Happy Independence Day 2014
All my fellow Indians, many congratulations on the Independence Day of our country. About six odd decades ago, the dreams of an entire nation came true this day and the efforts of more than a century of freedom struggle bore fruits. We created a nation, that we so proudly now call - Republic of India.
Firstly, I must congratulate you on the successful completion of the General Elections this year. It was the largest democratic exercise in the world where one seventh of the world's population presented its mandate. And what a splendid mandate it was. I congratulate every Indian on the unanimity of the mandate across the length and breadth of the nation. It felt as if we all spoke out in favour of good governance in one voice. This is the way it should be. Democracy is not democracy unless we all take responsibility and ownership of our country and our government. We can't escape the blame if the country has not done that well. Some of us have given up on India. Some of us feel that we have let ourselves down in the years after Independence to a level from where there is no coming back. Some folks feel that we may never be able to compete with the top nations in the world. Some believe that we do not put enough price on our integrity and work ethics. We can't give up on India. We shall always be connected to India through our thoughts, our way of life, our language and our culture, regardless of where we live. So instead of ignoring, I believe its time to fix what can be fixed and improve what can be improved.
Our Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has invited the world with open arms to invest and manufacture in India. I believe it is a great opportunity for India to grow its economy and create jobs. We have immensely skilled and talented workforce to deliver exceptional results. We must ensure utmost quality in whatever we produce. Brand India needs to be a symbol of excellence and consistency. 'Indian' should be synonym for quality. And that is a responsibility of us all. It is not that hard - all it takes is a sincere effort, all it takes is a sense of pride in what we do, all it means is for all of us is to do an honest day's work, everyday. Gradually, together, we can build a good reputation over the years to last forever.
Sincerity and honesty, if enforced under the fear of punishment, would always be shortlived. Only through respect, sincerity in approach, honesty in effort and sense of pride in oneself, can be realised. Respect is all we need to bind us together and make us stronger. Respect is all we need to create an atmosphere of harmony, brotherhood, acceptance, growth, progress and self-esteem. My brothers and sisters, today on this occasion, I request you to re-kindle that respect for everything that is Indian. We have paid a huge price to have a free and independent India, we must cherish this gift our forefathers sacrificed their lives for.
Begin by respecting your fellow country men. Respect every Indian equally. Do not respect them for their religion, for their mother-tounge, for the color of their skin, for their race, for where they were born in India, or for how affluent they might be.
Respect them for their knowledge because knowledge is the only true wealth a person can have. Respect them for their sanskriti because they, you and I, we inherit the same culture. Respect them for their poverty because being poor is no shame. Respect them for their day-to-day struggle because for some, survival is a daily battle. Respect them for their broken english because their attempt is commendable. Respect the cobbler who sits all day under the scorching sun to feed his family. Respect the milkman who despite being poor, does not dilute milk with water. Respect the rikshaw-puller who tirelessly works all day, pulling people's weight to earn his bread. Respect morals, dedication, commitment, chivallry, altruism. Respect your father because he is your first role model. Respect your mother because in mother lives God. Respect your son as he struggles everyday to live up to your expectations. Respect your daughter as she struggles for respect outside home in our predominently male chauvinist society. Respect women as it is unforgivable to not treat them as equals in this day and age. Respect all daughters and mothers because a society that cannot respect its women does not deserve it. Respect the sheer spirit of 1.2 billion strong humanity.
Our country has exemplary men and women. It is the common men who are so extraordinary in their commonality. Regard them and never look down upon them. Extend out a helping hand to every fellow Indian out of love, out of compassion. Be honest, have faith and believe in truth. Our strength lies in our unity and values we cherish. Honor every Indian for the belief he/she has in these values. Through respect comes love. With love, break the boundaries that separate our hearts. Love is the basis for a family. We are a family, one huge family and its time we start behaving like one.
I am proud to be an Indian. It is not because of what we are today, but because of the potential we have to be what we can be tomorrow.
Jai Hind
