The aim of National Integration Day is to convey unity, peace, and spreading of love and brotherhood in the midst of fellow Indians. Even after 68 years of Indian Independence still a few politically motivated, externally aided, wrongly informed youth are trying to dislocate our unity and communal harmony. This day is also renowned as Quami Ekata Divas and in tribute of the First Indian woman Prime Minister's birthday commemoration.
India is a nation with extensive cultural, multi lingual, multi religious, multi sects, and geological diversified provinces. Several devout fundamentalists are annoying to take lead of diverse language and receiving political mileage in threatening the framework of national unity. All the above forces and factors do facade a serious defy to Indias unity and integrity and, therefore, all efforts will have to be made by all concerned to conserve the nations unity. The youth of the country with meticulous planning will have to be put in the precursor of such efforts. The method of Promotion of National Integration of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is one such small but significant step in this route.
The aim and the argument of National Integration Day is to fetch youth from all walks of life of diverse sacred back ground, unusual economical, social, cultural and education, as one in a camp and frequent platform so that these juvenile people will understand and learn about each other and try to work in a cluster and then when they go back to their inhabitant place can stretch and increase superior understanding of different perceptions, beliefs, faiths and life styles, which in turn would reinforce a secular and diverse outlook on their part.The Scheme intends to afford Central support in the type of grant-in-aid issue to all such conditions as are predicted under the scheme, for conducting the subsequent programmes and activities:
- National Integration Camp (NIC)
- Inter State Youth Exchange Programme (ISYEP)
- Organisation of symposia and seminars on issues significant to national integration
- Organisation of multi - cultural activities on the idea of national integration
- Undertaking of research and publications on issues pertinent to national integration
- Undertaking of community service by youth drawn from dissimilar regions, backgrounds and faiths
- Organization of leadership training camps for youth pinched from diverse regions, backgrounds and faiths
- National Youth Festival
- National Youth Award
Indira married Feroze Gandhi in the year 1942, she became a member of the Congress Working Committee in 1955 and was elected President in 1959. She became a member of the Cabinet of Lal Bahadur Shastri as Minister for Information. In 1966 on the sudden ruin of Shastri at Taskant at Russia, she was made the Prime Minister.
Indira Gandhi fortified the democratic structure and tradition of India. She had tremendous influence on the masses. Amongst the chief achievements of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister was Indias role during the emancipation war in Bangladesh together with human handling of refugees and winning of 1971 war in opposition to Pakistan. She gave direction to Indias financial system to reach the affirmed objectives of democratic socialism and greater social justice for weaker sections. It was under her leadership that the signing of Shimla Pact with Pakistani Premier Z.A. Bhutto and the signing of Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation took place. Beneath her leadership nationalized banks, eliminated privy purses of maharajas and conducted the first nuclear tests at Pokhran. In her tenure the first Asian Games were held in New Delhi. She was instrumental for the growth of science and technology in India. Under her leadership India's first Astronaut Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma went to Space. Indian Space Research and Peaceful Nuclear development had grown under her able leadership.
One of the foremost political shambles in her life was the annoyance of emergency rule in 1975 proved to be a chief gaffe that she realized later. She had to forfeit her rule to her opposition.
Indira Gandhi was profoundly interested in literature, music and fine arts. Various cultural institutions, performing artists, educationists, intellectuals received her patronage and support. She was proud of Indias cultural heritage and it was on her proposal that Asiatic Society, Calcutta received the grade of an organization and national consequence. She was bestowed with Bharat Ratna in the year 1971.
Indira Gandhi was one of the most fascinating leaders of modern India whose ideas and activities touched different spheres of Indias public life and politics and left an imprint on world affairs, in particular, the Non-alignment Movement. She was the Prime Minister for over fifteen-and-half years.
One day before her bereavement she visited Orissa and held an ostentatious meeting at Bhubaneswar. On her return to New Delhi Indira Gandhi passed into history when she fell to the assassins bullets on 31 October 1984 at her abode. These assassins were none other than her own defense men and body guards.
As a mark of esteem to the departed leader her birthday is viewed as National Integration Day or Quami Ekata Divas. This week long National Integration Day celebration ends with Flag Day. Flag Day is celebrated all over India, to raise funds for the children of victims of Communal Violence. The Government of India has given extraordinary permission to hoist funds for the progress and upliftment of Victims of Communal Violence and their brood.
It is always said about India that it has unity in diversity. Many a small chips have come to segregate and crumble India into petite pieces but it is the love and patriotism of each and every Indian that India is still united to the perpetuality.
We commemorate the National Integration Day in the reminiscence of our beloved Prime Minster Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Let us also remember and reimburse our reverences to that majestic lady who had the guts of filch and guts to hush the adversaries and had won nationwide honors.