A Very Good Morning to the Honorable Chief Guest and my Dear Rotarians!!

Firstly, I wish you all a very Happy Independence Day. We all know the reason for this get-together. We are gathered here to celebrate the 70th Independence day of our nation. First of all we will hoist our National Flag, then give a salute to all the heroic deeds of our freedom fighters. Today,I am feeling so proud to be an Indian citizen. It is indeed a great privilege for me to give a speech on this great day in front of you.

'Independence Day', this word instills in us a spirit of Patriotism and a Never say Die Attitude.We celebrate Independence day every year on the 15^th of August because India got freedom on the night of 14^th of August in 1947. Just after the independence of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of free India had given a speech on the Independence day in New Delhi. When people all over the world were sleeping, people in India were all awake to get freedom from the shackles of the British rule. Now, after Independence, India has gained the position of the largest democratic country in the world. Our country is known for Unity in Diversity.It has faced many incidents testing its secularism,however Indians have always answered it with their unity.

Due to the hard struggle of our freedom fighters we are now able to enjoy freedom and can breathe fresh air in our motherland . Getting freedom from the Britishers was really an impossible task our leaders and the people did with their continuous efforts. We can never forget their works as their names have been etched foreever in the pages of history. They would always be in our memories and remain a rich source of inspiration to all of us.

Who can forget the heroic deeds of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Mangal Pandey, Subhas Chandra Bose and many others? Who can forget the sacrifice of hundreds of people in the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy for the sake of freedom?Who can forget the great sacrifice made by Lala Lajpat Rai, who bore the fatal brunt of a baton on his head by a Britisher for the sake of Freedom which lead to his untimely demise?

Who can forget the cruelty and inhuman treatment inflicted upon our great leaders and several other patriots at the Andaman Jail also known as the cellular jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Many notable dissidents such as Batukeshwar Dutt and Veer Savarkar, among others, were imprisoned here during the struggle for independence. The famous 'Kala Pani Sazaa' was the most dreadful of all punishment inflicted upon the Indians during the pre – independence period.

Quit India Movement, Non-Cooperation Movement, Swadeshi Movement,Simon Go back movement after Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, the famous Dandi March lead by Gandhiji in a bid to make salt and prove to the World at large that we Indians were internally free and will not obey the Britishers,have all been so significant in the history potraying our struggle for Independence.

Thus,today is a very significant day for all Indians which we celebrate, remembering the sacrifices of our great Indian leaders who had given their lives for the freedom and prosperity of the country. Freedom of India was possible because of the cooperation, sacrifice and involvement of all the Indians. We should value and salute all the Indian citizens because they are the real national heroes. We should keep faith in secularism and never develop separatist attitude inorder to maintain the National Unity so that no one can ever apply the 'Divide and Rule' Principle and try to break the integrity of our Nation.

Let us take an oath today, an oath to remain united, an oath to uplift the society at large by mass education, an oath to respect our ladies, an oath to oust dirty practices such as those of Corruption,Dowry, Casteism,Child marriage,Gambling and Female Infanticide.I think, then only we can pay our real homage and respect to our great leaders and ancestors.Let us not waste the independence given to us by our great freedom fighters, let us make it worthwhile.

My friends,I feel the real freedom does not lies in disobeying and ignoring our elders,flashing expensive electronics gazettes,cruelty and ill-treatment of the ladies of our house but real independence lies in giving something back to the society where you are born. Do something for Our Dear nation albeit even if in a small way like planting more trees in your neighborhood, food distribution among the poor, free education to the needy,helping others in need and the likes. Then only, we can fulfill the vision of our great leaders.So, let us all make an endeavor to make India stand united forever so that we all can enjoy the sweet fruit of Freedom for years to come.

“Thousands laid down their lives, so that our Country could breathe this day... so let us never forget their sacrifice.”

Now,I would request all present over here to stand up while our National Anthem is being played.Thank you so much.

Jai Hind, Jai Bharat !!