A little girl from North East once asked Dr Kalam an innocent question during his typical Q&A with School children. Dr Kalam has quoted this question many times thereafter as an anecdote to bring home a point to Indian adults. The Qn she asked, “When can I sing a song of India?”
Dr Kalam asked a counter question to her, “Why do you ask this question?”. She replied, “My cousin who lives in USA visits us every year and she can’t stop telling us about the greatness of her Nation; She brings gifts and toys carrying the national symbols over the articles; She has many; As long as she stays in India, she talks nonstop about her country, as if she is singing a long ode praising her country, where she was born to immigrant parents”
We have lived here for many generations and we are not a society built by immigrants. Our culture is rich. We have our 70 wonders, not just the Tajmahal or Konark. We are home to all the different faiths and world views. We are the Yoga Sutra of human race with the Universe. I can go on and on. It’s time to answer that small innocent girl.
It’s time to Sing our Song of India. The song of a New India that is spiritually, culturally and materially a truly Developed India. Let’s be proud of our diversity, our tradition and our modernity, and be proud to sing a song of Developed India.