And for a Friday ……. the 79th Independence Day of India …… some thoughts …. some musings…….
Born in early fifties my Generation in India has seen it all ……my parents were forced by GOI to migrate from kingdom of Travancore ( now part of Kerala) to Poona ( now Pune) ……growing up in Poona & Bombay (now Mumbai) amidst shortages ……. food ……milk … fruits ….all basic necessities were controlled by the Babus & one had to get living essentials only from the designated ration shops ……PL480 Wheat came from USA …..milk was in acute short supply … in Bombay …..Aarey Milk supplies used to come early mornings ….. one member from the family had to stand in the queue at the Milk booth with an Aluminium badge ….. & collect the Milk bottles …… as children our travel to Trivandrum with Parents to see our Grandparents …. was an annual ordeal …… coal engine Powered trains from Mumbai to Madras Central station …. stay overnight ….change over to metre gauge to Madras Egmore station & travel to Trivandrum …… the entire journey could be almost five days ….. air travel was unknown to middle class Indians …..Bajaj scooters had waiting period of two to three years ….. cars were super luxury ….. only Ambassadors & Premier Padminis were available …… you paid the full cost as advance & waited years for allotment …. late seventies foreign travel & exchange was totally controlled …. Max of 500 US dollars for any trip …. Amount was endorsed on passport …. Each business trip abroad in Eighties & nineties was an ordeal …. RBI clearance for each trip & Foreign exchange & on return full accounts to the last dollar to be submitted ……..Rotary telephone was a luxury item in homes ……. It’s a long list of shortages & existentialist living ..….On our 79th Independence Day ……..thankfully we have come a long …long way ….. to become the fourth largest economy ….all on our own …. with no support from any SuperPower ….…. Surplus of food & exporter of Food grains ….. Malls & Super markets full of choicest food & Beverages …. both local & imported …….. foreign exchange no issue ……Every Indian can remit 2,50,000 US dollars every year ……. Credit cards can be used freely any part of the World …… Vande Bharat & Metro have redefined comfortable Rail travel…… todays Millennial Indians are blessed with comforts & huge opportunities …….
We have come a long way ……. But …. Have to travel an even longer tougher way for India to be a Developed Nation ….. our Goal of “Viksit Bharat” by 2047 is eminently achievable ….. every Indian must resolve to build ….an Inclusive … equitable country …… fight to reduce Corruption …. Enhance our Civic sense ….…. care for preserving our environment ……. let’s stop being cynical & only blaming politicians ….. let’s play our role …..
Today on our 79th Independence Day let us all pledge to build our Nation …….. the participative way ….. the sustainable way ……. the SEEGOS way.