India in 2047: Swami Vivekananda’s India at the centenary of Independence
SWAMIJI’S VISION FOR BHARAT 2047
From the mesmerizing landscapes to rich heritage, from unique culture and diverse history to joyful festivals, India is a gorgeous amalgamation of traditions, languages, and people. Being a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-religious society, India, the golden sparrow, inspired by the iconic heroes always believed in “Unity in Diversity“ and spreads the message of peace and oneness, takes pride in our traditions and our unparalleled knowledge of Vedas and Upanishads.
India is currently celebrating its seventy-five years of independence where Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is being observed to celebrate the glorious history of its people, culture, and achievements.
“Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached.”
This sacred message by a personality with incomparable charisma, wisdom, caliber, and far ahead-of-his-time teachings has become a yardstick around the world to understand India and its development. He was none other than Swami Vivekanand.
He was the man of action, a change-maker who transcended through the clutches of race, religion and nations and emerged as the man of the millennium. His ideologies marched to become the voice of the 21st century. While living, he played a hero and after death, continues to be an inspiration for the present generation. He had ignited the spark of nationalism and thrilled the entire globe and introduced India to the West at the Parliament of Religions, Chicago more than a century ago sending across the oceans, the eternal philosophy of universal brotherhood that broadened the horizon about India’s wisdom and its age-old spiritual legacy.
SWAMIJI’S VISION FOR BHARAT
When India was suffering from the tentacles of British slavery, the clutches of torture, plagued by poverty, Swami Vivekananda envisioned that a resurrected and a low in confident India would be the pioneer of the world (Vishwa Guru Bharat) and regain its name as Golden Sparrow. Around 125 years back he had addressed at the international level- “This is your century right now, but 21st century is India’s century”. It aroused India from deep slumber and sent a strong message to the youth to give their best for India’s spiritual and national renaissance.
Swamiji’s birthday is celebrated on the January 12 every year as National Youth Day to remember and salute the dynamic and heroic role played by him and inspire people of the country, especially the youth. Indians will forever be indebted and all the citizens will definitely try their level best to give wings to the fire in the Swamiji’s vision of a new self-reliant India where every individual would enjoy basic human rights, education, good health, employment, and live together in peace and harmony.
1) SELF-RELIANT INDIA
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, inspired from Swamiji’s preachings, gave a national call amidst the Covid-19 pandemic for AtmaNirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) on 12th May 2020, while addressing the nation to win the battle against the ongoing Covid-19 outburst. Prime Minister Modi also recalled that the 21st century must belong to India. “We must strive to make the 21st century India’s century and the path to do that is ‘self-reliance.’
India has the capacity to emerge as a global leader. When India speaks of becoming self-reliant, it doesn’t advocate a self-centered system rather a concern for the whole world’s happiness, cooperation, health and peace. The first step towards Self-reliance will be to acknowledge our glorious history. So, we can learn from West by taking ideas and absorbing them in our own way and should not imitate their ways blindly.
2) EDUCATED INDIA
Swamiji advocated education as the most powerful weapon for a change that is not merely a tool for employment, rather a life-building, character-making and a man- making assimilation of ideas that would equip themselves for the struggle of life making them confident and financially independent and also contribute towards the socio-economic pillar of the nation.
He envisioned India to be a country with the highest literacy rate where education becomes a mandatory birthright to every individual. An educational hub with many centres of excellence at universities and institutions of higher learning.
Various initiatives taken by the government to promote education like “Each one, Teach one”, BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO, SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN, and tagline – PADHEGA INDIA TABHI TOH BADHEGA INDIA is surely taking India closer to its dream.
3) VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM (The world is a family)
His idea of India and Hindutva was beyond caste, creed, color. The true spirituality is which teaches people that God resides in everyone and hence no being should be harmed. With great philosophies of ahimsa (non-violence) and karma, India can conquer the world. In Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s words, “ Swamiji was one of the great founders of the national modern movement of India.”
4) EMPOWERED YOUTH
Youth act as critical thinkers with their energy, voice and actions. Being good communicators to their peers and communities at the grassroots level and as academicians, civil servants, politicians, entrepreneurs, and sports persons can execute their capacity to identify and challenge the existing powers and expose the barriers to change.
