Newly elected Head of State Her Excellency Shrimati Droupadi Murmu who recently made history as the first tribal woman and in her maiden speech on India’s 75th Independence Day held major significance while remarking that for 75 weeks now, the nation has been commemorating noble ideas that won the country freedom coupled with the fact that in March 2021, the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ was steered with the re-enactment of the Dandi March where celebrations kicked off as a tribute to the watershed event that put to fore India’s struggle on the world map. The festival, she said, is dedicated to the People of India.
In Mauritius, the flag raising ceremony was held at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) in front of the Indian High Commissioner Shrimati Nandini K Singla holding significance after two years of COVID 19 with a teeming and enthusiastic crowd, chanting the glory of Mother India. As remarked by the Indian HC, “It’s for the first time that I came here as the Indian envoy that on the national day, the celebration is done with pomp and every year, the programme is ongoing but today in front of everyone, the event is lent such sheen.”
“I was driving in my car straight from home to the venue when I heard beautiful Indian patriotic songs on a local radio, Ae Watan Mere Watan, and feel especially privileged to be the Indian High Commissioner in Mauritius.” She called Mauritius a very special country with whom India shares a uniquely close relationship.
Reading the President’s speech, the Indian HC quoted excerpts where she referred to August 14 as “Horrors Remembrance Day’ designed to promote social harmony, unity, and people’s empowerment. The President’s speech is telling when she told that at the time India won its independence, there were many international leaders and experts, skeptical about the success of the democratic form of Government in the country. She argued that India after years of exploitation at the hands of foreign rulers was afflicted by poverty and illiteracy. The Head of State argued: “But we Indians proved the skeptics wrong. Democracy not only grew roots in this soil but it was also enriched too.”
The President in her speech remarked that acting upon the success achieved by the people, the resolve to build ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is part of the Mahotsav where citizens cutting across all age groups keenly participated in a string of events spanning the country where the grand festival is going ahead with the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan’ (A flag in all homes).
The Indian Head of State remarked: “The world has seen a new India rising in recent years following the outbreak of COVID-19 in response to the pandemic. We launched the biggest vaccine drive in human history with vaccine manufactured in the country where last month we crossed the 200 crore mark in cumulative vaccine coverage.”
Indian HC Shrimati Singla also referred to President Murmu’s significant point on India’s glorious Freedom struggle waged bravely across the country’s vast territory. “Many great freedom fighters did their duty and passed on the torch of awakening leaving little trace of their heroic deeds. Forgotten for long were many heroes and their struggles, especially among the peasant and tribal populations. The government’s decision last year to observe November 15 as ‘Janajatiya Gaurav Divas’ is welcome because our tribal heroes are not merely local or regional icons but they inspire an entire nation.”
The Indian Head of State lauded the ‘Indian daughters’ whom she called the nation’s biggest hope, shining bright at the recent Commonwealth Games. She remarked: “Of course, India’s sportspersons have been making the country proud by their performance in international competitions. A large number of our winners come from underprivileged segments of society.”
President Murmu had a special Independence Day greeting to the armed forces, Indian missions abroad and the Indian diaspora abroad who unfailingly made their motherland proud.
