NEW DELHI, Aug 14: The President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday greeted the people of India on the eve of the 79th Independence Day and hailed the democratic system in the country.
Addressing the nation, Ms Murmu lauded the nation’s decisive response to Pahalgham terrorist attack in Kashmir, highlighting the success of Operation Sindoor and emphasising the country’s unity and growing self-reliance in the defence sector.
The President condemned the “cowardly and utterly inhuman” killing of innocent citizens on holiday, asserting that the armed forces had demonstrated “strategic clarity and technical capability” by destroying terrorist infrastructure across the border. She described Operation Sindoor as a landmark event in the global fight against terrorism, noting that India’s armed forces “destroyed terrorist hubs across the border” with “steely resolve.”
Terming the nation’s women as its pride, President Droupadi Murmu talked about women’s achievements in several fields. “Our daughters are our pride. They are breaching barriers in every field, including in the areas of defence and security. Sports are among important indicators of excellence, empowerment and potential.
India’s global chess domination was lauded by President Droupadi Murmu during which she also said that the country is on the cusp of “transformative changes” in the sporting arena. Eighteen-year-old D Gukesh’s triumph as the youngest world champion last year began a season of excellent results for India’s chess prodigies with the likes of R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidith Gujarati, Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali delivering consistently strong performances in high pressure international events. Deshmukh (19) became the youngest women’s World Cup winner last month, beating Humpy in the final.
“Brimming with a new confidence, our youth are making a mark in sports and games. Chess, for example, is now dominated by India’s youngsters like never before. We foresee transformative changes which will establish India as a global sporting power-house under the vision contained in the National Sports Policy 2025,” the president said in her address.
“A nineteen-year-old girl and a thirty-eight-year-old woman from India were the finalists in the FIDE Women’s World Cup for chess championship. This underlines the sustained and globally comparable excellence across generations among our women. The gender gap in employment has also been reducing. With ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, the empowerment of women is no longer a slogan but a reality,” Ms Murmu said.
Hailing the inauguration of the rail link in Kashmir as a major accomplishment, President Murmu said rail connectivity with the Valley would boost trade and tourism in the region and open new economic possibilities and said the engineering marvel in Kashmir was a historic milestone for the country.
“The Railways has innovated and introduced new types of trains and coaches equipped with latest technologies. The inauguration of the rail link in Kashmir Valley is a major accomplishment. Rail connectivity with the Valley will boost trade and tourism in the region and open new economic possibilities. This engineering marvel in Kashmir is a historic milestone for our country,” she said.
President Murmu said the youth, women, and marginal communities would lead India on the path to be a developed nation by 2047. Ms Murmu praised the National Education Policy for ‘aligning learning with values’ and lauded Shubhanshu Shukla’s space journey to the International Space Station, saying it has ‘fired a whole generation to dream bigger.’
President Murmu praised the rate at which the Indian economy is growing. Highlighting India’s 6.5% GDP growth rate, controlled inflation rate, and rising exports, Ms Murmu said all key indicators point that Indian economy is in the pink of health. “This is as much due to carefully calibrated reforms and sagacious economic management as due to the hard work and dedication of our workers and farmers. A large number of people have been pulled out of poverty through good governance,” she said.
Meanwhile, the government has announced service medals for 1,090 police personnel of various central and state forces on the eve of Independence Day. According to a Union Home Ministry statement, 233 personnel have been awarded the Medal for Gallantry (GM), 99 personnel awarded President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and 758 have been decorated with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM).
This includes medals for fire, home guard and civil defence and correctional services personnel, the ministry said. Among the gallantry medals, the maximum 152 have been given to personnel undertaking operations in Jammu and Kashmir followed by 54 for troops deployed in anti-Naxal operations, three for duties in the north east and 24 from other regions.
Security has been beefed up in Punjab and Haryana ahead of Independence Day, with police maintaining strict vigil to check anti-social elements and intensifying patrolling and checking, officials said on Thursday. Security has also been tightened in the Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
A thick blanket of security has been deployed around the venues where governors, chief ministers and ministers will unfurl the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day, they said. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will hoist the national flag on the Independence Day at a state-level function in Faridkot. His Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini will unfurl the tricolour in Rohtak.
(Manas Dasgupta)
