VELLORE: We are no longer a third-world country and the outlook of the world towards India has changed, said Governor RN Ravi in Vellore on Sunday. The Governor was in the Fort City to participate in the 216th year of the Vellore Sepoy Mutiny.
He laid a wreath at the Memorial Pillar at Makkan Junction and addressed the INA veterans, ex-servicemen, family members of freedom fighters, NCC cadets, and students at Vellore Fort. Governor Ravi said, "The world is looking at India for leadership. India is at forefront in the pandemic and provided vaccines to more than 150 countries."
The changed outlook is reflected in the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi is received by leaders and people of developed countries and how our Indian diaspora can live and work in foreign countries with pride, Ravi said.
He said that now the Nation is marching forward with renewed confidence and determination to attain its goals with a sense of 'Kudumbam', a family all of inclusion. "This inclusive approach has started paying dividends as regional imbalances are reducing and every citizen has acccess to food, health, home, electricity, drinking water, education, employment, etc," Ravi said.
The Governor said that Vellore Mutiny seeded the fire of freedom nation-wide, which eventually led to India’s freedom. In this war, Indian soldiers from all over the country fought the British together.
Vellore has made immense contributions to our military and thereby defending the integrity and security of the Nation. He said that Tamil Nadu is Veer Bhumi and has given many freedom fighters like Veeramangai Natchiaar, Pulithevan, Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Theeran Chinnamalai and many.
India was systematically ruined by the British who tried to divide our people along several imaginary lines, he said, adding that how the geographic segments of India, North and South of Vindhya Range known as Panch Aryas and Panch Dravidas, were turned into racial divide to weaken the unity of the country.
While leaving India, the British not only partitioned the country but left some 600 independent countries within Bharat. He thanked Sardar Patel for uniting the country by removing the artificial and sinister divide of it. The Governor urged people on this solemn day at the Veera Bhoomi (valiant land) of Vellore, to contribute towards nation's progress.
He also urged the students to utilise the ample opportunities available in Modern India to succeed and dream big, thereby to make the nation a Great India as 'Ore Bharatham, Unnadha Bharatham'. District Collector P Kumaravel Pandian, SP S Rajesh Kannan, and other officials were present on the occasion.