By Precious D. Freeman
The Republic of India and the Indian Community in Liberia celebrated its 72nd Independence Day yesterday, January 26, 2021.
In a message delivered commemorating India’s Independence Day, President SHRI RAM NATH KOVIND said the day means a lot to all Indians living within the country and abroad because 71 years ago, the people of India adopted, enacted and gave to themselves a unique Constitution.
“This land and its habitant have cherished the deals from the time immemorial because Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity are perennial principles of our philosophy of life,” he said.
He intimated,“ Others went to us from the dawn of this civilization through an unbroken chain because it is of course the task of every generation to seek out the meaning of these values for its times as the freedom fighters did in their days, so should we in our time and these key principles should light our path to development.”
“Last year humanitarian gestures almost came to a halt in the face of a calamity of gigantic proportions and I often found myself reflecting on the central message of the constitution and our effective response to the pandemic would not have been possible without our constitutional values of fraternity,” he explained.
He added, “Every Indian should salute their own farmers who have made their vast and populous country self-reliant in food grains and dairy products even though despite adversities of nature, numerous other challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic, our farmers sustained the agricultural production.”
“By their contribution to food security, national security, protection against disease and disasters and to different areas of development, our scientists have strengthened our national endeavors from space to the farms, from educational institutions to hospitals and the community of scientists has enriched our lives and work,” President SHRI RAM NATH KOVIND stated.
The Indian President said just as the farmers ensure food security in the country, the brave soldiers of the armed forces ensure security of their national boundaries and the severest conditions from the freezing cold at Siachen and Galwan Valley in Ladakh with temperature as low as minus 50 to 60 degrees Celsius.
He further stated that despite the calamity, they have succeeded in taking forward their activities in many spheres and the pandemic threatened to derail the young generation’s learning process, but stated that institutions and teachers quickly adopted new technology and ensured that there was no break in education.
“As we are set to celebrate the anniversary of our Republic, I am thinking of our brothers and sisters abroad because our diaspora is our pride therefore Indians abroad have succeeded in different walks of life, whereas some are rising to high level of political leadership, some contributing to science, arts, academic, civil society and businesses, each bringing laurels to their new homelands and also to India,” he said.