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“Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.” - Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Having started with this quote, it is our prime aim as citizens of India to realize the fact that, the freedom we enjoy today to the fullest were once a mere dream fancied by lakhs of freedom fighters.
15th AUGUST 2047
Does this date strike something to you? Indeed, it must! It marks the Centennial Independence Day of our country. Before getting started with the future, it is crucial to know the past years. The Indian Independence movement lasted from 1857 to 1947 with the ideal goal of ending British rule in India. It took 90 long years of hard-fought battles with several people sacrificing their lives to achieve freedom. Independence was not achieved by overnight; it is a result of endless struggles which include civil disobedience movement, quit India movement, the non-cooperation movement, etc. Thus, it is highly necessary that we keep such things in mind while we enjoy our freedom presently. We may have several questions arisen in us during these years.
How it all began? How British captured India? Why did India become a British colony?
The answers to most of the questions can be simply understood by one fact: The trading of spices. All of us would have been aware that, India was one of the richest countries in ancient times. Spices were a main commodity in Europe back then. Thus, the British East India Company was formed in 1599 under a charter granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1600. They came to India as traders in spice in 1608. And the rest is history! One answer automatically leads to several other plausible questions. How was it possible for the British to start capturing a vast country like India right from 1757 to 1947? A common explanation to the above question involves the British having better weapons, more economic power and most importantly perseverance. Now that we have acquired knowledge about the past, it is high time that we gain information about the current affairs of both the countries. The UK is considered to be the second largest economy in Europe after Germany. It might not be very surprising since, what they have today is looted from major countries including India in ancient times! So, how did India recover from such a huge loss after British encroachment, still remains a thing to ponder over. Even after 75 years, two countries still bear the miserable scars of tragic happenings pre-independence. After Independence, India was on an urge to build a strong nation in terms of economy as well as politics. India-Pakistan border had been the real concern. Advanced defense technology was needed in order to secure borders. As a result of which DRDO was set up. Indubitably, India has been a pioneer in many fields in science and technology. With each and every scientific advancement, India adds another feather to its crown. Hitherto, India has built a modern economy and continues to remain a democratic country despite several predicament situations.
Now it is time to set foot on the title- “India by 2047”! One innovative thing we can visualize is that India will be involved in commercial farming with the usage of robotic farmers. India will become a developed country and is expected to rank third in terms of economy. The use of Tesla and driverless cars will be a huge breakthrough in the automobile industry. Poverty has been a major issue in India ever since British rule. There is a high chance that poverty will be diminished to a greater extent by means of various government policies. The tagline of being an impoverished country will soon fade away. India might as well step into the golden era of being a rich country in terms of finance, defense, resources and whatnot!
Isn’t it the country we all are dreaming of today?
Absolutely yes! As a matter of fact, it is the responsibility of us being the future citizens of India to work towards the dream. The combined effort of all the citizens put together will definitely help in turning the dream into reality by 2047. Already a mission is put into force which concentrates on developing smart cities across the country. In terms of astronomy, our country will become self-sufficient to launch rockets in space. After the COVID pandemic, everything has become online now. Education, being the most predominant sector is no exception. Children studying in rural areas and downtrodden areas faced a lot of strenuousness in affording to electrical gadgets. Eventually, such children were restrained from their birthright which is education. “Hard times too shall pass”
Keeping that phrase in mind, that situation is not likely to persist in future because of all the schemes introduced by the government, which include access to free education. Students will benefit from smart education by 2047. The interests of students are a priority in order for them to advance in their desired fields. Research-based education is presumed to take over the country which is highly appreciable. It is highly evident that the health sector is blooming in India which is far ahead of other developing countries. Eventually, it leads to an increased life expectancy of Indians by 2047. At times, smart work is better than hard work. Transportation of goods can be carried out in a more effective way by means of drones and commercial flights. It involves less time consumption and faster delivery compared to land-based transport.
