On the 15th day of August 1947, India commenced its long march to overcome the colonial legacy of poverty, illiteracy, social inequality and underdevelopment. Since then the task of nation building process has been taken up by our people with firm determination and certain elan to succeed. Our first prime minister’s famous ‘tryst with destiny’ speech on the eve of independence reflected the buoyant mood of the nation. There was a sense of fulfilment in the air and confidence in our future destiny.

However, our 71 year long journey as a nation has seen its own share of challenges. From the beginning many critics and admirers have expressed doubts about India’s ability to sustain it’s developmental design. They have repeatedly argued that the vast disparity would lead to disintegration of the country into linguistic and ethnic fragments. Although India has survived the test of time, every instance of social unrest and political turmoil such as secessionist movements in different parts of the country, naxalite uprising, cast or communal violence pose a serious threat to India’s multi cultural social framework.

The India I dream of is a state where people feel a sense of national integration not because of similar ethnicity or long lasting cultural history but because of a shared set of ideals. I believe that our objective of development as a nation and a democratic polity must lay the foundation of our national identity. I believe that true Indianness aims at integration but does not believe in assimilation of the various diverse groups into the national mainstream. Indianness acknowledges and accommodates multiple identities of the people of India and gives different parts of the country adequate space in the Indian union and at the same time it believes in nurturing and preserving ones own cultural or linguistic identity. I believe that it is important for us to be able to look beyond the frames imposed on us by our religious and cultural beliefs. It must be understood that our diversity is our strength, it enriches our culture, but our differences lead to parochialism hindering our growth as one nation.

Further, I believe that governance is conceptualised as a social contract in which the people and the government have mutually reinforcing roles. According to me, many of the social challenges faced by people in india arise from the breakdown of this social contract by one or both of us by not living upto our responsibilities. The present Indian society is struggling to fight numerous social evils such as gender disparity, casteism, corruption and numerous social stigmas. I believe that social transformation is the need of the hour. This can be done by building our nation as an instrument of development and social change. As Justice Louis Brandies, once said, “ The most important political office is that of a private citizen”. In order to efficiently exercise the rights and duties of a responsible citizen, it is important to spread knowledge and awareness among the citizens of india. With firm belief in what Mahatma Gandhi said, “Education not only moulds the new generation, but reflects a society’s fundamental assumptions about itself and the individuals which compose it”, I believe that the first step towards making a robust country is building an imaginative and skilful educational setup guided by hard-nosed national interest and tempered with morality and ethics. Furthermore, demographically speaking, India is a young country and it is estimated that approximately 50% of India’s population is in the age group of 15-25 years. I see this as an opportunity where India can fulfil her aspiration of being a world power as an ageing world population will soon need a younger workforce. India can utilise this situation for its economic growth through strategic intervention in education and skill development.

Also, I believe, that we should draw our inspirations and lessons from our past. Yoga, an ancient art form which originated in India, is a practice for balancing the connection between mind, body and soul is being used across nations for physical, spiritual and mental upliftment. According to me, this science must be utilised to the fullest by every individual in the country.

Lastly, I envision India as an egalitarian state where different sections of the society have equal rights and opportunities. It should be a person’s choice and ability that must determine the course of his or her life. Meritocracy and healthy competition must lay the foundation of Indian society.

By,

Chandni Sahay,