72nd Independence Day - Address to the Nation by the Hon'ble President of India
President's Secretariat
ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY THE HON’BLE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRI RAM NATH KOVIND, ON THE EVE OF INDIA’S 72ND INDEPENDENCE DAY
Dear Fellow Citizens
My greetings to you as we complete 71 years as an independent nation.
Tomorrow we will commemorate our 72nd Independence Day. For every
Indian, whether living at home or anywhere else in the world, August 15
is sacred. It is marked on our calendars as a celebration of our
sovereignty. We unfurl our national flag with great joy and enthusiasm
in workplaces, municipalities, panchayats, colleges, schools, homes and
neighborhoods. Our Tricolor is a symbol of our national pride. It is a
constant reminder of our striving and our self-belief. It is a day to
look back with satisfaction and gratitude for what we have been able to
achieve due to the efforts of successive generations of our elders. And
it is a day to renew our resolve to fill the gaps that still remain in
our nation building project – gaps that our talented young people will
no doubt fill.
Freedom came to our country on the Midnight of August 14-15, 1947. It
was the result of years and decades and centuries of sacrifice and
valour on the part of our ancestors and our revered freedom fighters.
These were men and women of rare courage and foresight. They came from
all regions of the country, all sections of society, all communities and
all social and economic groups. They could easily have compromised and
settled for some personal benefit, but they did not. Their commitment to
India – to a free, sovereign, plural and egalitarian India – was
absolute. It was my privilege to honour these freedom fighters on the
anniversary of ‘Quit India Day’ on 9th August in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
We are fortunate that we have inherited the legacy of such remarkable
patriots. They left us with a free India, but they also left us with
unfinished tasks for the development of our society, for the empowerment
of the proverbial last person, for their liberation from poverty, and
social and economic inequality. Every breath in our collective life as a
nation is a tribute to our freedom fighters – and a commitment to
accomplish whatever is still unaccomplished.
If we define freedom in narrow, political terms, then August 15, 1947,
marks a closure. It was the day the political struggle against an
imperial power culminated in success and in our Independence Day. But
freedom is a broader concept. It is not fixed and finite. Freedom is a
constant and relentless endeavour. Even decades after 1947, each one of
us can contribute in the manner of a freedom fighter. We can do so if we
expand the frontiers of freedom and of opportunity for our fellow
Indians and our beloved India.
Our farmers grow food for tens of thousands of fellow citizens whom they
have not individually met and will never meet. They are upholding our
freedom by ensuring food security and nutrition for our children. As we
assist our farmers by providing access to technology and other
facilities for enhanced productivity and enhanced incomes, we live up to
the principles of our freedom struggle.
Our Armed Forces stand guard valiantly on our borders, up in the cruel
climate of the mountains or under the blazing sun, or in the skies or at
sea. They are upholding our freedom by ensuring security from external
threats. As we give them better weapons and equipment, build supply
chains for such equipment in India itself, or ensure welfare benefits
for our soldiers, we live up to the principles of our freedom struggle.
Our police and paramilitary forces take on a variety of challenges. In
battling terrorism, in fighting crime and law and order disturbances, or
even in helping ordinary citizens by holding their hands while they
cross a flooded street. In doing this, they are upholding our civic
freedom. As we improve their professional and personal conditions, we
live up to the principles of our freedom struggle.
Women have a special role in our society. The expansion of freedom in
our country in many senses amounts to the expansion of freedom for women
in our country. This is true whether we see them as mothers, sisters,
daughters or simply as women who are entitled to a life of their
choosing – and deserving of the opportunity and the security to fulfil
their potential. They could do this as sheet-anchors of our families or
as absolutely critical entrants to our institutions of higher learning
and our workforce. The choice is theirs; as a nation and as a society we
must ensure that they have the right and the ability to exercise that
choice.
As we take this process further, by facilitating credit for women-run
enterprises and start-ups or by easier availability of LPG in millions
of kitchens and millions of homes, we live up to the principles of our
freedom struggle.
