It was the sea route discovered in 1498 by Vasco da Gama that opened the doors to other countries to enter India. I would like to say ‘Invade India.’ The Spanish and the Portuguese were the dominant two in trading with India. With the destruction of the Spanish Armada in 1588 The Dutch and the British began to take an active role in trading with India called (East Indies). The Dutch were leading in trade and called themselves The Dutch East India Company. They became powerful. The British could not of course lag behind, and so the Queen in 1600 gave the right to 200 merchants to trade in the East Indies. They were called the Governor and Company of Merchants of London, to later be called the East India Company. The reason, the start, for us wanting our Indepence.
All who came to India made their presence felt by building their offices and forts in India. One such nation was Britain. It became the major force…The British Raj. They continued ruling us for a 150 years. I guess if it were not for a handful of few who at the beginning rose in Revolt, we may have not fought for our Independence.
The East India Company had its offices in Madras, Calcutta and Bombay.
1757 was the turning point for the East India Company with the Battle of Plassey when Suraj Ud Daula rose in revolt against the British. The British East India Company began to take full administrative powers in their hands. The Battle of Buxor once again gave them control over strategic areas Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. The company began to grow through the 1600’s and 1700’s in the trade of textiles.
The First War of Independence in 1857 ‘The Sepoy Mutiny’ started in May and these revolts continued till December 1857. Reasons were many. The main being the cartridges being lined with cow and pig fat. The other was the killing of a soldier by Mangal Pandey and then the hanging of Mangal Pandey that was not received well.
The following period became one of great importance. Mind sets changed. Indians became more aware of their social rights, and social movements became the order of the day. Leaders began to emerge. They persevered to remove social evils like caste system, illiteracy. They instilled confidence into people to help them remove the dominance of the British Raj.
Social and religious leaders, and freedom fighters like Swami Vivekananda, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Rabidranath Tagore, Dadabhai Naoriji, Sri Auarobindo, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Lala Lajpari, Rani Laxmi Bai, Chandrashekar Azad, Rajendra Prasad, Mahatma Gandhi, and many others inspired people. The list is endless!!
Lokmanya Tilak voiced, “Swaraj is my Birthright.” This became the slogan, the policy, the philosophy in the following years to gain independence.
We had people of stature then. People who loved India and wanted to see India free from the British Rule. Who wanted Unity and Harmony in India. They died for us, so that we may be free.
And 15th August, 1947 was the day when we got our Freedom.
Today to find legends like them who sacrificed their life for our Independence in a heartbeat among us common people, is a challenge. We are so wrapped up in our own bubble, to fulfill our dreams which is not wrong; however, in the process forget that we have a Nation to look after and not just ourselves.
We are the citizens of India and need to inculcate true patriotism for the nation, where we can stop ourselves from being so greedy that it leads to corruption, bloodshed, hate, and other evil doings.
“One individual may die for an idea; but that idea will, after his death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives. That is how the wheel of evolution moves on and the ideas and dreams of one nation are bequeathed to the next.” – Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
In the recent past a movement has begun. IT IS CALLED 10 UP. A TEAM OF 40 PLUS WHO ARE IN THEIR OWN LITTLE WAYS SPREADING PEACE, LOVE, AND SOCIAL MESSAGES TO HELP BRING SOME CHANGE IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE OF INDIA. THEY DO IT WITH LOTS OF FUN AND LOVE PERSEVERING TO SPREAD JOY WHILST WORKING ON SENSITIVE ISSUES.
SEVERAL ACTIVIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONDUCTED AND PEOPLE ARE AWAKENED. WE AT 10UP WILL CONTINUE TILL OUR LAST BREATH DOING WHAT WE CAN TO INSPIRE.
THE 10UP TEAM FOR INDPENDENCE DAY MADE A SHORT VIDEO TO ONCE AGAIN BUILD IN PEOPLE THE SPIRIT OF PATRIOTISM. THE MEMBERS SPENT AN ENTIRE DAY TO GET THE SHOTS RIGHT, TO BRING IN PASSION IN EVERY SHOT IN-ORDER TO TRANSFER THIS PASSION AND LOVE FOR THE NATION ONTO OTHERS.
My plea to all who read this, build in you and your child love for the nation. Build in them moral values and a belief system that will once again change the face of India. We can do this in little ways.
DON’T WAIT. START NOW!
