A civilization which is as ancient as 2600 BC, a country that has weathered invasion from Persian, Turks, Arabs, Portuguese, British and many more for centuries, a country where an unique amalgamation of religious coexistence, a country with numerous languages and dialects can have imperfections when someone looks from outside. This is our country India or Bharat or Hindustan.
Home to more than one sixth of world population, largest democracy where more Muslims stay than any Muslim country, only other country outside Iran where Parsi's live in peace is bound to have some imperfections.
Why am I talking about imperfections? Well that is because today many of us Indians don't feel proud of our heritage, traditions and culture. A country that embraced everyone who came here and never invaded anyone, gave '0' to the world of mathematics, knew about surgery and medicines centuries before the existence of the western world, finds more critics inside than the world around.
1. Young country - After centuries of colonial rule and siphoning wealth away, a seventy plus year old free country has many herculean challenges
- Rising population meaning pressure on resources
- Changing minds from being ruled to living with dignity
- Ever increasing need to create infrastructure and opportunities
2. Nation first - Our freedom fighters left everything and even gave their ultimate sacrifice to see a free tomorrow. The love and respect for the country should be unconditional. Something which we are forgetting and need to learn from the west
3. Equality and social structure - Century old social structure and systems are not easy to change. Equal opportunity and undivided society (not based on caste, religion, creed etc.) is the need of today and tomorrow.
Imperfections are opportunities to make things better. What we need to ask ourselves are
1. Am I willing to be a hard working, honest and tolerant person no matter who else is joining me?
2. Am I willing to respect public and nation's property irrespective of who cares or not?
3. Am I willing to keep my place and area clean no matter what?
It starts with me and this is the movement that will transform this great nation to newer and brighter tomorrow.
Nothing is perfect and so is a nation. It is constantly changing. Let's look at the great things that our country has to offer. As India celebrates its 70th Republic day this quote from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is just apt, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,”
