Business News/ News / India/ Independence Day 2023: From Nehru-Tilak to Indira-Vajpayee; India’s most memorable speeches
8 Photos . Updated: 14 Aug 2023, 12:30 PM IST Edited By Fareha Naaz
The speeches delivered on India’s Independence Day… moreThe speeches delivered on India’s Independence Day depict India’s transition from colonial subjection to sovereign nationhood. Leaders have used their words over the years to instil hope, courage, and a sense of oneness among populations.
1/8Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s historic proclamation in 1916, ‘Swaraj is my birth right, and I shall have it,’ ignited the spark of the independence movement. His words galvanised millions of Indians, motivating them to demand self-governance and liberation from British dominion.
2/8On the eve of August 15, 1947, India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, gave his famous address, ‘Tryst with Destiny’. He conveyed the goals and aspirations of a newly independent nation with eloquence, emphasizing the importance of India’s newfound freedom and the responsibility that came with it.
3/8Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s speech in 1972 was full of hope and determination. She spoke about overcoming obstacles, emphasising the importance of solidarity in the face of adversity.
4/8In 1985, Rajiv Gandhi delivered his inaugural Independence Day speech at the Red Fort where he said all faiths and religions were accorded equal respect, and the strength and unity of the nation emanated from this fact. He stated that the direction forward was evident that the nation’s strength resided in its diversity.
5/8PV Narasimha Rao in 1991 warned that if the nation were to become divided based on religion, it would lead to the disintegration of the country. He urged the country to unite and collaborate as the government dealt with what he referred to as the ‘worst-ever economic crisis’ and social discontent. This appeal was made during his Independence Day speech
6/8Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 2002 speech emphasized the importance of working together to confront terrorism. His demand for unity and progress became a rallying cry for the nation to stay strong in the face of external threats.
7/8In his Independence Day Speech in 2012, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh stated that achieving true independence would be possible only when the country could eradicate ‘poverty, illiteracy, hunger, and underdevelopment’ by learning from failures and building upon successes.
8/8Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a vision of a New India by the time the country celebrated its 75th anniversary of independence in 2022 in 2019. His speech urged citizens to take an active role in constructing a progressive, inclusive, and self-sufficient India.