“UNITY IN DIVERSITY”
India as a country is the best example for the above phrase. It appears as if it was specifically designed for our country. Separated by states, united by people, culture, love, and patriotism. Indian culture and methodology of living will soon start prevailing in countries. Our country will serve as an inspiration and role model for several developing countries by 2047. The mere thought of it itself gives goosebumps. Wouldn’t it be a proud moment for all of us when it happens in reality? The answer is always YES! India has still got enough time to prove and improve to the world what it is capable of. The youngsters of today must start working towards making India a better-developed country. It is the ideal duty for each and every citizen to be aware of their role in the country’s development process.
“PROCESS IS PROGRESS”
In accordance with the quote, it is high time that we actually start realizing our responsibilities and work towards progress every day. The country is in the hands of several innovative, creative, and determined youngsters. Awareness must be spread among every citizen of the country about the ideal views of 2047. Social inequalities on grounds of caste, creed, and religion must be abolished in order to lead a peaceful life. Strict rules must be enforced and punishments should be stronger to avoid crimes. For a country to move forward, Gender equality plays a vital role. This is when women's empowerment comes into play. The word empower itself contains the meaning- of giving power to women which they deserve totally. In spite of various schemes, even today women are being ill-treated. One major notion that still persists in the society is that women are meant only for household work. Being a woman, I can now proudly say that things have become topsy-turvy. Breaking all the barriers women have proven themselves in various fields including the army, politics, etc. Nowadays, there isn’t a single field unaccompanied by women. They continue to showcase their talents and shine in whatever they do. However, they are being victims to various crimes that happen every day. By 2047, India must have become a safe country for women and utmost care must be given to women empowerment. There is a popular saying which best describes the same.
“If you educate a girl, you educate a nation.”
When women thrive, all of society benefits! Education must be made affordable and accessible to every girl child who lives even in the deepest corners of our country. Today, the number of people in need of jobs is larger than the total jobs available. To overcome this situation, job providers must be more than the job seekers. By 2047, we can expect that many startup companies and budding entrepreneurs would have come into the limelight. Innumerable industries would have been created which in turn leads to effective production of goods in our own country. In addition to that, a survey made recently suggests that India is the quickest-developing cryptocurrency market in the world. Formulation of policy on Web 3.0 is currently under process by the Indian government. Web 3.0 is considered to be the eventual fate of cryptographic money. India ought to be leading in the front by 2047 with efficient strategies. Bitcoin is an open-source peer-to-peer cryptocurrency that uses Blockchain technology. It is completely decentralized and every user has a voice. To put in simpler words, they are said to be the Wild West of internet. There are no fixed set of rules or protocols mentioned. Since they are spread across the world, they are not bound by any single country’s laws either. According to RBI, bitcoin is often misused to carry out illegal transactions as it provides anonymity. While India doesn’t recognize Bitcoin as legal tender, it never forced nationals to stop using either. Thus, they are legally authorized to operate in India. Since the finance authorities of India view Blockchain as a great innovation, they are all up for adopting it. Believe it or not, India is predicted to have an exemplary future in the field of bitcoins. Nevertheless, the concept of cashless India has already come into magnanimous play.
Climate change is yet another cause of concern and is trending all over the world. The climate summit which happened recently in April 2022 suggested an astounding discovery that India’s domestic energy system is all set to move towards net-zero emissions by 2050. Proudly, India is one of the few countries on track to meet its Paris Agreement targets. Leading market players from various industries have come together for the very first time to pledge for near-zero emissions by 2050 through decarbonization actions. To reach this peak, India needs strong policies to deploy clean energy technologies on a massive scale. In accordance with the recent reports on climate change, India requires faster deployment of large-scale solar, wind and hydropower to enable greater electrification across the country. Energy efficiency must improve significantly along with carbon removals. It plays a critical role in moving towards the milestone of achieving zero emissions. Sustainable development is now trending worldwide because of its objectives. It is defined as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations. The eminent 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are a call for action by all countries to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They include zero hunger, no poverty, quality education, clean water and sanitation, etc. The SDGs were setup in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly with the intention of moving towards a better and safe environment for all. Consequently, the per capita income of the country increases.
“Future depends on what we do today.”
In conclusion, as responsible citizens of our country, we must all take oath to lead our Bharat towards the glorious path of development in all possible fields.