‘पराधीन सपनेहुँ सुख नाहीं’
Goswami Tulsidas has very aptly said here that those who are not independent know no happiness even in their dreams. We have become the latest country to join the elite list of countries which has completed 75 years of independence.
In these 75 years, we have evolved as the largest democracy in the world. We are a vibrant country of extremes. Select any parameter and one finds distribution on a large scale. It won’t be wrong to say that even if one goes through half the country thoroughly, he/she won’t be able to predict about the other half with confidence and authority.
Nation building is a long and tedious process. Countries which are centuries old can also not claim that they have achieved their idea of nation. We, for that matter, are still in the nascent stage and have a long way to go. We inherited a country that was made to lose so much on all fronts under the rule of the foreigners; but could bounce back because of our core inherent values.
There is no other country in the entire world (apart from maybe Russia) which is so culturally, socially and linguistically diverse. It becomes difficult to maintain such an entity for long. Much smaller countries have eroded away in much lesser time. The disintegration of Yugoslavia is a recent and ongoing process. But we have never ended into an unending chaos (read civil war) even though players, both external and internal, have tried their level best.
Our democracy is not only functional but reactive. It has incorporated necessary course-corrections as and when warranted. This has helped us to always remain above turbulent waters and sail instead of drowning into a quagmire.
We have succeeded in creating an economy which, even though not self-sufficient, is capable of taking care of a vast majority of the society. Education has always been a priority and has spearheaded the growth of various sectors.
Challenges are aplenty as are the opportunities. We are neither a powerhouse in every sector nor do we claim it but we certainly have the resources and intent to become one.
सुख पराधीन और परावलंबी लोगों के लिए नहीं बना है। पराधीन एक तरह का अभिशाप होता है। पराधीन मतलब पर आधीन या दूसरे का गुलाम उसे सुख स्वप्न में भी नही मिलता है