difference between present time and freedom struggle
Answers
Their stories are embedded in our collective consciousness. Even today, 62 years after they won us our independence, India’s freedom fighters never fail to make us feel good about ourselves. Many of our roads, stadiums and parks are named after them. For over six decades, they have inspired our books, music, theatre, films, and even comic books. But some of us are not content to live with the sepia memories of the unadorned, unfussy men and women who changed our history; some of us believe the fight for freedom isn’t over yet. The British may have gone, but today’s freedom fighters wage a war that is, in some ways, tougher than the one that was fought back then. India’s modern-day freedom fighters fight the enemies within us—they help us conquer our fears and prejudices and protect what should be sacred to us. They work hard to guard our forests, preserve our cultural differences, help us dream of a better future, instil self-confidence in women and ensure that our children will smile. And they do it with the same zeal that was found in abundance in the India of the 1930s and 1940s. When the Delhi high court effectively decriminalized homosexuality in a recent order on section 377, modern-day freedom fighters rejoiced.
To celebrate Independence Day, we entered a world where people still fight for the idea of India. This is not an exhaustive list of people—and we fought our own battle before we finalized it. We tried to pick people you haven’t read too much about. So, enjoy the issue and get inspired!