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

It has been sixty years since our motherland broke the shackles and unfettered herself from colonial presence.These sixty years have not been easy.Every day,every year has been a story of relentless hard work and perseverance of each and every Indian trying to carve out a niche for their motherland in the international platform.Exactly sixty years hence when have entered the eighth year of the new millennium and have celebrated our sixtieth independence day,we can proudly count on the achievements of our country. On the eve of independence the situation was grim and serious in the country.We were a free country but there were some glaring areas of concern.our per capita income was growing at a scanty rate of 0.5% per annum.Industrial growth was not up to the mark.The life expectancy at birth was barely 36 years.The literacy rate was shockingly low and we had more than half the population below the poverty line.Our country was looked upon with contempt by the west and India was considered a country that was totally backward which lacked in all areas of development be it social,economic or political. The condition was highly critical and grave and thus it was a real predicament for our countrymen to set things right and make a superpower out of rubble but the resilience and hard work of Indians deserves credit.Today things have changed.

India is considered to be an emerging superpower of the world.Be it technology,economy or any other area we have inculcated the knack to master all.With the GDP growth touching whopping levels of 9% per annum and a booming sensex the economy seems to be growing at an unprecedented rate. There has been considerable development on the social front as well.The literacy rate has improved significantly with almost three-fourth of the population considered literate now.Health facilities have improved both in terms of infrastructure as well as in terms of skilled personnel.Life expectancy at birth is almost 62 years now.Unemployment levels have gone down and thus has the poverty level.Schemes such has the 'JAWAHAR GRAM SAMRIDHI YOJANA','INDIRA AWAS YOJANA','INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCHEME','MID-DAY MEALS AT SCHOOL' have helped to create a pool of opportunities for the rural people and has also motivated them to take part in the development process of the country. In the field of science and technology as well as in the industrial arena we have attained great heights.Indian space research is already on the verge of entering an elite group with 'Chandrayaan',India's lunar mission already on the cards.The Indian business houses have started to rule the world.With the growing spate of international acquisitions by India's biz houses,the world seems to be feeling the strength of Indian industry.The Indian IT industry has already been able to reverse the trend of outsourcing swinging it in the country's favour.The supercomputer 'Eka' built indigenously in India testifies to India's growing technical skill.The modes of communications have improved to a respectable level in the last couple of decades.

We have kissed the peak of glory in almost every area. Well, apart from all these developments there seems to be something else that deserves special mention.The greatest feat of all that has been achieved all these years is change in outlook of the average Indian.Today an Indian can proudly say that my country provides me opportunities to pursue what i want which was indeed a rare spectacle some 20 years back.Today India's opinion is of considerable signifance on all the burning issues that the world faces today.India is looked upon with reverence by the arrogant west and we are a source of inspiration for the developing world. Our achievements have been exemplary over the last sixty years,but there still seems to be long way to go.We cannot afford to rest,we have attained extraordinary growth but the real test before us is to sustain this boom.The government has been formulating several policies but it is the responsibility of every citizen to work and co-operate in the proper execution of the policies so that we can continue with our stupendous success story and become a superpower within the next fifteen years.

ANIMESH CHOUDHURY

Courtesy : civilserviceindia.com