Milind G
What does being an Indian mean? Being Indian is not just when you unfurl the national flag on Republic day or the Independence day or when you cast a vote during election. Being Indian is the Indian tradition and culture one imbibes over the years and which is seen through an Indian’s actions and behavior in the country or in a foreign land.
One realizes the true meaning of being an Indian, when a person casts his valuable vote in a local, state or general election or when he leaves the Indian shores to land in a foreign country. In most countries, the Indian reflects an impression of being an educated and skilled, hardworking and an enterprising person. He is welcome for his skill, hard-work, management, finance and administrative skills. Indian software professionals are in great demand all over the world. Many NRIs have made India proud by launching profitable enterprises employing Indians and even the locals of those countries.
When India got its independence in 1947 from over 200 years of British rule; Churchill had then sarcastically stated, ‘It is like putting a burning cracker in a child’s hand.’ And he further predicted utter chaos in the country and the British would be called to rule the natives again. Nothing of the sort happened. India became free and the journey of a new nation started under the then able leadership of those self less leaders of early years. The progress has been slow but sure. Today, India is an economic giant, on the way to be a super-power.
India dared to be a democracy. Many thought it was premature and that the state would soon crumble and be history. With all its practical problems, ills of caste, religion, etc, and other drawbacks, it is a vibrant democracy which has survived since 1947. India’s democracy has fired global imagination for over six decades.
A vintage land of ancient customs and civilization with vast population of different ethnicity, language and traditions, fit to be called a sub-continent is moving ahead towards progress. But with all that, our stubborn democracy has held to its constitutional framework, though the politicians have blundered at times with foot-in-the-mouth comments and wrong decisions. India is noticed and is openly reported in the world media. The world takes notice of its achievements, failures and success. India is considered as a growing economic power, next only to China. This is its real USP as the imperfections make for its significance. The importance being Indian would then become obvious to all. As we enter the 67th year of Independence, all Indians, in India and all over the world should be proud of the nation marching ahead in the comity of nations.
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Book to read
Bharata, My Brother
– Bharata’s episode in Ramayana in verse form.
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– Foreword by Shri Asaranna Swami, Durga Parmeshwari temple,
Kateel, Karnataka.
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