From Red Fort, reflection of nation's hopes

As India marks its 79th year of Independence, the tradition of the Prime Minister addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort remains more than a powerful and symbolic ritual reflecting the country's hopes, direction, and its evolving place in history.

- PREETHA NAIR @ New Delhi

Since the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, each speech has served as a mirror to the nation's political climate and collective mood. Nehru's "Tryst with Destiny," delivered just after midnight on August 15, 1947, remains a memorable Independence Day speech in India's history. It marked the nation's foundational moment, laying out the urgent priorities of tackling poverty, inequality, and the widespread challenges of ignorance and disease.