Prof PB Sharma
WE need also to remind ourselves that democracy is not freedom infinite, and that freedom is nor free, rather it is freedom at a price. It is this price of self-discipline, self-regulation, and maintaining the highest levels of personal and professional integrity that we need to pay, often sacrificing our personal interests and comforts for building a great nation of our dreams.
The Independence Day should invoke in us an abiding faith in our ability to create a fair, just, equitable, and a society of self-regulation and be the proud partners of co-creating the India of our dream to redeem the pledge that we made at the dawns of freedom.
It is not too late as the time is now right and the environment to make up for our behavioural loss is here and now that we have submitted to a new dawn of digitisation and transparency ushered by the Government of India under the visionary leadership of Prime minister Narendra Modi during the last 10 years.
Govt’s firm resolve
Bold decisions and well-thought reforms such as Digital India, Make in India, Skilling India, Innovation and Startup India, supported by great infrastructure push and investment in research and expanding quality education (23 IITs, 26 IIITs, 26 AIIMs, and 21 IIMs today) all demonstrate the firm resolve of the Government of the day to develop India as Viksit Bharat of our dreams on pathways of economic prosperity, social transformation and environmental sustainability supported by well-qualified and skilled manpower and by path-breaking scientific research and gamechanging technology innovations.
Let us pay greatest respect and homage to our great leaders, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar, and our martyrs Pandit Chandra Shekar Azad, Sardar Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Shri Asfaq Ullah Khan, who sacrificed their lives for winning for us the freedom that we rejoice today.
Scientists, technologists
Let us also remember the great scientists and technologists who built India in the post-Independence era. These include great scientists, the founder of Bhava Atomic Research Center Dr. Homi Bhava, founder of ISRO Dr Vikram Sarabhai, great engineers and technologists Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesraya and Padma Vibhushan Er. Ajudhia Nath Khosla, who led the team to build Bhakra Nangal, and Hira Kund hydropower dams, the father of Green Revolution Bharat Ratna Dr NS Swaminathan, the father of White(Milk) Revolution Padma Vibhushan Dr Verghese Kurien, the Metro man of India Er. E Sreedharan, and many more who are the makers of modern India.
Let the people of India also not forget that August 15 also happens to be the birthday of great freedom fighter, philosopher and one the greatest visionaries of resurgence of India, Sri Aurbindo. He steered India to freedom from his hermitage in Pondicherry and through his writings on Foundations of Indian Culture, Secret of Vedas and Thoughts on Upanishads reminded all of us and the world community that India is a spiritual civilisation founded on the principles of peace and oneness of diversity so well enshrined in our Sanatan Vedic Heritage.
The call for action
The call for action requires us to give our very best with a spirit of service and sacrifice and submit to the calls of self-regulation, righteous conduct, give our very best unconditionally to the cause of work excellence and service to the society and the nation, shoulder a great sense of responsibility to be partners in progress with the Government to make our great nation once again a world leader and a champion of peace, harmony, and development.
Let us make Mother India proud of its people, the descendants of a great Vedic Sanatan Sanskriti that invokes an abiding faith in Satyamev Jayate, Loka Samasta Sukhina Bhavantu and above all Vasudhiav Kutumbakam.
