EVEN as the year 2024 rings out and New Year 2025 rings in, the overarching feeling is of continuance of promise of prosperity that India has been experiencing for the past few years. No matter the political narrative claiming otherwise, the overall feeling in the heads and hearts of majority of Indians is that the country is moving on an upward growth trajectory that seems to have no reason to wane or slow down. This is because of the substantial steps taken by the country -- that is its Government and its people -- to weave value into the collective thought and action in every possible field. The promise was spurring people’s confidence into the collective national capability to build a great future for the country. In 2025, this promise promises to get enhanced further.

 

The year 2024 was special in many ways. But the most predominant activity India saw in 2024 was the Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent elections in some States. In the Lok Sabha elections, fortunes seemed to swing in one direction -- somewhat away from Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party and the grand National Democratic Alliance, -- but also experienced a reverse swing in the Prime Minister’s favour. This see-saw in elections demonstrated once again that false narratives built by the Opposition camp did not have much support in the larger polity. And that set the tone for a further leap forward for the nation in multiple terms encompassing many fields. There is no doubt that this promise will continue in 2025 as well. For, every positive effort is being made systematically to continue weaving the promise into national life at multiple levels. True, rather cantankerous politics may be hurting some sensibilities, all right.

 

Yet, the air is also filled with positive sounds and sights about how India is poised to achieve more and travel further and farther in the desired direction. The air is filled with a genuinely positive mood. Of course, the year ringing out also gave the people some anxieties as well, thanks to the conscious efforts by some elements -- mostly political -- to inject hatred in social socio-political discourse of the country. Questions popped up from the ground about the credibility and integrity of the social order as attacks on rationality, too, came in big measures -- hurting common people’s sensibility and sense of dignity. The efforts of some elements to drive a divisive wedge through the society were also visible in 2024, mostly from behind electoral smoke-screen. Yet, most thankfully, the divine ensured that all those designs failed -- as the nation and its society realised the power of genuine togetherness. The year ringing in promises to continue with a similar atmosphere, so to say. But it also promises to enhance the quality of national life in every possible field.

 

And the reason is simple: A careful multi-dimensional effort is being made by countless contributors to improve the texture and text of the national story -- the story of New India -- in the times to come, up to the centenary of Independence in 2047 and beyond. With that purpose firmly founded in the mind, the India of 2025 will surely work to achieve its goal in this year and beyond. But time it is to remind every Indian person -- in India or abroad -- of his or her duty towards the Indian nation in building its genuine Vishwa Guru status beyond the political narrative. Each one of us has to rise to the occasion and make serious contribution to national life in one’s own chosen field of interest and expertise to script a better story of New India. Time it is for us to push petty politics aside and ensure that the larger Indian society gets stronger in its sentiment of togetherness every passing day. The success of such a national endeavour will depend upon each Indian -- in corridors of power and in the streets of India.