We, The People Of Rising Bharat

 பருவத்தோடு ஒட்ட ஒழுகல் திருவினைத் தீராமை ஆர்க்குங் கயிறு 

Right action, made in consonance with the times, is a cord that will bind enduring fortunes (Thirukkural 482)

Bharat is rising and rising very fast. To paraphrase William Shakespeare, there is a tide in the affairs of men and women of Bharat. By objective parameters such as gross domestic product (GDP), Bharat will be the third largest economy in just five years.

Our recent successes such as Chandrayaan, our digital public infrastructure, medals in international competitions, our unicorn startups, leadership successes of our diaspora, global plaudits for our movies, immaculate organisation of G20, etc, are pointers to an ascending civilisation.

What was hitherto a quiet build-up of capabilities and confidence is now starting to show tangible outcomes. And miles and miles to go before we reclaim much of the glory that was lost in 700 years of servitude.

Fortunately for Bharat, we have a forward-looking leader in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who by the sheer strength of his will is moulding the moribund governance machinery. He is transforming politics and also goading the society to upgrade itself.

With his mantra of reform-perform-transform, he is not only coaching the system to conceive and execute Antyodaya policies, but also making jan bhagidari (people’s participation) a foundational aspect of impactful governance.

During the address from the Red Fort last August, Prime Minister Modi issued the clarion call of Panch Pran or five vows that we, as a society, must take in the Amrit Kaal leading up to 2047.

They are: 

1. Goal of developed Bharat

2. Remove any trace of colonial mindset

3. Take pride in our roots

4. Unity

5. Sense of duty among citizens

The leader has set the vision and being the greatest behaviour-change communicator Bharat has had since Gandhi ji, Prime Minister Modi will keep drilling on these principles in various fora.

That brings into question the role of people. What is our role as citizens of rising Bharat? Either, we can change passively with time or make a more dogged effort to become “faster, higher and stronger" together.

Under the ambit of Panch Pran, we can think of Pachchees Kaam, or 25 areas on which we can work proactively. Civil society groups, religious organisations, artists and citizens associations could be brought in to elevate these issues in people’s consciousness and to make it a movement.

It may sound like a civics class. But no collective success is possible without individual action. As Gandhi ji said famously, “Be the change you want to see in the world”. 

Goal Of Developed Bharat

• Thinking global. Making for the world. Acting in the context of the world

• Deep environment consciousness and sustainable living

• Being bold and innovative in all things small and big

• Cleanliness and increased focus on aesthetics

• Be collectively vigilant against enemies of our unity and rising prosperity

 Remove Any Trace Of Colonial Mindset

• Growth mindset — positive and self-confident. Taking constructive criticisms without outrage

• Being a patron of Bharatiya arts and crafts

• Take pride in the scientific achievements of our past

• Preferring “Made in Bharat” products

• Being unabashedly desi. Our culture, language and brotherhood of fellow Indians are our intangible assets

 Take Pride In Our Roots

• High proficiency in mother tongue

• Travel extensively within Bharat. Respecting foreign visitors.

• Celebrating traditional festivals by carrying a bit of the past and infusing the new

• Wearing traditional dresses as much as possible

• Protecting all seats of dharma — temples, monasteries, sadhus and so on

Unity

• Resolving to treat women better 

• Proactively avoiding communal tensions and resolving issues quickly and amicably

• Promoting Hindi and Indian languages as forces of unity

• Generosity and good citizenship — helping local community organisations with time and money

• Including people of different communities into our daily lives

 Sense Of Duty Among Citizens

• Being known for quality and fairness in business practices. Pursuit of thorough professionalism in our jobs

• Being punctual and acting with empathy

• Civic sense in public places, in roads and respecting public assets

• Being responsible in the digital medium. Acting with integrity

• Self-care — being physically and mentally fit to play all the roles well

There is a saying that you have to start behaving like the person you want to be. Mimicking good examples can bring about deep psychological change.

By taking sankalp of playing an active role in India's ascendence, we can not only self-actualise deep change in ourselves, but also take the goal to developed India to siddhi. Hope the enlightened first-movers will fight inertia and light the spark of change.

'Rashtriya charitra' can be moulded only by 'adarsh nagarik' and vice versa. Such moments in history are rare, when a fast-advancing society and positive personal transformation can feed off one another to create virtuous spirals.

In the philosophy of 'Integral Humanism' by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the individual is placed right at the centre of duty and action, through which she transforms herself, her family, her society, her country and the world. 

Hope the aforementioned list above is tweaked, expanded, enhanced and more importantly adopted in varying versions by thoughtful change-makers. We cannot let go of this moment of civilisational resurgence. Atlas cannot shrug!