Independence: A Question We Must Keep Asking

Mrinal Chatterjee

Window Seat

We Indians celebrated Independence Day on 15 August 1947—the day colonial rule ended and India became politically free. Every Independence Day we remember the freedom fighters, the tricolour, the midnight speech, and the sacrifices that made independence possible. Yet, after nearly eight decades, perhaps the more meaningful question is: independence from what, and independence for what?

In 1947, independence meant freedom from foreign political domination. But political independence was only the beginning. The deeper struggle was—and remains—freedom from poverty, illiteracy, hunger, inequality, fear and indignity. It meant creating a society in which every citizen could live with dignity and participate meaningfully in democracy.

Today, colonial rule is history. But other forms of dependence and domination continue to challenge our freedom. Are we free when prejudice determines opportunity? Are we free when misinformation manipulates our choices? Are we free when technology captures our attention and quietly shapes our preferences? Are we free when economic inequality limits the choices available to millions?

Independence, therefore, is not merely about who governs us. It is also about whether we possess the capacity to govern ourselves—our impulses, prejudices, desires and fears. A society can be politically free yet intellectually dependent, technologically vulnerable, socially unequal or psychologically captive.

The freedom struggle demanded courage: the courage to resist an empire. The challenge before us is different but equally profound—the courage to question ourselves.

Perhaps the best way to celebrate Independence Day is not simply to ask what India has achieved, but what kind of freedom we are creating for the next generation.

Independence is not a historical event completed in 1947. It is a continuous project. Every generation must win it again—in its own circumstances, against its own forms of domination, and through its own understanding of freedom.

Lazy

Not many people including yours truly know that 10 August is observed in some countries as ‘Lazy Day’. I learnt this while scrolling social media on a lazy afternoon.

The day encourages people to slow down, rest, and take a break from busy routines. I cannot tell you about others, but I observe it every day, especially after retirement. And my wife is mighty displeased about it. She has been trying to change me- into activities. I, being a malleable husband, was giving in- till I found that 10 August is also observed as ‘Lions Day’. Lions sleep and rest for 16-20 hours a day. And the lion is considered the king of the forest. Now I have one solid reason for being lazy.

Lost in the Algorithms

As soon as we get up, we grab our mobile and scroll through. Minutes turn into hours. Small shots of dopamine keep us engaged with stuff we do not even need to know. That’s modern living for you. It has turned the evolutionary process on its head, as public intellectual Yuval Noah Harari, one of the foremost thinkers of present times, explains at length.

Gist of his explanation has been put succinctly in just four words printed on a banyan: Lost in the Algorithms.

Tail Piece: Guarantee

I went to buy an umbrella.

 The Shopkeeper said, “Take this one, it’ll last for over 3 years. I offer a two years guarantee. Just follow some precautions while using it.”

I asked the shopkeeper, “What precautions?”

He said, “Just avoid the sun and the rain.”