“A Tagorean prayer for the 21st century. A roof over the head, food on the plate, basic healthcare and education, for every Indian. Secularism sans hypocrisy, liberal thinking devoid of elitism, and a nationalism that respects our men and women in uniform. Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.”
TT Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance
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“Free thought, expression and action without fear or favour is freedom. Our great nation, with its cultural, philosophical and democratic heritage, enables us to do just this. To the women, I urge: let us empower ourselves with education and economic independence towards a holistic life in the realisation of our dreams.”
Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & Managing Director, TAFE
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“To me, freedom is synonymous with opportunity. The opportunity to say what’s on our mind, to make mistakes, to dream, the opportunity to translate our dreams to reality. Freedom isn’t something we wait for somebody to give us; we earn it and then defend it passionately.”
Ambareesh Murty, Co-Founder & CEO, Pepperfry
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“Freedom to me means the ability to run my life by my terms, be able to express myself the way I think is appropriate, and see that my children too have the ability to do the above without any fears.”
Meena Ganesh, CEO & MD, Portea Medical
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“Freedom to me means living in an India free from corruption and black money; a society where I am free to speak my mind without fear of oppression and harassment and a country where all fellow citizens get access to food, clean water, education and
healthcare.”
K Vaitheeswaran, e-commerce pioneer, author, Co-Founder, AGAIN Drinks
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“Freedom is very important to me personally because, as an entrepreneur, the freedom to take risks and express oneself is what drives you to start something of your own. I have always cherished the independence to take risks and make something valuable out of my skills.”
Ankit Garg, Founder, Wakefit
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“Independence for me is about being self-reliant and having the resources to lead a life of dignity. Bandhan Bank has empowered women in India by making them financially independent, thereby contributing to nation-building.”
Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, MD & CEO, Bandhan Bank Ltd
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“Independence is both a freedom and responsibility. It is freedom to choose what we want to do and concurrently responsibility to act in the larger interest of society and the nation. It is being self-reliant. It is being Atmanirbhar.”
Dilip Oommen, CEO, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel
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“Freedom means self-determination. It is what enables humanity to achieve its unlimited potential, without being beset by forced diktats or imagined constraints. Freedom is not just what makes dreams come true, it makes dreaming possible. And it obliges every free person to free another.”
Abhyuday Jindal, MD, Jindal Stainless
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“As an entrepreneur, freedom to me means the liberty to follow my passion, to innovate, disrupt and create a business which creates value for all stakeholders. Today, being ‘Atmanirbhar’ is the ultimate definition of freedom. I have always tried to create a self-reliant business which contributes to an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.”
Tulsi Tanti, Chairman & Managing Director, Suzlon Group
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“Freedom is the strength to follow our own path. Economic, financial and technological strength to give our people a good life. Moral strength and a national character that can be admired by the world. We have done a lot, and we have a lot to do.”
Vipul Tuli, Managing Director, Sembcorp Energy India Ltd
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I-Day messages
“There is widespread panic over the Covid-19 cases recorded worldwide. Yet, a bigger reality is that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancers and diabetes pose a bigger threat to the future of humanity, as they account for almost 80 per cent of all deaths, globally. Most of these NCDs can be reversed, if detected early, with a greater focus on preventive health. A determination to be free from NCDs should be our motto on Independence Day.”
Dr Prathap C Reddy Chairman, Apollo Hospital
“The country faces many challenges, and many opportunities. The Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, along with reforms in labour, land, education, tax, bets big on creating opportunities for 1.35 billion people. If all stakeholders join hands and implementation is meticulous, we will see the emergence of a new India as a knowledge and manufacturing hub.” BVR Mohan Reddy
Executive Chairman, Cyient