You can either ride for a social cause or help those in need through volunteer work to make a difference this Independence Day. By Team Viva
Bringing heroes to life
While we pay tribute to the great soldiers of the country by lighting candles in their honour, popular Indian comic strip Amar Chitra Katha has come up with a new edition titled Param Vir Chakra The Ultimate Honour. In this 248 page comic narrated the life and struggle of 21 jawans who were conferred the Param Vir award. According to editor Reena Puri, the team at Amar Chitra Katha had been toying with the idea for quite some time.
For accurate details, the team has joined hands with the Army and the Air Force. “With all the research material that we received from them we compiled them. Our writer Vaneeta Baid cross checked the details and the ranks,” said Puri.
Ride for a cause
Bikers of the city can also do their part by participating in a ride organised by Triumph Motorcycles who have joined hands with Smile Foundation to support the cause of girl child education. Every participant of the event Ride for Freedom will have to donate a sum ranging from Rs500 to Rs4,200.
Vimal Sumbly, managing director, Triumph Motorcycles India, “Girls are still not allowed to right for education in many parts of India. As India enters into its 69 years of Independence, Triumph Motorcycle owners will Ride their bikes to pledge for this Freedom.” The drive will take place across all 12 dealerships in the country.
Help those in need
If you have always wanted to help the poor but had no time to do something about it then make a wise move on this Independence Day. Celebrate the day by helping the nation. Robin Hood Army, a volunteer based organisation that works to get surplus food from restaurants to the less fortunate sections of society, mobilises students across India and Pakistan to rally together and serve 1,00,000 less fortunate people on both sides of the border. The initiative is going to run for two days (August 14-15) and will last for two hours starting from 12am.
This is exactly what you need to do:Set up your college team to serve meals to the less fortunate community within a two km radius of your campus. With the hashtag #Mission100k , share your experiences and pictures on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and encourage others as well.Don’t forget to wear green and mention your college name. If you are not a student and wish to help, join the initiative anyway.
It’s all in a hashtag
Show some love for your country using the creative hashtags doing rounds in the world of social media. Mobile apps, too, are making the most of it by asking you to tweet what makes you a proud Indian using #IndianAndProud and #Azadi4Me. For some, the B-town folk were their ultimate heroes. “I am proud of Shah Rukh Khan Because of him India is being recognised at many places in world #IndianAndProud (sic).” tweeted NishuSRKian. Others were proud patriots of also their rich heritage. “Unity without Uniformity and Diversity without fragmentation..#IndianAndProud Unity in diversity..Jai Hind..:) (sic)” tweeted @Agapeo_lovelies
The beauty in a bindi and a nose stud. #indianandproud (sic),” @Samanthaprabhu2. Drive to Connaught Place (for the beautiful fluttering tri-coloured flag) or maybe fly somepatangs with your friends on the rooftop, take a selfie and post it on your Instagram account.
How about dubsmashing to some epic Hindi films’ dialogues to evoke the patriotic sentimentsIJ Maybe some more from coach SRK in Chak De! India. “Mujhe states ke naam na sunai dete hai na dikhai dete hai ... sirf ek mulk ka naam sunai deta hai I-N-D-I-A.”
On a historic tour
Why not spend the Independence Day weekend at destinations with a historic importanceIJ Visit places like Amritsar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands or Kottayam, which have a connect with India's freedom struggle. Amritsar: Famous for its Golden Temple, Amritsar has some of the most prominent places that reflect the historic post-Independence era of India.
Some of the tourist attractions include Attari border and Wagah border, which are the international borders that divide India from Pakistan. The Gobindgarh Fort, which is the only surviving fort from the times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh which has had a continuous historical narrative, including events from the struggle for independence, and lastly Jallianwala Bagh, the place where thousands lost their lives during a peace meet.