’t considered necessary, but now it’s not the same. Parents know the importance of education and so they want their children to be educated.

• India has also achieved tremendous developments in the field of space research. The Indian Space Research Organization [ISRO] has tried out many missions and achieved success. One example is the ‘Chandraayan Mission’- India’s fist mission to the Moon.

Even though there’s a long list of developments for India, there are still a few areas where development has not yet taken place. They are poverty, environmental pollution, availability of water and so on. If our country needs to be fully developed then it has to find solutions for these problems and minimize its level. We all Indians want to see India at the top of the world, don’t we???

Wish you all a “Happy Independence Day”

Jai Hind!!!

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