By Tharegha Manoharan

India is a diverse country with many different people, cultures, religions, traditions, languages, and beliefs. Made up of 28 states and 8 union territories, it is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal, the Great Himalayas and the majestic Indian Ocean. Despite the differences between the territories, borders, and individuals, India is a united country, accepting of its differences.

Because India was such a rich power, the British came to India and attempted to take over the country. That is also why Christopher Columbus wanted to find India. When he went looking for a sea route to India, he landed in America instead and mistook the Native Americans who lived there to be Indians. However, after years of struggle under British rule, India won her independence on August 15, 1947. As we all know, our great Indian independence leader, an inspiring patriot, and a hero to all, Mohandas Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, called the awaited agreement between India and British to be the “noblest act of the British nation”. With such a great motivational history, people all over the world celebrate Indian Independence Day in remembrance of our brave soldiers and the sacrifice of our citizens.

Since independence, India has grown and is still growing in all categories. India is the world’s largest democracy and, with 1.3 billion people, has the second largest population in the world. It is the most diverse country on the planet as it has more than 19,500 languages and dialects spoken across the country.

Speaking to my parents and other adults who immigrated here, I know one of the major reasons they moved to the United States was to provide their future generations with better and more opportunities than they might have had. People sacrificed many things to keep their family happy. But once here some opportunities are not available to us in the United States that would be normal back in India. For example, parents and adults want their children to learn their mother tongue and culture. That is why organizations such as the India Society of Worcester and the ISW language school are so important. They help reinforce some valuable things we might have “left behind”. Luckily, the “homesickness” and pride in India’s culture helps create opportunities like they had as kids for their own children in the US. We should be proud of our nation’s history as we live in gratitude every day; but we should also use this to carve out a greater tomorrow.

Be safe, be kind, be proud and be happy.