And for the 75th Independence Day, Friday week, in my hometown Trivandrum, some thoughts….. some musings…..
It’s been a great privilege to me in my 70th year, to get my children and grandchildren to my ancestral 1906 house at Trivandrum. And thanks to the amendment of the Flag code declared by GOI in July this year, now every citizen can hoist the National flag with pride in their homes with family, ofcourse following all the protocols of honour to our National Symbols. For me to get my family and explain to my 7 year old the importance of fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution, India’s progress as the largest democracy and the need to preserve our Pluralism, inclusive growth and removing poverty. Using examples and getting the messages across to my grandkids in words and action is a “Self-Actualisation” moment I shall cherish for life.
Imagine such a large country, a continent of more than 750 kingdoms looted and drained. In 1947, at the dawn of Indian Independence, the world had written us off; poor, impoverished, hungry, famine prone and hugely fragmented mass of humanity. Thanks to some of India’s outstanding Prime ministers, the vision of Pandit Nehru, the suave statesman politician in Shri Vajpayee, the Economic wizardry of Dr. Manmohan Singh and now the national charisma and huge commitment of PM Shri Narendra Modi, India has moved leaps and bounds in the last 75 years.
From a starving PL480 dependent country, with almost the same net sown area of 130+ Mn hectares of land, India today produces more than 300 Mn tonnes of food grain, a net exporter and proudly feeds the world with wheat, rice and coarse grains, not to forget fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs and fish. It’s Agri output at 532 Bn $ is almost double that of US and Europe. In Digitilisation, the records set are stunning. UPI (Unified Payment System) is the world’s largest digital payment system integrated with more than 330 banks. Current year transactions alone are of 38 Bn worth 72 Trillion Rupees. It’s stock exchanges settlement of T+1 day, is unprecedented anywhere in the world including New York stock exchange. This week, in spite of all the Global economic uncertainties, the Sensex crossed the 60K mark again. Incredible India.
As we now visualise the 100th year of Independence, there ofcourse are challenges galore. Let each one of us decide to contribute to Nation building, our OWN way, the law abiding way, the SEEGOS way.