His Excellency our President
Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam’s Independence Day Speech
15.08.2003.
"I have three visions for India. In 3000 years of our history, people
from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered
our minds. From Alexander onwards. The Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the
Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted
us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation.
We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture,
their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why? Because
we respect the freedom of others.
That is why my first vision is that of FREEDOM.
I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started
the war of independence. It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture
and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us.
My second vision for India is DEVELOPMENT.
For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves
as a developed nation. We are among top 5 nations of the world in terms of
GDP. We have 10 percent growth rate in most areas. Our poverty levels are
falling. Our achievements are being globally recognized today. Yet we lack
the self-confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation, self-reliant
and self-assured. Isn’t this incorrect?
I have a third vision; INDIA MUST STAND UP
TO THE WORLD.
Because I believe that, unless India stands up to the world, no one will
respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be strong not only as
a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go hand-in-hand.
MY GOOD FORTUNE was to have worked with three great minds. Dr.Vikram Sarabhai
of the Dept. of Space, Professor Satish Dhawan, who succeeded him and Dr.Brahm
Prakash, father of nuclear material.
More...
Why is the media here
so negative?
Why are we, as a nation
so obsessed with foreign things?
Do you have 10 minutes?
Allow me to come back with vengeance. Got 10 minutes for your country?
If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.
YES
What does a system consist
of?
DEAR INDIANS,
"ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA
WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY".