As India celebrates herself on being a socialist democratic and republic country on 26th Jan 07, one can feel the sense of pride resonating among the general public. Billions of Indians and millions of India’s well-wishers the world over celebrated yet another anniversary of India being republic.
What exactly are we all celebrating ?
Not a half century of India’s existence. India itself is of course much, much older, with over 7000 years of continuous history from the age of Ramayana, that make it one of the very few millennial civilizations in the world. Nor is it more than 50 years of democracy in India. The democratic tradition in India goes back much longer. More than 2000 years ago, the small kingdoms in north and south India, that long predated both the advent of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and the mighty Mauryan Empire of Chandragupta and Ashoka the Great that followed, already embodied the fundamental principle of democracy – that a government should depend on the consent of the governed. It was recognised, even in those ancient Indian states that the king ruled only with the approval of his subjects. The Mughal rulers enriched India by bringing in Persian and Arabic form of Architecture and lifestyle. Rulers such as Tipu Sultan showing us how a king should govern his subjects and yet respect their religious sentiments.
We celebrate today what happened 57 years ago, on January 26, 1950, the full emergence of India, after nearly 100 years of direct British rule and nearly 200 years of British colonialism, as a modern, independent nation state. India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had said, in his famous midnight “Tryst with Destiny” speech to mark the independence of India, “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom”. Two and a half years after India became independent, at midnight between August 14 and 15, 1947, the country shook off the last vestiges of the colonial connection and became a full fledged Republic, with its own Head of State. On January 26, 1950, India was fully awake and raring to go.
And it is going. Just read few excerpts
This one from PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)
By the year 2050, In U.S. dollar terms, India’s economy that has been the fastest-growing in the world for many years would be the 3rd largest behind only the U.S. and China in size.
By 2010, India will earn $87 billion in revenues from software and services, including $60 billion from exports. As recently as 1990-91, the size of India’s software industry was only $150 million.
Goldman report on India's economic future
Here's the key portion:
"Indeed, India’s GDP (in US$ terms) will surpass that of the US before 2050, to make it the second largest economy. India’s contribution to world growth will also be high and increasing."
What exactly are we all celebrating ?
Not a half century of India’s existence. India itself is of course much, much older, with over 7000 years of continuous history from the age of Ramayana, that make it one of the very few millennial civilizations in the world. Nor is it more than 50 years of democracy in India. The democratic tradition in India goes back much longer. More than 2000 years ago, the small kingdoms in north and south India, that long predated both the advent of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and the mighty Mauryan Empire of Chandragupta and Ashoka the Great that followed, already embodied the fundamental principle of democracy – that a government should depend on the consent of the governed. It was recognised, even in those ancient Indian states that the king ruled only with the approval of his subjects. The Mughal rulers enriched India by bringing in Persian and Arabic form of Architecture and lifestyle. Rulers such as Tipu Sultan showing us how a king should govern his subjects and yet respect their religious sentiments.
We celebrate today what happened 57 years ago, on January 26, 1950, the full emergence of India, after nearly 100 years of direct British rule and nearly 200 years of British colonialism, as a modern, independent nation state. India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had said, in his famous midnight “Tryst with Destiny” speech to mark the independence of India, “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom”. Two and a half years after India became independent, at midnight between August 14 and 15, 1947, the country shook off the last vestiges of the colonial connection and became a full fledged Republic, with its own Head of State. On January 26, 1950, India was fully awake and raring to go.
And it is going. Just read few excerpts
This one from PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)
By the year 2050, In U.S. dollar terms, India’s economy that has been the fastest-growing in the world for many years would be the 3rd largest behind only the U.S. and China in size.
By 2010, India will earn $87 billion in revenues from software and services, including $60 billion from exports. As recently as 1990-91, the size of India’s software industry was only $150 million.
Goldman report on India's economic future
Here's the key portion:
"Indeed, India’s GDP (in US$ terms) will surpass that of the US before 2050, to make it the second largest economy. India’s contribution to world growth will also be high and increasing."
On the military front India is way ahead of even US too…
BrahMos is the only supersonic precision missile in the world developed jointly by India and Russia. BrahMos Aerospace, the company which builds this missile has exhibited its products at different international and aerospace exhibitions in Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand and Russia. The missile has placed India among a small club of countries that produce cruise missiles. "BrahMos is a state-of-art product and it will take France and America at least five years to replicate the supersonic technology," explained a defence scientist at BrahMos.
These are just a few examples of the NEW INDIA that is rising steadier and faster than any of its counterparts.
Yet there are a lot of shortcomings that are strewn in her path of growth.
Some of the potential riders.
- India’s economic growth can only be seen in the major town and cities, the rural parts of our country are still deprived of it.
- Our country though may be seen as one of the largest economy by 2050, her per- capita income would still be the lowest if compared to any of the developed countries at that time.
- Though technologically advanced than most nations, she is still dependent on the nature for agricultural and water supply facilities.
- Though strict measures and relentless drive by the government, polio still remains a threat. A disease which has almost been eradicated from the developed nations.
There are some reasons to cheer and be euphoric of what we have accomplished in such a short span and yet there are other unaccomplished ones which need to be pondered at.
But all I can say is that up till now Going has been good….. What the heck !!!!...... the going has been GREAT……
LAGEY RAHO INDIA !!!!!
