What is Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav? What is the purpose of the festival? What are the Activities and programmes associated with them? What are the five themes of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav? Read here to know more.
It is important to keep celebrating 75 years of India’s independence in order to keep patriotism awake and to develop more sensible and sensitive citizens in the country.
As a commemoration of India’s 75 years of independence, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is celebrated to pay homage to India’s freedom movement and freedom fighters.
What is Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav?
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is a pan-India celebration of the 75 years of India’s independence. This campaign is being manifested through the organisation of cultural events across the country.
Each event is organized with the objective of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in mind–to ensure maximum “Jan Bhagidari” (participation from India’s citizens) while following a “Whole of Government” approach (seamless coordination amongst all the Ministries, States and Union Territories of India).
This Mahotsav is dedicated to the people of India who have not only been instrumental in bringing India thus far in its evolutionary journey but also hold within them the power and potential to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of activating India 2.0, fuelled by the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-dependent India).
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: The Purpose of the Festival
- During this celebration, the country will remember all the significant landmarks during India’s independence movement. India will gain new power for future growth, and Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav reminisces about the elixir of the value of freedom.
- It has been 7 decades since independence which notifies that 3 generations have come and they need to know the stories of the first generation who fought and sacrificed for the better of the country without thinking about their individual goods and families.
- The Mahotsav is inclusive of events that depict the exiles of freedom fighters and inspire us to learn from them and their dedication to the nation. The celebration is an effort to make us understand the importance of selflessness and the importance of love for one’s country.
- The Mahotsav symbolizes the awakening of the nation, the festival of fulfilling the dream of good governance and of global peace and development.
- It echoes motivation from freedom warriors, new visions, new resolutions, and self-dependence. And strives to facilitate the youth and scholars to shoulder the accountability for fulfilling the country’s efforts in recording the history of our Independence fighters. Furthermore, it aims to showcase the accomplishments of the independence movement to the world.
- The children of the schools through this get the opportunity to see and learn and understand the struggles of freedom fighters. They also get to understand the real meaning of freedom once they get to know the efforts it took to get it.
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Inauguration and Closure
- On 12th March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi started Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram for the awakening of self-reliance and self-respect in the country.
- On this very day in 2021, the symbolic Dandi Yatra was started by our PM, Mr Narendra Modi, marking the revival of our journey of self-reliance and self-respect thus beginning Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in Ahmedabad, the largest city of Gujarat.
- The PM flagged off a 21-day Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram on the same day. This festival was launched in the cities that were notable centres of the freedom battle.
- The prominent hubs include Jallianwala Bagh in Punjab, Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Island, etc.
- The Padyatra flagged off by PM, undertaken by 81 marchers from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari, a journey of 241 miles ended on 5th April, lasting for 25 days.
- This festival will run till next year. The final event of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav will be celebrated on the next Independence day, i.e., the 15th of August 2023.
Implementation Committee:
- The government has also set up a 259-member high-level national committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence.
- A National Implementation Committee headed by the Home Minister has been constituted to chalk out policies and planning of various events to be undertaken under the Commemoration.
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav: Activities and programmes
- At the curtain-raiser, activities got inaugurated under the theme name India@75. Namely, a website, film, song, Aatmanirbhar Incubator and Aatmanirbhar Charkha.
- Various social and cultural programmes will be organised at the festival along with demonstrations of technological and scientific achievements.
- People are taking part in rallies, competitions, donations, etc. People are also showcasing their talents and are trying to contribute to the nation. Many paintings, dance performances, poems, speeches, songs and even sculptures are being presented to support the nation’s development.
- Cultural programmes presenting the celebration of the indomitable spirit of the country will also be organized. It will include music, dance, recitation, and reading of the Preamble (each line in a different language, representing the different regions of the country).
- Depicting the youth power, as the future of India, there will be 75 voices in the choir as well as 75 dancers in the event.
- A website called www.india75.nic. it has been launched at the beginning of Amrit Mahotsav. It talks about the concept of a better India. There will also be a discussion on developments taking place in India. Every language and every state is included in it. The project of projecting India on the world stage will also be done through this web portal.
- PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a website for Amrit Mahotsav. In addition, an ‘Atmanirbhar Incubator’ was embarked on that seeks to help almost 40,000 households involved in conventional art.
- The coins of Re 1, Rs 2, 5, 10 and 20 denominations were launched. These coins will have the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) design. These coins have also been made visually impaired-friendly. Coins are not commemorative coins but will be a part of the circulation. These new series of coins will remind citizens of the goal of Amrit Kal. It will also motivate people to work towards the development of India. Coins were launched on the occasion of the Iconic Week Celebration.
