HYDERABAD: This Indepenendce Day, Hyderabadi youth tell us if they found any person living or dead, a book or a movie character that has made them fall in love with their homeland. From revolutionary leaders such as Bhagat Singh to a fictional character like Captain Karan Shergill from the movie Lakshya, they found the josh for their country. Pity, they did not find anyone alive right now who is inspiring, though!
Woh mera lakshya hai
Woh Mera Lakshya Hai - This epic dialogue from my all-time favourite film Lakshya inspires me every time I feel low. It’s based on a character who is a college-going student and initially is aimless in life, one day he decides to join the Indian Army and appears for the exam. Later, when he reaches academy and encounters obstacles during training, he runs away from the academy and goes to meet his girlfriend. Captain) Karan Shergill’s life changes completely when his girlfriend humiliates him for doing so, and from then on, he works hard and completes his training. The film comes to an end with people appreciating his courage for capturing the peak in Kargil during the 1999 Kargil war. It is the character’s love for his duty and motherland that is seen when he receives a call from his senior to return to the duty in the mid of his leave and without even thinking twice, he returns to his posting. The key message here is to stay focused on your aim and not to give up when you face obstacles. This 2004 film of Hrithik Roshan makes me fall in love with my motherland and tells me that it’s worth taking risks to protect this land.
— Vayshnavi Desai, Pursuing Bachelor of Computer Applications, Bhavan’s Vivekananda Degree College
Bhagat is my hero forever
There are innumerable books that can influence our lives. However, when it comes to nationalism and pride for once motherland the works and writings of Bhagat Singh are something which can transform an ordinary person into affairs into a fierce patriot. The two books of Bhagat Singh which I personally often read are Without Fear – the Life of Bhagat Singh by Kuldeep Nayar and The Bhagat Singh Reader by Chamanlal. The former deals with his life while the latter with his writings. These books have taught me that despite the greatest of all storms, despite every failure – the lamp of hope should never extinguish from our hearts nor should the fire burn out from our soul. This nation is our home and it is us who will have to do something. That is what Bhagat Singh’s writing have taught me, to be a man, a good man and an Indian, a proud Indian.
Rajrup C, Graduate in BA Psychology. Literature and Journalism
Tricolour gives me goosebumps
“I am the son of two mothers, one who gave me birth, and the other my country. When she calls me, I shall hear and I shall heed for she sings to me in my hour of need.” Growing in a defence background, an environment where the interests of the nation stood before anything else, my love for my country was something that was imbibed in me from childhood. It was the very people around me who showed me the true meaning of patriotism. The first person to inspire me is my father, an officer in the Indian Army for more than 30 years now, and has been a part of the Kargil war and the second person to inspire is Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, both of whom defined the true meaning of the words – ‘The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time.’ These words echoed in my mind at every point and stage of my life and all I could ever think of was how I could do something for my motherland, something that would make her proud. Being an ex-Gentleman Cadet myself, all it requires is the sight of the tricolour or the tune of the national anthem to fill me with pride and patriotism towards India and take me back to the same thought again and again that ‘I am proud to be an Indian.’
— Roshan Mathew, Ex-Gentleman Cadet, Pursuing BSc Math, Statistics and Computer Science
Salaam Dr Kalam!
When I was young, I wasn’t that patriotic. I loved my country but then I never thought to do something for my country. But my dad is a really big fan and a follower of our former President APJ Abdul Kalam. I used to respect him but never idolised Kalamji like my dad. until I read the book Wings of Fire’ written by him. His life story moved me. He believed that the power of making India a developed nation lies in the hands of youngsters. He spent all his life to encourage and motivate students. He is one of the many reasons I love my motherland more and the reason I joined NCC. My dad was really thrilled when I decided to be a part of NCC. If I really have a chance to do something for my country I wouldn’t even think twice. Joining NCC has bought drastic changes in my life. Being an NCC cadet is a great honour and I feel we are unique and can fight for anything at any time. The feeling of pride when you put on your uniform makes you die for the country and that has brought more love towards my motherland.
— Perla Sahithi, NCC Cadet (B certificate) Pursuing BSc Chemical Technology