67 Years ago, Jawaharlal Nehru declared through his ever inspiring speech “Tryst with Destiny” our Independence. It’s always a bitter sweet experience reading what he had written then in the context of where “the star of freedom in the east” is today.

India’s independence, at that time, was significant not just because of the geo political and social movements that were taking place but also because for the first time what used to be a massive land mass of different peoples with different languages, religions and cultures decided to adopt a united identity that was built on the principles of freedom and equality for all.

Looking at India 67 years from then, I believe we are still coming to terms with that decision. We are still struggling to understand how to guarantee equality, how to stay away from communalism and narrow mindedness. In his speech Nehru states that our future beckons us:

To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.