Our young people, both boys and girls, represent the hope and optimism
of India. Our freedom struggle saw the active participation of the young
and the old, but its energy was provided by the young. They chose
different modes or activism in their quest for liberty – but their
resolve and their idealism, their passion for a free India, for a better
India, for a more equal India, was nonnegotiable.
Today, as we ignite the fire within our youth, by building capacities
for skilling and scholarship; for technology, engineering and
entrepreneurship; for creativity and crafts; for playing music and
producing mobile apps, for excelling in sports, we are harnessing the
unlimited human capital of our youth. In doing so, we live up to the
principles of our freedom struggle.
I have given only a few examples; there could be many more. The reality
is that every Indian who does his or her job with sincerity and
commitment, who contributes to society by being true to a professional
ethic, be it the doctor’s ethic, the nurse’s ethic, the teacher’s ethic,
the public servant’s ethic, the factory worker’s ethic, the
business-person’s ethic, the ethic of those who have to care for ageing
parents who brought them up with love and sacrifice – each of these and
many others are in their own way upholding the values of freedom. They
are providing the fruits and goods and services of freedom to fellow
citizens. Every citizen of India who does his or her duty sincerely,
fulfils a personal and professional obligation and keeps to a given word
is, at a fundamental level, upholding the principles of our freedom
struggle. I would argue that every Indian who does not jump the queue
and respects the civic space and rights of those ahead in the line also
lives up to the principles of our freedom struggle. It’s a very small
gesture. Let us try and abide by it.
Dear Fellow Citizens
You may wonder if what I have said so far would not have held true in
the years gone by, maybe 10 or 20 years ago or even earlier. To some
extent, it certainly would. Even so, we are at a juncture in our history
that is very different from any period we have so far experienced. We
are at the cusp of achieving many of our long-awaited goals. Universal
access to electricity, the elimination of open defecation, the
elimination of homelessness, the very elimination of extreme poverty is
achievable and attainable. We are at a pivotal moment. Let contentious
issues and extraneous debates not distract us.
After four years, we will be marking the 75th anniversary of
Independence. In less than 30 years, our people will celebrate the 100th
anniversary of India as a free nation. The decisions we take today, the
foundations we lay today, the projects we undertake today, the social
and economic investments we make today – whether for the immediate
future or for the medium term – will determine where we stand. The pace
of change and development in our country is rapid and appreciable. And
as per our civilisational traditions, it is driven by our people, by
civil society and by a partnership between citizen and government. Its
focus, again in keeping with the essence of Indian thought, is on a
better life for the less fortunate.
I will give you just one example. The Gram Swaraj Abhiyan is taking
seven flagship programmes to the very doorstep of the poorest and the
most deprived among our fellow citizens. These services include access
to electricity, access to the formal banking system, access to welfare
and insurance programmes, and access to immunisation in hitherto
hard-to-reach areas. The Gram Swaraj Abhiyan has been extended to 117
Aspirational Districts where, seven decades after Independence, we still
have stark gaps in the development narrative.
Not surprisingly there is a significant overlap between the populations
of these districts and historically weaker communities, such as
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. As such, we have an opportunity
to raise the quality of life for those of our fellow citizens who have
unfortunately remained at the bottom of the pyramid. The Gram Swaraj
Abhiyan is not being carried out by government alone. It is a
collaboration of public agencies and community groups, with selfless
citizens who are keen to share, to empathise and to give back.
Dear Fellow Citizens
Independence Day is always special, but this year there is an unusual
significance attached to it. In a few weeks, on 2nd October, we will
begin the commemoration of the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhiji did not just lead our freedom struggle. He was and still is our
moral compass. In my capacity as the President of India, I have been
fortunate to have travelled around the world, particularly to a few
countries of Africa. Everywhere, across continents, Gandhiji is
mentioned, cherished and remembered as an icon for all humanity. He is
the embodiment of India.
