Just another holiday or a special day for young India? Here’s what gen-y has to say. What do you feel? tell t2@abp.in

Sayantani Bishnu

College: Jogamaya Devi College.

I-Day is: Not just another holiday, at least for me. Sadly, our freedom fighters, our national heroes and the nameless soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country mean little to most people today, especially the youth.

While I don’t expect my fellow Indians to don khadi and march on the road on this day, we should at least remember our heroes and pay our respect to those who have made it possible for us to enjoy our lavish lives and peaceful sleep.

I plan to attend a flag-hoisting ceremony near my house on Monday morning. Later in the day, I will perform at a local I-Day function.

Farzana Ali Khan

College: Bhawanipur Gujarati Education Society College.

I-Day is: Just a holiday. For most of us, the only emotion we feel on August 15 is joy — at having no classes the whole day!

The same goes for me. I plan to have a lie-in on Monday. Then I’ll start the day by having coffee and move on to browse at Crossword bookstore as I hardly get time for myself on regular days. Lunch will be with friends and dinner with family.

The thing is, Independence Day celebrations now have nothing to do with the youth. It is not that I am not patriotic, for me independence is just a subjective term and I feel that it cannot be applied to the society universally. We may be free from British rule but what about the prejudices, superstitions, fear of terrorism, communalism and casteism that still persist?

Arundhati Ghosh

College: Shri Shikshayatan College.

I-Day is: Just a holiday for me. Things change, so does mentality. It’s been 64 years since Independence and our patriotic spirit seems to have dimmed. While I am not belittling the significance of Independence Day, no one can deny that our lives have become a rat race and one feels weary to celebrate August 15.

But I don’t find that strange. Moreover it’s Independence Day, so one should spend it on one’s own terms rather than be forced to do something patriotic.

On this day, I sleep in and spend time with my family because it’s one of those rare days that everyone’s home.

Purab Sarkar

College: Techno India College.

I-Day is: Just another holiday. Thank god the British left! I do not know if India got true independence or not but I definitely got a day of complete freedom. And it is a long weekend this time, which makes this holiday even better.

I’m going to get up late, enjoy free laddoos from the para flag-hoisting ceremony, have tea with my buddies and talk about trivial politics. But yes, I will watch some patriotic movies. I intend to feel relaxed and free.

Sana Ahmed

College: Presidency University.

I-Day is: Not just a holiday. It would be unfair to dub Independence Day “just another holiday”. Apart from being a time to pay tribute to the great men and women who laid down their lives for a noble cause, it is also a day to remember that India is not free from the clutches of economic disparity, corruption and all the vices that prevent us from becoming a great nation.

I-Day is a day to revive our patriotic spirit and renew our resolve to take our homeland to the pinnacle of glory and realise the dreams of our freedom fighters.

Waled Adnan

College: Presidency University.

I-Day is: Not just another holiday. In 2009, I saw the Tricolour being unfurled at the gate of my hostel. It is probably the most common way of marking this day, but it was special for me since it was my first I-Day celebration. Till last year, August 15 meant threats by terror groups in my hometown, Shillong. The significance of I-Day is lost on the generations that haven’t actually seen or been brought up on stories of the freedom struggle. The only ones who still feel the spirit of Independence are those who are deprived of it, like those living in the conflict-ridden zones of the Northeast or Kashmir.

But all is not lost, only the form of patriotic expression has changed to text messages and Facebook posts. While they will all be forgotten the next day, a flicker of nationalism will burn on.