My dear fellow
citizens, on the eve of the 74th Republic Day, I
extend my heartiest greetings to every Indian, at home and abroad. From
the day the Constitution came into effect to the present day, it has
been an amazing journey that has inspired many other nations. Every citizen
has reason to be proud of the Indian story. When we celebrate the Republic Day,
we celebrate what we have achieved, together, as a nation. India is, of course,
home to one of the oldest living civilisations. India is called the mother of
democracy. As a modern Republic, however, we100 are young. In the early years of
Independence, we faced countless challenges and adversities. Very
high levels of poverty and120 illiteracy were just two of the many ill-effects of the
long foreign rule. Yet, the spirit of India was undeterred. With hope
and confidence, we began an experiment unique in the history of humankind. Such
a vast and diverse multitude of people coming together as one nation
remains unprecedented. We did so with a belief that we are, after
all, one; that we are all Indians. We have succeeded as a democratic
republic because so many creeds and so many200 /// languages have not divided us, they have only united us.
That is the essence of India. That essence was at the heart of the
Constitution, which has withstood the test of time. The Constitution
that started governing the life of240 the Republic was the outcome of the freedom struggle.
The national movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, was as much about
winning Independence as about rediscovering our own ideals. Those
decades of struggle and sacrifice helped us win freedom not only from colonial
rule but also from the imposed values and narrow world-views. Revolutionaries
and reformers joined hands with visionaries300 /// and idealists
to help us learn about our traditional values of peace, brotherhood and
equality. Those who shaped the modern Indian mind also welcomed progressive
ideas from abroad. A long and profound thought process culminated in
our Constitution. Our founding document is inspired by the humanistic
philosophy of the oldest living civilisation in the world as
well as new ideas360 that emerged in more recent history. The nation will always
remain grateful to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who headed the Drafting Committee of the
Constitution, and thus had a critical part in giving it the final shape. We are
proud400 /// of
the fact that the members of that assembly represented all regions and
communities of India and that they included 15 women too. Their vision, as enshrined
in the Constitution, has been continuously guiding our Republic. During
this period, India has been transformed from a largely poor
and illiterate nation into a confident nation marching on the world
stage. This would not have been possible but for the collective wisdom
of the Constitution-makers guiding our path. While Dr. Ambedkar and480 others gave us a map and a moral
framework, the task of walking that path remains our responsibility. We
have500 /// largely remained true to their expectations, and
yet we realise that much remains to be done to realize Gandhiji’s ideal
of ‘Sarvodaya’, the upliftment of all. Yet, the progress we
have made on all fronts is encouraging.
My dear fellow
citizens, in our mission of ‘Sarvodaya’, the most encouraging has been the
progress made on the economic front. Last year, India became the fifth largest
economy in the world. It needs to be underlined that this
achievement comes against the backdrop of high economic uncertainties
around the world. The pandemic has entered the fourth year, affecting economic
growth in most600 /// parts of the world. In its initial phase, Covid-19 also hurt India’s economy
badly. Yet, guided by our able leadership and driven by our resilience,
we soon came out of the downturn, and resumed the growth saga. Most
sectors of the economy have shaken off the pandemic effect. India has been
among the fastest-growing major economies. This has been made
possible by timely and pro-active interventions from the
Government. The ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, in particular, has
evoked great response among people at large. There have also been sector-specific
incentive schemes. It is a matter of great satisfaction700/// that those on the margins have also been included in the
schemes and programmes and they have been helped in720 tiding over difficulties. The
Government ensured food security for poor families at a time when the country
was facing economic disruption in the wake of the unprecedented outbreak of
COVID-19. Because of this help, no one had to go hungry. Keeping the welfare of
poor families paramount, the duration of this scheme was
extended successively, benefiting about 81 crore citizens. Further extending
this assistance, the Government has announced that even during the year
2023, the800 /// beneficiaries will get their monthly ration
free of cost. With this historic move, the government has undertaken the
responsibility of caring for the weaker sections while also enabling them to benefit
from economic development.
With the economy
on a sound840 footing, we have been able to begin and carry forward a series
of praiseworthy initiatives. The ultimate goal is to create an
environment in which all citizens can, individually and collectively, realise
their true potential and prosper. As education builds the right foundation
for this purpose, the National Education Policy has introduced ambitious
changes. It rightly addresses the two-fold900 /// aims of education: as
an instrument of economic and social empowerment and as a
means to explore truth. The policy makes our civilisational lessons
relevant for contemporary life, while also preparing the learner for the
21st century challenges. The National Education Policy appreciates the role of
technology in expanding and deepening the learning process. As we have
come to960 realize since the early days of COVID-19, technology offers life-changing
possibilities. The Digital India Mission is striving to make information and
communication technology inclusive by bridging the rural-urban divide. More
and more people in remote places have1000 been reaping the benefits of the internet and are receiving a
variety of services provided by the government, as the infrastructure
expands. We have reasons to be proud of our achievements in the domain of science
and technology. India has been among the handful of pioneers in
space technology. As long-pending reforms in this sector are
underway, private enterprises are now invited to join the quest. The program to
carry Indian astronauts into the space is under progress. This1080 will be India’s maiden human
space flight. Yet, even as we reach out to the stars, we keep our feet on the
ground. India’s Mars Mission was powered by a team of extraordinary women,
and our sisters and daughters are not far behind in other areas too.
Women’s empowerment and gender equality are no longer mere slogans, as we have
made great progress towards these ideals in recent years. Women’s
representation has been rising in every sphere of activity. During my
visits to various states, educational institutions, and while meeting delegations
of various professionals, I am amazed by the confidence of young women. I
have no doubt in my mind that they are the ones who will do most to1200 shape tomorrow’s India.
