Patriotism is supreme love and concern for one’s motherland. A true patriot is willing to sacrifice everything, even his life, to safeguard the honour and integrity of his country. The history of our freedom struggle is full of great patriots who fought for freedom of the nation from the British Rule.
A patriot has no religion, caste or community. He is a nationalist for whom the country comes first, always and everywhere.
Patriotism is not merely limited to sacrificing oneself for the nation. It also means that we contribute to the cause of nation building in whatever capacity we work. Whether we are a farmer, govt servant, corporate, businessman, student, teacher or a home maker, we can play our part in the process of national progress.
If we abide by the law, display love and affection to fellow citizens, promote harmony among all communities, be honest in our profession, we are a patriot in our own way.
Even when we pay our taxes honestly we are a true patriot because the same money is utilized by the govt for development works.
Our History
During our freedom struggle the whole country united together irrespective of caste creed or religion against the British rule. The saga of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev will always remain embedded in the memory of country men for rest of the history.
These patriots went to the gallows singing songs of love for the country. Their martyrdom shook the very foundation of the mighty British empire. Chander Sekhar Azad, Lala Lajpat Rai, Subhash Chander Bose are other leaders who fought tooth and nail for the freedom of the nation.
Subhash Chander Bose formed Indian National Army to fight the Britishers militarily by joining hands with many nations of the world. Thousands of national leaders and freedom fighters were imprisoned and tortured in cellular jail in Port Blair.
The govt of India has now converted that jail into a memorial for all these patriots who were subjected to inhuman treatment by the then rulers.
After independence in the year 1947 India has fought four wars with Pakistan and China. Many officers and jawans of our Armed Forces have displayed exemplary courage and valour and made supreme sacrifice during these wars to protect the honour and integrity of the nation .
The legends of Capt Vikram Batra, Capt Saurab Kalia, Flyng Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon , Capt Mulla, Lt Khetarpal and many more are now part of heroic folklore of the country. The last battle cry of Capt Batra, ‘’Yeh Dil Maange More’’ symbolises the never dying spirit of a soldier.
The names of all those martyrs are inscribed on the walls of India Gate. The eternal flame at Amar Jawan Jyothi is a glowing tribute to our brave soldiers and nation’s gratitude to these braves.
All visitors on daily basis pay their homage . On 26 January and other national days , President, Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force offer their salute to these martyrs on behalf of the nation.
There is a Need!
To instill the spirit of nationalism among our coming generation we need to create an awareness about the sacrifices of these patriots in schools and colleges. School text books must include the lives of our national heroes. These topics must be the subject of debates, discussions and various other competitions.
Electronic and print media should screen films and movies on the subject. Our roads, highways, projects, halls and stadiums should be named after the martyrs to keep their memory alive.
Conclusion
Patriotism is not merely a word, it is a spirit, a passionate feeling for fellow citizens, intense love for the country, deep respect for the law of the land, loyalty to the nation and gratitude towards our martyrs.
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