India will show the way in the new millennium

IT is very difficult to predict the India of tomorrow. But I know that coming events cast their shadow before. From the present political, economic, social and military set-up, I can foretell that the India of tomorrow will be happier, richer and safer. I know that today poverty, starvation, unemployment, corruption, stare us in the face. Illiteracy, communalism, economic inequality, social injustice and narrow-mindedness are widespread in our country. We are facing different national, social and international problems. There is a wave of disintegration and violence in the country. Everyone is greedy for money. But I am not a pessimist. I know that great buildings like Qutab Minar, Taj Mahal, and great towns like Rome were not built in a day. I am, therefore, quite confident that by 2000 A.D., most of the problems will be solved.

India of my dreams will occupy a place of honour on the international map. Our relations with our neighbouring countries will be pleasant. India’s efforts to bring about world-peace will bear fruit. People will be aware of the fact that "War is a curse and peace is blessing." The India of my dreams will be militarily strong enough to defend itself against any foreign aggression.

India will stand out as a torch-bearer to all other nations of the world. Our country shall be self-sufficient. We will have a classless and casteless society. The ghost of unemployment will be driven out. On account of its industrial and agricultural production, India will be one of the leading nations of the world. India of my dreams will be industrially more advanced. It will compete with other nations of the world.

People will be mentally, normally, spiritually and physically better. The common man will feel the glow of freedom. Such is the India of my dreams. I wish and pray that this dream may be turned into a reality.

Geetanjli
Class-XI (Science)
B.B.M.B. D.A.V. Public School,
Nangal

II

The India of my dreams will be united, secular, capable of preserving its independence and running its economy in a way that its masses are well-fed, and educated. Although I realise how ugly and sordid the present conditions of life are in my country, I have deep love and abiding passion for my motherland. Widespread dissatisfaction and frustration are still the order of the day in spite of the best efforts of the government to develop this country socially, politically and economically. I have full faith in the efforts being made. In the India of my dreams, justice — social, economic and political — will prevail and there will be peace and contentment in the vast subcontinent.

The India of my dreams will be, in the first place, a highly developed and successful democracy. There will have to be an all-round improvement in the functioning of democracy here. The electorate has to be further enlightened in regard to its duties and responsibilities. It is also imperative for the various political parties to shed their selfish ambitions and adopt the noble ideal Of service to the nation to the exclusion of everything else.

In the India of my dreams, there would be no grim spectres of communalism, casteism, regionalism or linguism. These unfortunate happenings have marred and undermined all our developmental efforts. As such, these forces of division and disruption have to be firmly countered, nullified and crushed speedily and permanently. The India of my dreams will be one nation, proud of its oneness and solidarity. My countrymen must be perpetually prepared to ward off any impending threat to its independence, integrity and sovereignty. To achieve this, the country must go all out to manufacture and stockpile nuclear weapons, as war in the modern age has entered space.

In the India of my dreams, people will get education of a standard, comparable to the best in the world. The present system of education will be reorganised and reoriented, if not scrapped altogether. It is necessary to have a nation of proud and confident citizens, who know their duties and responsibilities, and not of meek and unambitious clerks.

The financial climate will be conducive to progress. In the India of my dreams, there will be stability in business and industry on account of liberalised economic policy. With the successful completion of more five-year plans, India will become fully self-reliant in all fields, viz. industry, agriculture, science and technology.

Hopefully on the war front, things will ease out. Space technology and nuclear science will be used for the benefit of mankind instead of devising new means of warfare meant to eliminate traces of mankind from the face of this Earth.

All this is not a utopian ideal. Things can improve and we can look forward to life in the twentyfirst century if we arm ourselves with the necessary will and determination to achieve our aspirations and goals.

Anshul Garg
XI (Non-Medical)
Govt. Shamsher Senior Secondary School, Nahan

III

We are such stuff as dreams are made of

— William Shakespeare

Twentyfirst century is now only a year away. In a way it is already knocking at the door. So like other people, I too begin to wonder what India would be like in the twentyfirst century. Like any dream, my dream of my twentyfirst century is of course a dream. But it is also based on my observation of the present on which the future is built.

"Good order is the foundation of all good things."

India has so many excellent facts that everyone of us are impressed by her geographical position; some are impressed by its vast resources; some are attracted to it by its long traditions of peace and common brotherhood. Rabindra Nath Tagore once said," I love India not because I had the chance to take birth here, not because I cultivate the idolatory of her geography but because it has preserved through tumultuous ages the words of her illuminated consciousness."

