75th year of Indian Independence

As India celebrates its 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2021, we at The Hindu and our contributors take a look at the country's journey since 1947.

August 15, 2021 03:00 am | Updated December 04, 2021 11:48 pm IST

A girl paints her face and hands with the tricolour on the eve of Independence Day celebrations, in Amritsar on August 14, 2021.

A girl paints her face and hands with the tricolour on the eve of Independence Day celebrations, in Amritsar on August 14, 2021.

The Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu writes about how the fears and apprehensions of doomsday prophets at the time of Partition have by and large been dispelled.

Lok Sabha MP and Sahitya Akademi award-winner Shashi Tharoor discusses the struggle between two ideas of India. Five-time World chess champion Viswanathan Anand speaks about the role of sport in nation building.

Collection - 21 stories

ENRICHED: ‘We are fortunate to have inherited a Constitution imbued with the visionary foresight of our national icons and freedom fighters’.

75th year of Independence |

An evolving journey defined by hope and optimism

M. Venkaiah Naidu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects a guard of honour upon his arrival before addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort during the celebrations to mark India’s 75th Independence Day in New Delhi.

75th Independence Day| PM emphasises energy security, infrastructure growth in speech

The Hindu Net Desk

‘To me, Indian nationalism derives its political legitimacy from the consent and active participation of our citizens, as free members of a democratic polity.’

75th year of Independence |

A struggle between two ideas of India

‘We built many of our research institutions outside of universities that oﬀer a more diverse education.’

75th year of Independence |

Scientific temper as key

The vision for a free India was laid out at the 1931 Karachi session of the Congress. Picture shows the Mahatma and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The founders’ foresight illuminates our history

Larger picture: Jawaharlal Nehru had a grander, more expansive and more ambitious view of India’s role in Asia than other Indians who thought of these issues. Picture is of Pandit Nehru, President Nasser and Marshal Tito, founders of the Non-Aligned Movement.

A time for strategic autonomy, building up national strength

Shivshankar Menon

Hockey sports hostel students in Bhubaneshwar celebrate the Indian men’s team bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

75th year of Independence |

Develop a sporting culture

Viswanathan Anand

The Union government conceded the demand for a linguistic reorganisation of States in the 1950s when the demands became hard to ignore. Picture is of a conference, in 1955, of Chief Ministers to discuss the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission.

The Indian Union and its bedrock of federalism

M. Vijayabaskar

Relief kits being provided to riot victims as part of a langar service, in New Delhi.

Why have faith in the great Indian experiment

Rajeev Bhargava

The Dhola-Sadiya bridge across the Brahmaputra. Photo: PIB

75th year of Independence |

India’s North-east, from the periphery to the core

B. Krishnamoorthy, a saree designer and weaver, in Chennai.

75th year of Independence |

The nuanced dimensions to Indian entrepreneurship

Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru before the inauguration of the All India Village Industries Exhibition at Tilak Nagar, Faizpur.

Celebrating the idea of freedom

A student studies close to a mobile tower in Assam.

Still short of schooling at 74

Photo for representation.

75th year of Independence |

A health crisis the world needs independence from

Raja Krishnamoorthi

‘We need to focus on economic equality too, especially when 92% of our labour force is in the unorganised sector.’

Deepen federalism, reorient welfare

Pinarayi Vijayan

Freedom from sedition

Abhinav Chandrachud

M. Karunanidhi.

A pledge to preserve the honour of India

The external battle of Pandavas and Kauravas was turned into an allegory of internal struggles by Mahatma Gandhi. Likewise, Ambedkar turned Buddhism from a monastic practice to a political practice.

Privileging political independence

Devdutt Pattanaik

Mahatma Gandhi at a prayer meeting at Calcutta Maidan on August 26, 1947 on the
occasion of Id-ul-Fitr.

On August 15, 1947, where was Bapu?

Tushar A. Gandhi

UNMISS troops from India in South Sudan. File

India’s fate is tied to the rest of the world

Dhruva Jaishankar

Children participate in the 61st Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on November 1, 2016.

Regional identity and being part of mainstream

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