An Out of Ordinary Odyssey
‘Scotland is more like Spain than Bengal is like the Punjab. The first and most essential thing to learn about India- that there is not, and never was an India, possessing, according to any European idea, any sort of unity, physical, political, social or religious.’These were the remarks of John Strachey, a retired British officer, in his lectures delivered at Oxford. To be fair, these remarks were meant as a Historical judgement, as all earlier models of national building were based on any one common element- be it language or territory, But, extraordinarily India had none of these binding forces.Thus, an even greater challenge for the national leaders than an Independent India, was to unite Indians across divisions of culture, language, religion, and territory among Indians and develop national consciousness.
“At the stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom” remarked JawaharLal Nehru, from the ramparts of Red Fort and India entered into this ambitious and delicate task of Nation Building.The severity of this challenge can be judged from the fact that eminent political scientist Robert Dahl, wrote that India ‘could sustain democratic institutions seems, on the face of it, highly improbable. It lacks all the “favourable” conditions.’ To be fair, his judgement was based on socio-economic conditions of the newly independent nation. Some basic figures show the reality of the times. India had 16% literate population, average life expectancy of just 32 years. Between 1900 and 1950, Indian GDP grew by less than 1% a year, while 65% of the population was poor. The princely states encompassed some 40% of the subcontinent’s area and over a quarter of a population. The new borders were created fuelling one of the greatest migration in human history.
With all these realities, the people of India gave themselves a ‘sui-generis’ constitution, having the best elements of the constitutions of the world and India values. Every citizen was granted equal political rights, freedom of thought, expression, belief, worship, faith, and social, economic and political justice, universal adult suffrage. Some of these elements were missing from the constitution of most liberalised nations at that time. Granville Austin claimed the framing of the Indian constitution as ‘the greatest political venture since that originated in Philadelphia in 1787.’ For this, he remarked, ‘ the credit goes to Indians’
Gradually, one by one things started to take shape. More than 500 princely states were integrated into Republic, by the ceaseless efforts of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, along with V.P.Menon. The first general election of 1951 termed ‘the biggest gamble in History’ was conducted under the management of Sukumar Sen, an ICS officer and a mathematician. India developed its own foreign policy, right from scratch, against the backdrop of the Cold War. The Indian map was redrawn into 14 states and 6 Union Territories, on linguistic lines based on States Reorganization Commission Report of 1955. India began its path of industrialization, with the establishment of heavy industries, building of dams. Higher education was given new impetus with the establishment of new IITs, IIMs and AIIMS, JNU, and other universities. The new Hindu Code Bill brought sweeping reforms in the larger section of Indian society. For the first time in Indian land, women were given the right to choose their partner, or inherit property among other provisions. From living ‘ship to mouth’, Indians gained self-sufficiency in food production. The north-eastern tribes of Naga, Mizo among others, were to a great extent, slowly and gradually integrated into the Indian republic. India, skillfully and often militarily successfully tackled the secessionist movements in Assam, Punjab. From facing the balance of payments crisis in 1991, we became the fastest growing economy in the world, building leadership in IT and Pharma industry, during difficult times of COVID, India became the “the pharmacy of the world”. Our Fin-Tech Industry is leading the world with new innovations like UPI, mobile payment apps. India also joined the nuclear and space club, thanks to contributions of the Indian scientific community. The Indian Constitution still remains the sole survivor in the constitutional graveyard of South-Asia.
Albeit, all this did not come free. We had to face military defeat in 1962, secessionist forces still persist in the form of Naxalism and North-Eastern Insurgency. Terrorism remains one of pressing issues for Indian administration. Religious riots and hatred challenge the liberal ethos of the land. Corruption and poor governance issues shatters the hopes of many helpless Indians. The rising burden in judicial infrastructure reduces the chance of delivering justice to the most needy. With 25% Indians facing multidimensional poverty, and malnutrition rates alarmingly high, the challenge remains large for the nation
As I am writing, the world is changing in and around India at a rapid phase, opening up new opportunities and challenges. India will enjoy the demographic advantage for the next 25–30 years. Our new unicorns are going to play a substantive role in nation building. At the same time, a new World Order is emerging, overhauling the established system of international institutions. A new Cold war is brewing up between superpowers of the world, the world is getting more centred on Indo-pacific. The Indian Ocean is becoming the new frontier of the world. The territorial integrity of the nation is facing challenges from neighbours in new form and shape. At the same time, the world is facing after-effects of pandemic and supply chain issues. The race to cleaner technologies is driving demand for new critical minerals. Climate change is changing the food and climatic patterns of the world. Technological disruption due to new-age technologies of AI, Blockchain, Genetic Engineering are going to create a scale of changes unthinkable in human history. We are at the cusp of the next Technological Revolution.
Today, as India enters into this Amrit Kaal, let’s cherish the moment and celebrate the achievements of our journey as a nation. Let’s remember the contributions and sacrifices of our national leaders in forging this land as a nation. Let us bring true feelings of Independence for the last standing person by freeing him from the shackles of poverty, malnutrition, poor health and education. Let us build capacity to face new challenges in the coming times and turn them into opportunities. The world is looking on us with a lot of hope and anticipation. Our fellow Indians are brimming with dreams of a developed, free and just India. Let’s fulfil their ambitions and bring into reality our tryst with destiny.
Happy Independence Day
