My Country: Means You and I Together

Bharat. Hindustan. India is an amazing country. It is home to over 1.3 billion people speaking 15 major languages and 844 different dialects.

India is a country blessed with all types of climates from freezing to tropical warmth. It will not be an exaggeration to say that India is a world within a country!

Historically, India has been a very accommodating country. Invaders who came to conquer ended up, in many cases, staying here. India is a bewildering amalgam of cultures, religions, speech, creeds, etc. giving it an ethos that is very distinctive in the world. There is no other country that can boast of such diversity and still remain united.

But the question that springs to my mind is what makes a country? Is it some lines drawn on a map, beyond which I need a passport to travel? Or is it an identity that is based on religion, language, caste, and the region as most political parties assert? If it was any of these things, India would have descended into chaos and confusion many an eon ago.

It is my thought that there is a very unique Indian-ness that this country has, which is beyond capture or description. It is this character that has all of us cheering people of Indian origin like Rishi Sunak, Kamala Harris and others achieve something. Even time, I hear cheers I am reminded of an interview I read many years ago. It was an interview with one of the first Indian-origin persons to join the British army. One of the questions that this person was asked during the interview was if India attacked Britain, whom would this guy support? The person answered, my loyalty is with Britain. He was selected. So, just because someone is of Indian origin doesn’t make him an Indian.

If birth does not make one an Indian, then what does? Before answering this question let’s look at our country.

Right from the heights of the Himalayas to the backwaters of Kerala, there are all types of people. From the ultra-rich to the utter poor all call themselves Indians. It is this indescribable quality that forces people to leave their homes and defend the country against enemies. In spite of innumerable scandals, scams, etc, India continues to survive and thrive. It is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

If you ask me, it is this unity that makes a country and not borders drawn along languages, religions and ideologies.

Yes, India is a country because of you dear reader and me together. If we remember this union no divisive forces, internal or external can separate us.

In the end, I want to share a finding that I read about some time ago. In this finding, the researcher asked Special Forces- Delta, SEALS, SAS and others, whether they fought their enemies because of God, the leaders or the country. Most of the Special Forces answered, they fought for their brothers standing next to them.

Yes, it is my brother (Fellow Indian) next to me in unity that makes my country, India.