Long live the Freedom. Long live ...

To start off again after the personal 'feel good' milestone, I could not have chosen a day better. Also, the fall out was not for long. I thank you guys for those nice messages. Appreciate it much.

Well then without digressing much, today, August 15th 2007, 60th year of "Free and liberated" India. I have been meaning to write a line to start with but for some reason I had the block when I wanted to pour down my thoughts. Something was stopping me. Anyway, I kept looking around and listening to the passionate speech and patriotic sequences. I thought "What did it mean to the common man", is it another political stunt that everyone were trying to pull out to save their dear vote banks, I don't know. But on a personal note, I was a bit happy for some reason. The reason I am in a free country to express my feeling. An intrinsic feeling and it sums up I think.

Read the article "here" to see how much we should be grateful to this country as long as we live.

On the hindsight, to have survived 60 long years in itself should mean a lot to the people in India. Definitely. From no where up into high way of development and growth with the sheer load of people to carry along and run at the speed we want her to be termed "transforming" economy, I think it is no mean achievement. We have done good thus far. But is there anything more we want and what does this 60th year of Independence mean to a person like me. I mean I know being free is in a way god given that I get to say what I want (without crossing the line), do what I want, be what I am, wear what I want, cuss what I want, go to places and eventually when the immigration officer asks "Were are you coming sir" and when I say "India", he reacts differently and it is easy after that. What more should the country has in it to offer to me? So what moves the Indian elephant? 1/3rd of the nation is still struggling to realize its dreams, its destiny. India still has about 22 percent of its population below the poverty line and has a long way to go to become a developed country.It’s the hope that matters. A hope for a modern India, a shining India.

So many things have happened through from being a bonded slave losing its confidence to even sustain to a growing economy. We should be proud of an independent land where we can thump our heart with pride and say "I belong here". Having started out as an impoverished country, plagued by feudalism, illiteracy, food import dependence, communal violence resulting in Partition and a total lack of industrialization and infrastructure. The last few years have added more meaning to the 60 years of freedom. How much we have improved from increasing our national reserve from 1.5 billion dollars to 240 billion dollars, how much of development amidst the ever increasing population, how much of corruption amidst development, how much of hassles amidst growth and how much of peace inspite of the growing hatred elsewhere. Also, today India is on the way of becoming the fourth largest market in the world, has a comfortable foreign exchange reserve, has developed advanced technology in space, nuclear energy and information technology sectors and is sought after as a strategic partner by major powers. It has managed to sustain its democracy - one of the few in the decolonized world - federal structure, commitment to secularism and an apolitical armed force.This is what I am willing to see more as a citizen of this land.

For a hard core critic like me, what would something ever please me? nah. I am one of those patriotic citizens who keeps pushing and wanting a change and raising the bar for satisfaction which would result in more development. What stands as a benefit to other countries when they developed was that they were less populous then and even now. Whereas we have a billion mouths to feed and the mouth will definitely bite the hand that feeds ! I am one of them. I bite and say my views so that I get to dream, a modest dream. I dream of India as a country in another 20 years having great, prominent leaders - efficient and educated ones leading us to more successes and safe future, more educated they are better they would serve, more and better scientific funding whilst paving way for solution centric improvement, more protection to the citizens in whatever form wherever they are, more R&D capability which will stop us from depending on other countries for anything, more security to young girls, women and children from the wrong doers, able, smart police & army to protect the law from being mauled by the rich people & able ruling body, killing the corruption, doing away casteism and we finally do away poverty and people stop thinking about their existence with the "free food" and finally improve the standard of living of everyone around.

This is not an impossible dream. We can very well do it. When we would be celebrating 80 years free existence, I will revisit this blog note, if I exist and have the same thinking ability, to see how much of my dreams were fulfilled and how much I contributed to this. This is the bottom line why we got the freedom 60 years back. To everyone who participated and lived through the harrowing circumstances, good or bad whoever they fought, however and whatever means they took, we definitely should make this possible coz we owe them this much atleast.

In that high note am humbled to see India at 60 and young, and wish you all a Happy Independence day and wishing that the freedom lasts for more positive developments and god bless all.

Here's dedicating a few videos close to my heart on this day:

1) National Anthem by several popular musicians and champions in their field of work.



2) Inspirational video.