There was a time when India was called the "Golden Sparrow". But the British rule robbed her of her glory, and turned her, weak and illiterate. We have been working hard to improve India since we got Independence. But even then we are far away from the idea.

In spite of 50 years of freedom, there is no glow of joy on our faces, Poverty, starvation, and unemployment are visible everywhere. Communalism, economic inequality and social injustice are the order of the day. India of today is faced with many economic, social and national problems. There is a sense of frustration and disappointment.

But, in the India of my dreams, there shall be no high and low classes of people and all communities shall live in perfect harmony. Every individual shall get full opportunity for his development. There shall be no distinction based on caste, colour, or creed.

India of my dreams will work towards the establishment of one world order or world government. My country will be taken to be an apostle of peace. All others in the world will look towards it for moral, physical, intellectual and spiritual guidance.

Change is the law of nature. Everyday we find ourselves better than what we were yesterday. The political condition of India will improve. The superfluous political parties will disappear from the country. There will be a great deal of development in the fields of education and culture. There will be no corruption, nepotism in the administration. We shall be self-sufficient in food grains. India will be an ideal place to live in. India will become a granary of the world. It will again be a land of honey and milk. India, as I dream, shall show the way to the world. India will again become a heaven on earth.

Rumi, Shweta,
Class IX-B
General Gurnam Singh Public School,
Sangrur.

IV

It is difficult to predict the India of the next millennium or to make a forecast about the shape of things to come. Prophecies have no place in political and national life. But coming events cast their shadows before. So, from the present political, economic and social set-up, we can foretell that India in the next millennium will be happier, richer and safer than it is today.

There is no doubt that we are free, but there is no glow of freedom on our faces. Poverty, starvation, unemployment, stare at our faces. Illiteracy, communalism, economic inequality social injustice are rampant today. The Kashmir problem still remains unsolved.

But, we should not get pessimistic. Rome was not built in a day. We are quite confident that, in the coming years, most of our problems will be solved and our motherland will reach the pinnacle of glory and grandeur in every field.

In the international sphere, India will occupy a proud place in the comity of nations. Her sincere efforts to bring about world peace will bring fruit. The dark and thick clouds of war will vanish. Our relations with Pakistan will improve and Kashmir will remain a part and parcel of India.

India has a bright future in the field of industry. It will compete with other advanced and industrial countries. Similarly, transport and communication will be common, cheap and comfortable.

Oh! I have soared so high on the wings of imagination. I pray that India of tomorrow should be glorious, gay and grand. Our government does not have a magic wand. In this respect, people’s whole-hearted, and concerted efforts are needed.

Anamika Chhabra,
Govt. Girls Sen. Sec. School,
Kaithal

V

As we inch close to the end of this century and millennium, all over the world there seems to be an upsurge of movements, ideologies and organisation which are working together for a better, safer, environmentally stable, peaceful and prosperous future for humanity.

If we make a holistic audit of this century, we will find that it was "the best of times and worst of times". On the one hand, it has been the bloodiest century in human history with more people dying in wars, genocides and violent conflicts. The two hugely destructive world wars and several thousand smaller clashes have resulted in over 100 million casualties. On the other hand, it has been a century of tremendous advancements in science and technology which for the first time put human beings in outer space and, more recently, opened the possibilities of information superhighways linking people from all parts of world. It is the century of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Jaiparkash Narayan and thousands of others like them who fought against injustice and helped to bring a peaceful change. We are at the end of a millennium which affords us opportunities to come together in order to exercise our choice to shape our destiny anew.

I occasionally indulge in dreams and in my dreams I see a grand and glorious picture of India. India of my dreams in the next millennium will be a powerful country in the world and a land of plenty. There will be plenty of food for all. None will die of starvation. No child will cry for milk. Slums and hutments will be seen nowhere in India. At present, there is extreme wealth on one hand and extreme poverty on the other. Work will be provided to all and all will have to work according to their capacity. There will be no place for idlers and shirkers in India of my dreams in the next millennium. Parasites will not be tolerated. There will be no unemployment. There will be immense opportunities to work in fields and factories. All citizens will realise the dignity of labour and they will love to work with their own hands.

All of them will put their best for the all-round development of India. There will be huge production in the field of agriculture and industries. India of my dreams in the next millennium will be the leading nation in information systems in the world.

Vinay Kumar
Class : X-A
Guru Nanak Mission Public Sr. Sec. School Subhkhera,
Paonta Sahib.