I-Day turns ritual: No time to recall the greats

Arrangements are on to celebrate the 77th Independence Day in a grand manner. Red Fort is getting ready for the August 15 celebrations. Government of India has invited some of the achievers in various fields from various parts of the country to participate in the celebrations at Red Fort. Certainly, it is a very good gesture. While the invitees feel proud, others can take inspiration from them to become great achievers.

But the unfortunate aspect is that such events are fast turning out to be weeks of sloganeering and sort of routine one day celebrations. We have excellent slogans like ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’. These are being used either to highlight the achievements of the BJP-led NDA government or to criticise the NDA government by opposition parties including the new conglomeration of unlike-minded parties, I.N.D.I.A. No one remembers the great icons of Independence movement.

Even the so-called 138-year-old Indian National Congress which claims that they alone should get the credit for Independence does not remember the great people who contributed to the Independence movement. For Congress beyond Parivar and Durbar nothing more matters. But even the saffron party which criticised the Congress did not bother about the direct descendants of the great people like Pingalli Venkayya who designed the pride of nation, the great Indian Flag.

The Congress never thought of a flag till 1921 when the first iteration of what became the Indian flag came into being. Venkayya presented the rough design to Mahatma Gandhi on a khadi bunting which was coloured in red and green – the red representing Hindus and green representing Muslims in the country. Gandhi then suggested that a white strip be added to represent all the other denominations and religions present in the country. How many people know about it? The answer would be no one – not even the so-called veteran leaders.

Venkayya was born on August 2, 1876, in the village of Bhatlapenumarru, near Machilipatnam, the part of Madras Presidency that is now the state of Andhra Pradesh, in a Telugu Brahmin family. He went to Cambridge to study and had interests in geology and agriculture. He was a writer and linguist. He was a polygot and spoke fluent Japanese and in 1913, delivered a full-length speech in Japanese. He led a humble life as per Gandhian ideologies. Though several representations have been made, so far, the Government of India did not deem it fit to honour him with Bharat Ratna. One does not know what more qualifications the Centre requires to honour him with Bharat Ratna.

It is pathetic to see that his grandchildren continue to live in utter poverty even today. They are eking out a living by taking donations if someone gives or fill their stomach with whatever little prasadam they get near the Bhadrachalam temple of Lord Sri Rama. Pingali’s daughter-in-law used to beg at the entrance of the Venkateswara temple in RR Pet of Eluru. She died four years back.

Patting one’s back on August 15 every year, unfurling the flag at party offices and paying tributes to their party leaders cannot be called Independence Day celebrations. It should be a day when the country is transformed with pride and patriotism as this was the day when the nation’s laborious transition from the colonial rule sovereignty took place.

As the tricolour flag flutters in the breeze and the echoes of the national anthem reverberate through the air, Independence Day becomes more than a date on the calendar – it becomes a symphony of remembrance, a tribute to the sacrifice, and a celebration of unity. Let us hope that the Modi government would consider honouring Venkayya with Bharat Ratna at least this year.