- Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurls the Indian flag and calls for innovations in Science and Technology
- India is in verge of introducing 5G connectivity, he announces
- He emphasised development in every field, with inclusion of women
- A key emphasis was on passion in competitiveness towards growth in every sector
- In inspiring words, PM Modi said if India has a billion problems, there are a billion solutions too
- He warmly greeted the youth and interacted with boys and girls of the National Cadet Corps
- The 90-minute speech and ceremony were about hope and determination toward a new mindset
New Delhi. The people of India want positive changes and also want to contribute to them; every government has to address these aspirations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on August 15 after hoisting the Tricolour at the Red Fort amid a 21-gun salute by the indigenously developed howitzer as India celebrated 75 years of Independence.
“India is an aspirational society where changes are being powered by a collective spirit. The people of India want positive changes and also want to contribute to them. Every government has to address this aspirational society,” Modi added in his ninth consecutive speech from the Red Fort as Prime Minister.
“We should remember those who fought for Independence and built the nation — Dr Rajendra Prasad, Nehru ji, Sardar Patel, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Deendayal Upadhyaya, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Vinoba Bhave, Nanaji Deshmukh, Subramaniam Bharati — it is the day to bow before such great people,” Modi said.
Before mentioning Nehru, Modi paid tribute to Savarkar and said the people of the country are thankful to Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and Babasaheb Ambedkar. “Kartvya path hi unka jeevan path raha,” he said.
The Prime Minister also mentioned Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Sidhu Kanhu, Alluri Sitaram, Raju, Govind Guru – “there are many names who became the voice of the freedom struggle and had inspired the tribal community to live and die for mother nation”.
He said every Indian is filled with pride when they remember the strength of Rani Laxmibai, Jhalkari Bai, Chennamma, Begum Hazrat Mahal.
He said the nation is also thankful to revolutionaries like Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan, Ram Prasad Bismil who shook the very foundation of British Rule.
Noting that India’s strength is in its diversity, the Prime Minister said: “India is the mother of democracy that can cause trouble for even the biggest of sultanates.
“Our 75 years of journey has been full of ups and downs and the citizens never gave up. Despite challenges faced post-Independence, nothing could hamper the zeal of Indian citizens… This soil has power. Despite many challenges, India did not stop, did not bow down and kept moving forward,” Modi maintained.
He said that the hundreds year of slavery had hurt India but Independence had been achieved due to conviction the people. “That was the goal of Mahatma Gandhi,” the Prime Minister said.
On his arrival at the Red Fort, the Prime Minister was received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar. The Defence Secretary introduced the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Mishra, to the Prime Minister.
The GoC Delhi Area then conducted Modi to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard presented a general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, the Prime Minister inspected the Guard of Honour.
As soon as the National Flag was unfurled by the Prime Minister, flower petals were showered at the venue in Amrit Formation by two MI-17 1V Helicopters.
At the conclusion of the speech, Modi literally and figuratively “walked” through India as he mingled with the NCC cadets, dressed in their state finery, formed the map ahead of the ramparts of the Red Fort.
In continuation to the initiative taken during the Republic Day 2022, the unsung heroes of the society, who are usually overlooked, have been invited as special guests for the ceremony. These include anganwadi workers, street vendors, Mudra scheme borrowers and mortuary workers.
As part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the Ministries of Defence and Culture came together in partnership with the National Gallery of Modern Art to pay a unique tribute to the bravehearts of India’s struggle for freedom.
In a mammoth art project, Kala Kumbh, five hundred master artists worked tirelessly to create ten scrolls, each 75 meters long, out of which eight are displayed here. The monumental scrolls continue the ancient Indian tradition of narrative art and bring to life historic events that led India to break away the shackles of colonial rule.
This year, wall hangings of prominent Freedom Fighters and from different States and Union Territories are adorning the magnificent walls of the Red Fort. These wall hangings will also display the cultural, natural and religious heritage of that particular State and UT.
These prominent freedom fighters are Pattabhi Sitaramaiyya from Andhra Pradesh, Moje Riba from Arunachal Pradesh, Kushal Konwar from Assam, Vir Kunwar Singh from Bihar, Vir Narayan Singh from Chhattisgarh, Lala Har Dayal from National Capital Territory of Delhi, Pursottam Kesava Kakodkar from Goa, Bhikaji Cama from Gujarat, Rao Tula Ram from Haryana, Padam Dev from Himachal Pradesh, Saifuddin Kitchlew from the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, Bhagwan Birsa Munda from Jharkhand, Karnad Sadashiva Rao from Karnataka, Accamma Cherian from Kerala, Abdul Sattar from the UT of Ladakh, Chandra Shekhar Azad from Madhya Pradesh, Bal Gangadhar Tilak from Maharashtra, Rani Gaidinliu from Manipur, Phan Nonglait from Meghalaya, Ropuiliani from Mizoram, Khaikhojam Kuki from Nagaland, Laxman Nayak from Odisha, Bhai Parmanand from Punjab, Sagarmal Gopa from Rajasthan, Trilochan Pokhrel from Sikkim, K Kamaraj from Tamil Nadu, Sarojini Naidu from Telangana, Sachindra Lal Singh from Tripura, Anushuya Prasad Bahuguna from Uttarakhand, Mangal Pandey from Uttar Pradesh and Chittranjan Das from West Bengal.
This gesture is a fitting tribute to these towering personalities for their unparalleled contributions, sometimes unsung, for the cause of Freedom.
Another beautiful addition to the celebration is one of India’s favourite pastimes, kite flying. Murals on kite flying are displayed at Meena Bazar depicting diverse colours, sizes and techniques of kites representing Unity in Diversity mantra of our Motherland.
For the first time as part of Independence Day celebrations, a special Youth Exchange Programme has been organised between August 9-17, 2022. A total of 26 officers/supervisors and 124 cadets/youths from 14 countries – US, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Fiji, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, The Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Seychelles, UAE and Uzbekistan – are in India for the Independence Day celebrations. Apart from attending the main event at the Red Fort, the youth will be visiting places of cultural and historical importance in Delhi and Agra.
