With a host of programmes organized across the country and abroad, an invitation extended to a diverse group of citizens at Red Fort in New Delhi, the 77th Independence Day being celebrated based on the theme ‘Nation First, Always First’, and is expected to be a grand affair.
The Indian Independence Bill was introduced on July 4, 1947, in the then-British House of Colonials. The Indian Independence Act was passed on July 18, 1947, and the British dominance came to an end after 200 years on August 15, 1947. The first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, hoisted the national flag at Lahori Gate of Red Fort in Delhi on that day.
Every year, August 15 serves as a powerful reminder of the nation's liberation from British colonial rule, and the day serves as a powerful assertion of a nation’s sovereignty. A host of freedom fighters including Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Veer Savarkar, Bhagat Singh, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Jawaharlal Nehru participated in the freedom struggle.
The Indian National Flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya, a freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh. It has three colors – saffron representing courage and sacrifice, white representing peace, and green representing prosperity. The Ashok Chakra in the middle represents the cycle of life.
The inspiring slogans coined by freedom fighters will continue to be part of Indian history. They include: "Swaraj Mera Janamsiddh adhikar hai, aur main ise lekar rahunga" - adopted by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, “Vande Mataram" - Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, “Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe aazadi dunga” - Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, “Do or die' (Karo Ya Maro) - Mahatma Gandhi, "Inquilab Zindabad"- Bhagat Singh and "Satyamev Jayate"- Madan Mohan Malviya.
The country has been making rapid progress in different fields with a thrust on self-reliance and a host of initiatives have been launched. A stock of various aspects must be taken, on the conclusion of Amrit Mahtosav’s 75-week countdown, which began on March 12, 2021.
The country’s economic activity is gaining momentum amid global uncertainties. There is a buoyancy in services, a strong core Index of Industrial Production (IIP), higher e-way bills and toll collections as well as recovery in rail freight and port traffic has been auguring well for overall economic activity.
India’s population is estimated at 142 crore people. Thus the country needs better medical infrastructure. There are many health schemes including Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY). The Government controlled hospitals need to upgrade going by the wretched condition of many cottage hospitals in the country and more skilled doctors are the need of the hour. The overall mortality rate has declined from 27.4 to 08 per 1,000 population from 1991 onwards. But the maternal and infant mortality remains a challenge.
Similarly, the supply of safe and potable water remains a distant dream. Although it was claimed that all the villages were electrified on April 28, 2018, there are reports of certain villages remaining cut off from the rest of the world.
Now most of the north eastern states barring Sikkim, have been connected through rail. The progress in indigenous defence production is commendable aNow we await the anticipated successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon's surface on August 23. India is expected to become one of the most powerful countries. Let us hope that we become a superpower soon.