My Country, My Pride

Good morning to one and all present here. I feel extremely honored to welcome this whole throng today. Dear students and respected teachers, please put your hands together for the troupe from Cambridge University.

Atithi Devo Bhava- the guest is God. This Sanskrit verse from the Hindu scripture has become part of the code of conduct for not only the Hindu society but for the whole Indian nation. The Ministry of Tourism recently endorsed this verse in their campaign to improve the treatment of tourists in our nation. We hope we adhere to this tradition and offer you intense care and make your visit in our country memorable.

Our country is home to one of the oldest civilizations of the world- the Indus Valley civilization. As time has passed, India has grown with the world and has kept up pace with the major nations all around the world. But, what keeps us at a different level from the world is our diverse culture.

Supporting a population of 1.2 billion people, India is one of the most populated nations. Comprising of 28 states and 7 union territories, our nation has several, and by that I mean a huge amount, languages which are used on a day-to-day basis in petty conversation by people. But, I would say that even though this nation is divided into around thirty parts, the people always stand united; be it for the fight for independence or be it against the black evils of corruption and terrorism.

The religious hub not only for Hindus, our nation is home to almost all of the religions in the world. Four of the major religions have originated in this country- Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism- and the other religions of Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism made their way into this nation soon after that. This is the only nation in the world, where every human has several Gods in which he believes from the bottom of his heart.

India has not been at all backward in the regions of the arts. Carnatic and Hindustani music are the major streams of music which evolved in India and are now practiced by renowned musicians all around the world. But this is only the music side. Frescos and other visual art forms have also been omnipresent in our country since historical times. Rock temples and unique sculptures have been excavated and uncovered at each and every place in this country. Bharatnatyam, Kathak and other extraordinary dance forms have also progressed to rule the dance world globally. There are troupes like yours which are attracted to these vivid arts and they approach our nation to get knowledge of these unique dances.

As I move on to the scientific history of this nation, I can proudly say that Aryabhatta, a fellow countryman was the brain behind the zero. In the current labour market, it is statistically confirmed that India is successful in producing the best engineers. Also, medical treatment in India is world renowned and people from high and low visit our country to get treated from varied ailments.

Last but not the least; the Indian economy is one of the countries which recovered from the global recession some years ago. A nation developing at a rate faster than many nations, India manages to employ a major part of its population rather than be faced with unemployment issues. A major hub for the software industry, India earns in earnest.

Unity, harmony and peace. These words signify what is important for each and every Indian. We live for our country. We care for our guests and treat them like God. We are present at every stage in the production process, from agriculture to the services industry. We try to be happy and to keep others happy and that is evident as we have one of the largest tourism sectors all around the world.

I hope you all enjoy your stay in our diverse nation, and feel our treatment satisfactory. Thank you.