It is not always simple to understand Gandhiji. He refused to be
restricted in his definition of politics and political activism, or even
of freedom. When Gandhiji and his wife Kasturba, travelled to Champaran
in Bihar for the indigo farmers’ agitation, they devoted a considerable
part of their time to educating local people, particularly women and
children, as well as teaching them about hygiene and health. Here, and
on other occasions, Gandhiji personally led the drive for swachhta or
cleanliness. He linked the removal of dirt to an act of self-discipline
and of promoting physical and mental health.
Many were puzzled at that time. What does all this have to do with
freedom? For Gandhiji, they were the centre-piece of the quest for
freedom. This was a struggle, according to him, not just for political
power but for empowering the poorest of the poor, educating the
uneducated, ensuring the right to a dignified life and a feasible
livelihood for every village, for every neighbourhood, for every family –
and for every individual.
Gandhiji spoke of swadeshi with an uncommon zeal. To him this was a
pride in promoting Indian creativity and an Indian sensibility.
Nevertheless, he was alive to intellectual currents from the rest of the
world. He invited these to enrich our learning. To him, Indian
civilisation was defined by open windows and not closed doors. This was
his concept of swadeshi and it is still relevant to us as we engage with
the world – whether for our economy, our health, education and social
aspirations, or our policy choices.
Perhaps Gandhiji’s most noble mantra was to point out that the power of
ahinsa is far greater than the power of hinsa. The power to stay your
hand is far greater than the power to strike with your hand and hinsa
has no place in the society. The weapon of ahinsa was the most effective
weapon Gandhiji gave us. Like his other teachings, it was rooted in the
ancient wisdom of India and yet has a resonance in the 21st century and
in our daily lives.
This Independence Day, so close to the 150th anniversary commemoration
of Gandhiji, let each of us adapt his ideas and maxims, in whatever
manner we can in our everyday work and conduct. I can think of no better
way to celebrate our freedom. I can think of no better way to celebrate
Indianness.
And this Indianness is not for us alone. It is part of what our country
and our civilisation bring to the global stage. In the spirit of
Gandhiji and the spirit of India, we believe in the age-old ideal of
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or the “World is one Family”. This is why we
demonstrate our concern for entire humanity by providing assistance to
many African countries, taking initiatives on the issue of climate
change, contributing to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in
different parts of the world, helping neighbouring countries affected by
natural disasters, rescuing people from other countries along with our
own people, trapped in a conflict zone. In the spirit of Gandhiji and
the spirit of India, we share the practice of yoga for health and
well-being, and using technology for development. We are Gandhiji’s
children. We dream for all humanity, even when we walk alone.
Dear Fellow Citizens
In my engagements with students and university authorities all over
India, I have urged students to spend a few days – maybe four or five
days in a year – in a village. Undertaken as part of what may be termed
“University Social Responsibility”, this will help students understand
our country. It will allow them to observe and participate in social
welfare programmes and see how they are making an impact. It will be of
benefit to the individual student and to the village, as well as to the
country. It will also invoke the fervour of our freedom struggle, and
the identification of every citizen with the national mission.
I am gratified by the idealism and the passion of our young people.
There is a spirit to achieve something for oneself, for one’s family,
for wider society and for our country. This is the most moral education
we can wish for. The outcome of education is not merely a degree or a
diploma, but the commitment to help improve the life of another in a way
that is sustainable. This is empathy and fraternity in action. This is
the Indian spirit. This is India, because India belongs to the people of
India – not just to the Government.
Together we can help every citizen in our country. Together we can
conserve our forests and natural heritage, we can safeguard our
monuments for future generations, we can renew our rural and urban
habitats. Together, we can eliminate poverty, illiteracy and inequality.
We can and we must do this together. The government has a leading role
but not the sole role. Let us use the government’s programmes and
projects to further our own efforts. Let us make that sense of ownership
our motivation.
With those words, I once again wish you and your families all the best for Independence Day and best wishes for a bright future.
Thank you
Jai Hind!
