Seventy-five glorious years have passed since the dawn of 15th August 1947, when a young nation was born out of a long story of struggle written with the blood, sweat and tears of its people. The year 2022 commemorates the 75th year of India's Independence from the British Raj, 75 diamond years of the country's path toward a dream cherished by its 1.3 billion people. They embarked on a challenging journey to build a nation that will shine brightly, embrace diversity, and uplift the underprivileged. It was believed that this young nation would not be able to stay united or develop from the shackles of poverty and inequalities. Nonetheless, the developmental journey of India proved all critics wrong.
The National Movement was as glorious as the sacrifice made by the people of India. The brave and unabashed fight put up against the colonial rulers was a force to reckon with. From the radical actions of revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh to the non-violent satyagrahas of Mahatma Gandhi, history is rich with symbols of patriotism. It produced many unsung heroes like Mathangini Hazra, Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, Sushila Mohan and Ka Phan Nonglait. Finally, the story of struggle came to an end on 15th August 1947, bearing the fruit of all efforts. But freedom came with a scar, which perhaps, may forever remain a symbol of the compromise that the people had to make. Partition shattered the hopes and dreams of thousands of religious minorities, who were left with nothing but memories of violence and losses.
British left India in a state of destitute, and communal divisions. The political leadership was faced with the immediate task of building back the nation from the torn pieces of history. The nation, led by the leaders of the National Movement, including Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Ambedkar and others embarked on a journey towards building a beautiful India, which is at the threshold of its 75th year of light and freedom.
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DEMOCRACY
The Western conception was that India would disintegrate and that it would not be able to remain together as a democracy. Many commentators believed that only an authoritarian government would suit a country like India that was ridden with internal problems like poverty and illiteracy. The first general election of 1952 was considered a bold and risky experiment in a poor and illiterate nation. It was called the “biggest gamble in history”. Organiser, a magazine criticised that Nehru “would live to confess the failure of Universal Adult Franchise in India”.
Proving all critics wrong, the first general election of the world’s biggest democracy emerged as a magnificent success. Since then, India remained a thriving democracy, registering free and fair elections through an independent Election Commission. India stayed as a “Union of States” despite all challenges when its neighbours were reeling under the shackles of political instability and crisis of democracy.
The constitution of India perceived Indians as individuals, rather than different communities, as viewed by the British colonial rulers. It established a new model of citizenship in India, where every citizen was free to vote, work and live as an individual with fundamental rights and duties under the rule of law.
AGRICULTURE
The agricultural sector had been the backbone of the Indian economy for many years since independence. 75% of the Indian population was dependent on the sector for livelihood, as compared to 54.6% at present. It had contributed nearly 50% to the national income, which stands at 17% now. The narration “from ship to mouth”, to, “self-sufficiency and export” clearly describes the successful journey of the sector.
Historically, there had been several food shortages that led to malnutrition, famines and large-scale deaths. Thus, the planning process in India recognised agriculture as a priority sector. Despite natural calamities, weather uncertainties and other inhibiting factors, Indian agriculture showed resilience and sustainability throughout.
The Green Revolution, initiated during the mid-1960s was a momentous milestone that transformed India into a leading producer of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice. Alongside, the development of improved varieties of horticultural corps helped augment food security. Operation Flood, launched in 1970, transformed India from a milk-deficient country to the world's largest producer of milk, with a 22% share of the world’s milk production. The Blue revolution launched by the 7th Five Year Plan made India the second largest fish-producing country in the world. Presently, India is moving towards technological developments that will modernize agriculture.
INDUSTRY
The colonial era witnessed a de-industrialising India, followed by a weak industrial base during the eve of independence. The second five-year plan was based on the Mahalanobis Model, named after P C Mahalanobis. It prioritised the development of basic industries like Iron and Steel, Heavy Chemicals and the Cement Industry. The first phase of industrial development, which came to an end, with the establishment of capital goods industries by the third Five-Year plan established a strong industrial base. This led to an annual growth rate of 9% during the third plan from 5.7% during the first. This was followed by various reforms, the biggest one being the structural reforms of 1991 which opened up the Indian economy for massive growth and development.
The financial and banking sector of India was a strong pillar of support throughout the economic history of India. The recent initiatives of the Government of India like the Make in India Scheme, Production-led Incentive Scheme and Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme for Technology Upgradation are significant leaps toward self-sufficiency and industrial development.
India has proved its ability to manage its economy in the face of the financial crisis as demonstrated through its measures during the 2008 global financial crisis and the recent COVID pandemic. Today, India is the world’s fifth largest economy. India achieved approximately a 1.57% share of the world's total merchandise exports. It is one of the world’s most preferred outsourcing destinations.
SOCIAL WELFARE
Indian society is characterised by the richness of its cultures and the diversity of its people. The Indian constitution set the stage for a social system that will embrace the diversity of the country by eradicating all discrimination. Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolished untouchability. Significant steps have been taken to end gender injustice. Various schemes like MGNREGA have been initiated to provide social security to the vulnerable population. Aadhar was introduced to document the uniqueness of every citizen and transfer the benefits of major schemes efficiently.
The health and education sectors showed outstanding resilience and a momentous leap toward progress. The literacy of the nation increased from 12% in 1947 to 74.04% at present. The life expectancy rate improved from 32 years in 1947 to 70.19 years.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
India started its electoral history in 1951 with the Universal Adult Franchise that granted equal voting rights to all adults irrespective of their gender. This was a major milestone considering the political inequality in the most advanced democracies of the West where voting rights for women were granted after several years of independence. Legislations like the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, and Maternity Benefit Act, 2017 and schemes like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, reflect the diligence of the political leadership to empower women. To ensure higher participation of women in local governance, the Panchayati Raj System ensures 33% reservation for women candidates.
The success of these initiatives is reflected in all sectors, including bureaucracy, space sector, engineering, politics, army, and navy, which recorded the highest participation of women since independence. The literacy rate of women stands at 65.46% compared to 9% in 1951.
SPACE SECTOR
The potential of space technologies was recognized early in India and research activities were initiated during the 1960s. The Indian Space Research Organisation, which is one of the six largest space agencies in the world today, was established in 1969 to develop space technology.
In 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to go into space. In 2009, Chandrayan-1, India's mission to the moon, found water on the earth’s only natural satellite. Through Mangalyaan (Mars Orbitor Mission), India not only became the first Asian country to attain the feat of reaching Mars’ orbit, but also the first country to do so in its first attempt.
The weather prediction system in India is one of the most advanced systems in the world. It is aided by ISRO which provides satellite data to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)
THE QUESTION REMAINS
Looking down the lane, India has left its footprints of progress in every field. From economy to society, industry to agriculture, space technology to education and healthcare, the nation has had immense achievements to cherish. Endowed with natural resources and wealth, India was one of the most prosperous countries in the world before colonialisation. From the shackles of extreme poverty and social backwardness, the young nation has travelled a journey towards becoming one of the most influential countries in the world. The question that remains is “Will India be able to re-attain its past glory, the global influence it once asserted before the advent of British?”
Written by- SANTHWANA KIRAN R
References:
1. https://www.facebook.com/AsianetNews/videos/2197781190399087/?extid=
WA-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C-GK2Chttps://www.wionews.com/
india-news/india-independence-the-rise-of-a-space-power-405497
2. https://icar.org.in/Indian-Agriculture-after-Independence.pdf
3. https://www.isas.nus.edu.sg/papers/women-empowerment-in-india-more-needs-to-be-done/
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