Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that the spirit of ‘nation is above all’ is present in our DNA. He was delivering his address at the Bharatha Matha Harathi program through a prerecorded video message.
The Vice President called upon youngsters to strive hard to build a strong and prosperous India as envisioned by the freedom fighters. He said that it will be a true tribute to those great men and women who fought for the freedom of our nation.
Reminding the youth about the sacrifices of the freedom fighters he asked them to “never forget the countless sacrifices made by our freedom fighters to free our nation from the foreign yoke”.
Parents and teachers to instill the spirit of patriotism in Children
Shri Naidu also appealed to parents and teachers to instill the spirit of patriotism in the minds of the younger generation.
“As we take pride in our rich legacy, we must also make sure that the coming generations get to know about our great nation and contribute to its all-around development,” he added.
Freedom was a result of the collective efforts of people from diverse backgrounds
Speaking on India’s freedom struggle, he said that the freedom that India got from British rule was hard-earned and was a result of the collective efforts of people from diverse backgrounds across the country.
He mentioned that after India became Independent many skeptics believed that India would not sustain itself owing to its linguistic and cultural diversities, but India proved them wrong. He said that India’s cultural and civilizational legacy binds its people together.
“The spirit of ‘nation is above all’ is present in our DNA,” he added.
Indian flag is a symbol of liberty, freedom, and sacrifice
Noting the significance of our national flag, Shri Naidu said, our flag is not just a piece of cloth with colors on it, but it is a symbol of liberty, freedom, and sacrifice.
Referring to India’s demographic advantage with around 65 percent of the country’s population below the age of 35 years, the Vice President called for fully leveraging the potential of a young nation to fast-track growth.
Need to achieve self-reliance in all areas
Vice President said that there is a need to work with greater vigor, energy, and enthusiasm to achieve “Atmanirbharta” or self-reliance in all areas.
“Our youth is going to be both makers and beneficiaries of Atmanirbharta,” he added.
Shri Naidu lauded the Bharatha Matha Foundation for organizing the unique program where prayers were offered to make the nation strong, protect it from external and internal aggression, and keep the people united, happy, and healthy.
He said that celebrations that promote a sense of patriotism, social cohesion, and national unity are important and must be held more often in all parts of the country.