This 15th of August marks the 76th year since India attained independence from British colonialism after over two centuries of oppression and forcible annexation through brutality and deceit. We recall our brave leaders laying off their lives, without any hesitation, in the struggle for freedom. Independence Day is observed throughout India with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades, and cultural events.
This day not only marks the end of British rule in 1947, brought about by the Indian Independence Act of July 18 that year, and the establishment of a free and independent Indian nation but also marks the anniversary of the partition of the subcontinent into two countries, India and Pakistan, which occurred at midnight on August 14–15, 1947. (In Pakistan, Independence Day is celebrated on August 14.).
It was not an easy task. It took a lot of selfless effort on the part of great people like, Lala Lajpat Rai, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subash Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, B. R. Ambedkar, Lal Bahadur Shastri, etc. They had to make a lot of sacrifices to attain freedom from British rule because they loved the country and cared for the people.
Over the last seven decades since Independence, India has tremendously grown and is one of the top developing countries of the world, producing well-versed doctors, engineers, and pioneers in respective fields in India as well as the rest of the world. The country has gone from having a GDP of just Rs 2.7 lakh crore at the time of Independence to now sitting close to Rs 150 lakh crore. Once branded a “third world country”, India is now among the biggest economies of the world. There is an old saying that India is a new country but an ancient civilization, and this civilization has seen tremendous changes throughout its history.
India faced several issues following its independence, including illiteracy, corruption, poverty, gender discrimination, untouchability, regionalism, and communalism. Numerous issues have acted as major roadblocks to India's economic development. When India declared its independence in 1947, its GDP was mere 2.7 lakh crore accounting for 3% of the world GDP. In 1965, the Green Revolution was started in India by M. S. Swaminathan, the father of the Green Revolution. During the Green Revolution, there was a significant increase in the crop area planted with high-yielding wheat and rice types.
The phenomenal rise in startups has also produced millions of new jobs in the country. The average life expectancy has also risen from 32 years to 70 years in 2022. A recent study shows that 65% of medical expenses in India are paid out of pocket by patients and the reason is that they are left with no alternative but to access private healthcare because of poor facilities in public hospitals.
As we are celebrating “Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, the completion of 75 years of independence can be taken as a new opportunity to build an India of our aspirations and make positive contributions to the changing landscape of India. No matter where we are, let us continue encompassing our nationalist feelings, our respect for the history of freedom struggle and make our country proud.
Jai Hind!