Five themes of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
The government of India has proposed five themes for Amrit Mahotsav: Struggle for independence, ideas of 75 years, achievements of 75 years, actions of 75 years and resolutions of 75 years. Let’s take a look at them.
1) Freedom struggle: Commemorating milestones in history, unsung heroes etc.
- This theme anchors our commemoration initiatives under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
- It helps bring alive stories of unsung heroes whose sacrifices have made freedom a reality for us and also revisits the milestones, freedom movements etc. in the historical journey to 15 August 1947.
- Programmes under this theme include Birsa Munda Jayanti (Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas), Declaration of Provisional Government of Free India by Netaji, Shaheed Diwas etc.
The sub-themes for this theme are:
- Movements & Struggles freedom movements
- Forgotten Heroes; Stories of Unsung heroes, freedom fighters
- Milestones; key milestones during the freedom struggle and
- Ideas-ideas that inspired the struggle for independence
2) Ideas@75: Celebrating ideas and ideals that have shaped India
- This theme of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav focuses on programmes and events inspired by ideas and ideals that have shaped us and will guide us as we navigate through this period of Amrit Kaal (25 years between India@75 and India@100).
- The world as we knew it is changing and a new world is unfolding. The strength of our convictions will determine the longevity of our ideas.
- Events and programmes under this theme include popular, participatory initiatives that help bring alive India’s unique contribution to the world.
- These include events and initiatives such as Kashi Utsav dedicated to Hindi literary luminaries from the land of Kashi, Post Cards to Prime Minister wherein more than 75 lakh children are writing their vision of India in 2047 and their impressions of unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle.
The sub-themes under this theme are:
- Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
- National Security
- Innovation, Peace & Unity
- Ideas of India
- Development
- Sustainability
- Justice
3) Resolve@75: Reinforcing commitments to specific goals and targets
- This theme of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav focuses on our collective resolve and determination to shape the destiny of our motherland.
- The journey to 2047 requires each one of us to rise up and play our part as individuals, groups, civil society, institutions of governance etc. Only through our collective resolve, well-laid-out action plans and determined efforts will ideas translate into actions.
- Events and programmes under this theme include initiatives such as Constitution Day, Good Governance Week etc. that help bring alive our commitment towards the ‘PLANET AND PEOPLE’ while being driven by a deep sense of PURPOSE.
The sub-themes for this theme are:
- India 2.0; Vision for India in 2047
- Sector-specific aspirations
- Involve all sections; Youth, Students, Entrepreneurs, Diaspora, etc.
- Articulation of goals and targets for the above
4) Action@75: Highlighting steps being taken to implement policies and actualise commitments.
- All the efforts that are being undertaken to help India take its rightful position in the new world order, emerging in a post covid world by highlighting the steps being taken to implement policies and actualise commitments is the theme of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
- Prime Minister Modi’s clarion call of SABKA SAATH, SABKA VIKAS, SABKA VISHWAS, SABKA PRAYAS is driven force of Action@75.
- It encompasses Government policies, schemes, and action plans along with commitments from businesses, NGOs, and civil society that helps actualise our ideas and help us collectively create a better tomorrow.
- Programmes under this theme include initiatives such as Gati Shakti – National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity
The sub-themes of the theme are:
- Swachha Bharat
- Swastha Bharat; Ayushman Bharat, Aarogya Bharat
- Atmanirbhar Bharat
- Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
- One Nation One Ration Card Unifying Agricultural Markets;
- Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas
- Skill India
- Digital India
- National Education Policy
- GST
5) Achievements@75: Showcasing evolution and progress across different sectors
- This theme of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav focuses on marking the passage of time and all our milestones along the way.
- It is intended to grow into a public account of our collective achievements as a 75-year-old independent country with a legacy of 5000+ years of ancient history.
- Events and programmes under this theme include initiatives such as Swarnim Vijay Varsh dedicated to the victory of 1971, the launch of Shreshtha Yojana during Mahaparinirvan Diwas etc.
The sub-themes under this theme are:
- Women@75
- Village@75
- Youth@75
- Environment@75
- Diaspora@75
- Defence@75
- Economy@75
Conclusion:
‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ festival celebrates the rapid strides that India has taken in the past 75 years. This festival encourages us to rediscover our hidden strengths and prompts us to take sincere, synergistic action to regain our rightful place in the comity of nations.
Through the celebration, India can create a vision for 2047 and also take deep steps to attain Making Bharat Vishwa Guru.
Article written by: Aseem Muhammed
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