Contest Essays for Jan 2008: 60 years of Independence - India's achievements:

Typically speaking, if a person reaches 60 years of age, he is labeled as an "Old Crippled". One can construe the picture of a man who is bed-ridden, invalid and too old to respond to any kind of treatment. He just lay aside, cherishing its blooming youthful days or he employs his time by playing with his grandchildren, but now the things have changed.

I would like to narrate you a story about a country which is 60 years old and still very young, vivacious, highly engertic and is working enthusiastically towards its betterment. It is "OUR COUNTRY INDIA". We never know how time sweeps. India was free from the clutches of Britshers in 1947. We still remember those stalwarts who sacrificed their lives to free us from Britisher's cage enabling us to fly freely, independently in the air. Now, for a change I will not again repeat the history of how India got is Independence. We all know and have studied umpteen numbers of times about it in our History books. We studied what all "Our Father of the Nation"- "Mahatma Gandhi" did, we all our aware of the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy and etc. etc.

We all normally says that Britshers ruled our country - they exploited us . But what they have given us is UNITY. They united our country, we remained united till there time only, What happened after that ? - In Most of the families the two brothers are at daggers drawn with each other. Every one under the sun has become self-centered. After all who has the time to think about the welfare, prosperity of our nation ? Who is dutiful ? - No this is not what I am saying but what I heard in RANG DE BASANTI. Besides, this they have provided Tea - Coffee Gardens, and had given us the language ENGLISH which has now become a foreign inlingua. Aren't we people including me also is ashamed of speaking Hindi in public places or else people who don't know English are being labeled as an ILLITERATE people. But what is wrong in that, I completely agree to this that Yes, English is our mother tongue. Why? Don't you want to grab a job in multinational Company? How will we clear the interview? How will we become great personalities? We all should avail this opportunity in our 60 years of Independence to express our heartfelt gratitude towards them for giving this foreign language.

We all curse Britshers, but become eagerly excited, over-enthusiastic when we get an opportunity to go abroad, like to the Big Apple. After who wants to stay in a Country endowed with unemployment, extreme poverty , filthiness, corruption , dowry deaths and all other social evils, but remember the case of Kiranjit Walia - who beared the virulent atrocities of her husband for 10 years , no not in a diminutive village but in a country like London. Eventually was free and London people persistently protested against the government to release her, Even Goerge Bush wife awared her as She emanated valourness, courageousness. Her dauntless act to rescue herself was truly remarkable. She won Kudos, praises etc. But what if the same thing would have happenend in India? Remember that case of a girl who was just about to get married, her in-laws demanded dowry on the verge, As She was unbearable to see the sight of how her father was accousting, Her doughty act of calling cops just after few hours when she was about to tie the nuptial knot had labeled her as the most astonishingly talented women. Though being the only incident , has instilled, infused a spirit of bravery, dauntlessness, valor into female members. Yes India has done progess but still a the disease of discrimination between male and female still exits. After 60 years, India has got its women president Ms.Pratibha Devi Patik. Now we all assess her rule, her power what changes she will going to make instead of saying what has to be done , we all seriously hope that she will says what we have done ?

What makes a country good and great? - It is the people, their power of knowledge, caliber, and perseverance. Their highly intellectual minds, Decisiveness, their open and above board dealings with others. A country is empty if there are no people. We the people form our Government, We the people rule not our lives but the whole life of our stupendous country. We the people makes or mars the present, future of our country. We the people mould , shape our country in whatever manner we want to. Like, a one person cannot contribute significantly towards the prosperity, success of the country in the same manner it is not in the hands of one person to change it. It is the collective responsibility of all and sundry to make a gloriously bright, radiant future and to be linked together in its weal and woe. We all know that it sounds the same and hackneyed but as a matter of fact this is the only transparent and solid truth. It is we the people only who back-bite and says bitchy things about our country, thus this is the major reason why our country is lacking far behind and is deprived of numerous facilities as compared to others. We all should become at home in this fact.

As our Country has attained its 60 years of Independence and the prime ministers starting from Jawaharlal Nehru to Dr.Mannohan Singh speechifyies about the developments that they will do in the fields of agriculture, industry, infrastructure, education etc and the various measures implemented towards the economic growth of our country. To start, first I am dying to see that lucky day when, I don't which prime minister will say and point out the developments made in these sectors. That their longevity of speech should not reflect about the planned tasks but about the accomplished tasks - that will be the biggest achievement of our country. Quite bummed, that so far no one has said so.

The Visible achievements made by our Country are as follows:-

METROS: - Eventually, Our Government has once utilized its funds in an appropriate manner. Metros have made our lives relatively easier as the gap of communication has been minimized. The person does not have to wait for hours for buses. This is indeed a big achievement, and various other metros projects which are coming up, our country is giving business to French Government, thus ameliorating our relations.

TECHNOLOGY: - In terms of technology, the high emergence of mobile companies, nowadays even a scrap or a vegetable vendoe possess a mobile phone. The trade of mobile phone contributes 50 % towards our economic growth. Tate has created people's car of 1 crore. They are incredibly great achievements in itself.

ECONOMY :- With RBI reducing the interest rates, Sunil Mittal acquiring Arcelor, Tate acquiring Corus, with the emergence of SEZ zones , many foreign companies intruding into India to set up their business, is in itself a great achievement , but various prons and cons attached to it.

RESEARCH: - Recently Ranbaxy lost over Pfizzer over a new drug, Scientists have discovered a new planet, a star etc.

SPACE: - India has sent a space shuttle into the space. What is the outcome of that ?

INDO - USA DEAL is not an achievement till yet, as the major, intense, hot dispute going between the left and the Congress for their 123 agreement has put the deal in a state of uncertainty, in a high suspense. Prime Minister has strictly said LIKE it or LUMP it. But what if the Government will dissolve and the coalition government will be formed.

ENTERTAINMENT: - Shipa Shetty winning the Big Brother Show, making herself an international personality in abroad, thus making of our country proud on British grounds is a great achievement in the entertainment field.

EDUCATION SECTOR: - In a quick recap of our 2007 budget which lays emphasis on education sector is so far in the process.

INFRASTRUCTURE: - No doubt the infrastructure of our country has shown immense improvement with the emergence of highways, toll bridge, Metros etc. I want to conclude by saying that achievement means the thing which we have successfully acquired, attain, obtain with our hard , honest and hearty works. As mentioned above also we all are essentially self-centred, terribly selfish human beings , we want to play because we want to make centuries, we to shine in our lives, we want to create history by making our new records, but the day we start playing as a team , not for our individual selves we are sure to win a world cup. Finally three cheers for our women section , After all India has its first women President "Pratibha Patil". Now let us see what is her contribution towards the development of our country.

Shweta Verma

Courtesy : civilserviceindia.com