As India celebrated its 75 years of independence, Congress, at the stroke of midnight, shared the iconic ‘tryst with destiny’ speech by first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance...” an excerpt from Tryst with Destiny speech reads.
"...The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but so long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over. And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world."
On Sunday, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also shared the handwritten draft of Nehru's first Independence Day speech in which he had written about the country's "date with destiny" instead of "tryst with destiny".
{{/usCountry}}On Sunday, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also shared the handwritten draft of Nehru's first Independence Day speech in which he had written about the country's "date with destiny" instead of "tryst with destiny".
{{/usCountry}}Ramesh said on Twitter, "75 years ago, a little after midnight, Nehru gave his immortal 'Tryst with Destiny' speech. Here's his handwritten draft dated 14.8.47. He had penned it as 'date with destiny', but in a moment of true genius delivered it as 'tryst with destiny'."
Nehru in his draft note wrote, "Long years ago we made a date with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the strike of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom."