This day, the 26^th of January, has been embedded in our history, minds and hearts and always fills our souls with the utmost respect for all those leaders, soldiers and people who sacrificed their lives for the nation. It is a moment of great pride and happiness when we all stand free and united & sing along the national song ‘Jan Gann Man’. We would sacrifice anything to stand back again in the school assembly with our friends and puff our chests while watching the hoisting of the national flag of India, or else to feel that rhythmic beating of the heart while watching the national flag go up. The feeling is incomparable.

Here’s a list of 4 of the most inspirational speeches given on republic day:

1. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the Former President of India

Dr. Kalam brought forth the epitome of a free nation, which is the free mind. He has always inspired us with his huge amount of knowledge and motivational stories. In his Republic Day speech in 2007, Kalam sir spoke about the development of society, eradication of poverty and the importance of science.

“In the eighties, children always used to ask me questions such as “When can I sing the Song of India?” Today, the youth are asking me, “What I can give to India?” This shows that the nation is on a positive growth trajectory…”

“In Indian history, our nation has come across a situation, all at a time, an ascending economic trajectory, continuously rising foreign exchange reserves, increasing domestic investment with investors’ confidence rising steadily, global successes of Indian managerial and entrepreneurial talents, global recognition of technological competence, energy of 540 million youth, umbilical connectivity’s of more than 25 million people of Indian origin in various parts of the planet and the interest shown by many developed countries to invest in our engineers and scientists through setting up of new Research and Development Centers in India…”

2. B.R. Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution

He was the first person to chalk out the guidelines and norms of our Indian constitution. His speech on this Republic Day was one of a kind-

“On 26th January 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics, we will have equality and in social and economic structure, continue to deny the principle of one man one value.

How long shall we continue to live this life of contradictions? How long shall we continue to deny equality in our social and economic life? If we continue to deny it for long, we will do so only by putting our political democracy in peril. We must remove this contradiction at the earliest possible moment else those who suffer from inequality will blow up the structure of democracy which this Constituent Assembly has so laboriously built up…”

“Our object in framing the Constitution is rally two-fold: (1) To lay down the form of political democracy, and (2) To lay down that our ideal is an economic democracy and also to prescribe that every Government whatever is in power shall strive to bring about economic democracy. The directive principles have a great value, for they lay down that our ideal is economic democracy.”

3. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Former Vice President of India

On Republic Day 1997, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma inspired the whole nation by recalling the words of a forgotten hero- Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

“I recall the inspiring words of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, whose birth ceremany we are celebrating this year. In a broadcast over the Azad Hind Radio on the 19th of February, 1942, Netaji had said: ”Through India’s liberation, will Asia and the world move forward towards the larger goal of human emancipation.”

“Almost fifty years have passed since India became free. Half a century may not seem much to us Indians as citizens of a nation whose history spans several thousands of years. Yet this period is special, as our ancient nation renews itself, recreates itself, and rediscovers, absorbs and assimilates the essentials of the democratic way of life…”

“…Tomorrow when we unfurl the national tricolor, let us salute our flag of freedom, reiterate our national resolve and rededicate ourselves to our motherland. The greatest democracy in the world must prove herself as a powerful force striving for universal values and ideals and contributing to global peace, friendship and progress. Brothers and sisters, may reason guide us and may every citizen be a light unto himself and a friend to his neighbor. So may India be glorious.”

“Jai Hind!”

4. Pranab Mukherjee, the Current President of India

The president of India, Pranab Mukherjee, in his 2013 Republic Day speech spoke about the importance of women safety in India. The shameful incident of Nirbhaya left the nation deeply scarred, which ignited many people on that republic day.

“My Fellow Citizens

On the eve of our 64th Republic Day, I extend warm greetings to all of you in India and abroad. I convey my special greetings to members of our armed forces, paramilitary forces and internal security forces. India has changed more in last six decades than in six previous centuries. This is neither accidental nor providential; history shifts its pace when touched by vision. The great dream of raising a new India from the ashes of colonialism reached a historic denouement in 1947; more important, independence became a turning point for an equally dramatic narrative, nation-building. The foundations were laid through our Constitution, adopted on 26 January 1950, which we celebrate each year as Republic Day. Its driving principle was a compact between state and citizen, a powerful public-private partnership nourished by justice, liberty and equality…”

“The time has now come to ensure gender equality for every Indian woman. We can neither evade nor abandon this national commitment, for the price of neglect will be high. Vested interests do not surrender easily. The civil society and the government must work together to fulfill this national goal.

Fellow Citizens:

I speak to you when a grave tragedy has shattered complacency. The brutal rape and murder of a young woman, a woman who was symbol of all that new India strives to be, has left our hearts empty and our minds in turmoil. We lost more than a valuable life; we lost a dream.

If today young Indians feel outraged, can we blame our youth?

There is a law of the land. But there is also a higher law. The sanctity of a woman is a directive principle of that larger edifice called Indian civilization. The Vedas say that there is more than one kind of mother: birth mother, a guru’s wife, a king’s wife, a priest’s wife, she who nurses us, and our motherland. Mother is our protection from evil and oppression, our symbol of life and prosperity. When we brutalize a woman, we wound the soul of our civilization…”

“…Even the British sensed that they were leaving a land which was very different from the one they had occupied. At the base of the Jaipur Column in Rashtrapati Bhavan there is an inscription:

“In thought faith…

In word wisdom…

In deed courage…

In life service…

So may India be great

The spirit of India is written in stone.”

Jai Hind.