His vision was to make the youth strong and fearless, kind, benevolent, strictly moral and of high character where the empowered youth from diverse backgrounds like food to fashion to finance can be the forerunners of assessment, awareness, action and advocacy for sustainable development.
“The youth of India are its future”.
Swamiji stated that with the temper of the will, quality of imagination, the predominance of courage and appetite for adventure, this huge cohort can be a vibrant, constructive force who can address global issues and create a more just, equitable and peaceful economy.
He spoke of Vyaktitva Vikas (personality development). This development process is all the more vital for us because we are a country with 40% of youth-force and a holistic personality of the yuva-shakti is essential for a strong and vibrant nation. He desired them to possess “muscles of iron and nerves of steel, inside which dwells a mind a same material”
5) INDIA AS A SPIRITUAL TORCH BEARER
India with its powerful weapon of spirituality, can broaden the horizon of scientific, social, and political agendas. His discipleship under Paramhansa Ramakrishna, the most outstanding spiritual leader of the 19th century, made Swamiji a master of the philosophical and spiritual leaders of India. We need Vivekananda’s vision of India being the spiritual torch bearer for humanity.
6) HEALTHY INDIA
A healthy and fit India that honours Yoga, a healthy diet, and ayurveda as its chief mantra where Medical facilities are easily accessible to each and every one. Each of us should pledge to donate organs and encourage others to do this noble work.
Yoga can open the gates of the future before the youth, filling them with a new spirit of inspiration, heroism, and dynamic action. He laid emphasis on the growth and development of body and soul for human excellence.
7) WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
A country that sees women as its assets, not as liabilities. The empowered women have equal rights with men and there is no discrimination in the job based on gender. Where a woman feels safer to walk alone in the night.
8) CORRUPTION-FREE INDIA
He envisioned a country where an honest man would not have to pay bribes and would combat corruption by refusing to pay and by reporting about corrupt officials to the higher authorities.
- Speedy disposal of cases in courts and greater accountability in the judiciary.
- Better governance, a transparent and accessible media that would unmask the corrupt.
9) EMPLOYMENT
A country where the deserving candidate will get employed first rather than reserved candidates.
- Where there is government job opportunities for every deserving youth.
- No child should be forced to beg or bonded labour.
- His concern was alleviating poverty, and unemployment and addressing agricultural indebtedness
10) DISCRIMINATION
True independence is freedom from the clutches of religion, caste, colour, gender, race, social and economic status. His struggle for freedom gave global identity to the Indian leadership and proved to be an inspiration not just for India, but also a source of motivation for other under-developed countries.
11) POWERFUL ECONOMY
He dreamt of a ‘Zero Hunger Nation’ that is self-sufficient in food and shelter and no one is dying of hunger, malnutrition, and poverty.
The inspiring slogan “Badayey jaa, badayey jaa, Kadam kadam badayey jaa” is the torch bearer in our march towards economic prosperity.
We need to join hands to re-script history with zeal and enthusiasm with a laser-like focus and accomplish our mission of a strong yet peaceful India. Modi’s motto of “Sab ka saath, sab kaa vikas, sab ka prayaas” has been an eye opener.
How we visualize India of 2047 will determine the revolutions we will adopt over the next twenty-five years making it a powerful and self-reliant country.
The best tribute to the hero would be to mainstream his ideology and leadership into current-day politics and governance and revisit his roadmap of a rich legacy of ideas, ideals, and dreams for a free India, and how the nation should shape up socially, economically, and in delivering governance.
The current ecosystem is the most favourable one in recent times in terms of skilled manpower, opportunities, and the resources available. Proper direction with correct planning has immense potential to change the face of India and become a burning example for other economies in the world.
TO SUMMARISE…
India where
Poverty and Illiteracy are history,
Education becomes the priority
Agriculture and Health work in symphony,
Women and Children live in harmony,
Wildlife, Heritage and Technology live with integrity
“Swacch Bharath, Swasth Bharath,
Shresht Bharath, Samrudh Bharat”
By: Arpita Subhadarshinee
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