Freedom is here to stay
Attained by blood and sweat
This freedom we’ll not trade
to curry favour with big nations
Our strength lies in our people
committed to values
instilled through generations
Clouds will float and serenade
Our Tricolor Flag flying atop
the highest peak, Mount Everest
And in every home across
the landmass, flags will fly high
to honour the heroes who
fought for independence
Blue skies overhead
will join in the celebrations.
In this 75th year of India’s Independence
Let us pledge allegiance
to our nation to protect
and preserve our land
from being partitioned
Let ‘tukra’ ‘tukra’ raising voices
Teflon coated, acid resistant
be drowned with “Hum hai ek”
And in this ‘ekata’ let us pledge
to respect and acknowledge
all our differences
Make society’s fabric
wrinkle-free, for all our citizens.
Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!
~Snigdha Agrawal
Bangalore, India