Message from the President of the Republic of India
FIFTY years is not long in the life our ancient nation. But, the Golden Jubilee of our Freedom is imbued with a profound significance. This anniversary marks an historic event when, as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said, the soul of our nation, long suppressed, found utterance. It is a celebration of the victory of the principles of Peace and Nonviolence against the might of what was once the biggest empire on earth.
On this momentous occasion, I recall the glorious sacrifices of the martyrs and heroes, the brave women and men who participated in our freedom struggle. The nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi for illumining the righteous path of Truth and Duty and the precept that the right means are necessary to achieve noble goals.
We pay tribute to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and other founding fathers of our Constitution for giving us a dynamic and living Constitution, which embodies the yearnings of our people for Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. We bow our head in memory of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the maker of modern India, for laying the foundation for a democratic economic and social development, and for providing a vision for India, as an equal and active participant in the comity of nations.
As we stand today at the threshold of a new century, we can look back with a sense of satisfaction at the achievements of independent India. We have established vibrant democratic institutions and the Rule of Law. Food self-sufficiency, a diversified industrial base and a large pool of creative, talented and highly qualified human resources provide us a viable basis for rapid economic advancement.
The challenge before us, as we enter into a new millennium, is to achieve Growth with Social Justice. The fruits of development must reach the underprivileged, the deprived and the downtrodden. As our economy liberalizes and integrates with the global economy, we must ensure that the weaker sections of society are not marginalized in our economic processes.
Indeed, as the private sector assumes greater importance in the economy, the State can and should play a more active role in meeting social and economic needs and concerns of the poorer sections. Only thus will we achieve the cherished goal of Justice in all its dimensions -- social, economic and political.
On the auspicious occasion of the Golden Jubilee of our Independence, I extend my warm greetings and felicitations to all Indians, including those who are spread out in many countries of the world. I wish them happiness and success in their endeavors in the service of society. I also extend fraternal greetings, on behalf of the people of India, and on my own behalf, to the friendly people of Indonesia.