India has achieved several feats in its journey since its independence.

"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." - said Jawaharlal Nehru in his 'Tryst with Destiny’ speech, just before the clock struck 12, on August 14, 1947.

India celebrates its 77th Independence Day today. On the 15th of August back in 1947, our country saw the end of centuries-long British rule and pledged to take steps to become one of the largest democracies in the world. In its 76 years of journey since independence, India has set a great example of growth, achieving numerous feats in various sectors that many other countries haven't been able to even come close to. From science to tech to agriculture to healthcare to education to biotechnology and more - India is currently a significant name on the international map.

Well, to celebrate the special occasion of India's Independence Day today, let's look at some of its major achievements over the years.

The largest democracy

India is the world's largest democracy with more than 94.50 crore voters. In the 2019 Indian General Election, around 912 million people were eligible to vote, and voter turnout was over 67%, which was the highest ever, as well as the highest ever participation by women voters.

The sixth-largest consumer market

India is the world's sixth-largest consumer market with nearly 70 percent of its GDP being driven by domestic consumption. The country's GDP is also fueled by government spending, investments, and exports among others. Besides, it was ranked the world's 6th-largest importer and the 9th-largest exporter last year.

The third-largest domestic aviation sector

India has the world's third-largest domestic aviation sector (as of 2023). The country's aviation market has grown enormously over the years, with significant expansion in both domestic travel as well as international routes. In April 2023, domestic aviation saw a post-pandemic record of 40,000 flights.

Around 77% literacy rate and access to higher education

The overall literacy rate in India back in the 50s was around 18%, with the female literacy rate being around 8.8%. The Census of India recorded the literacy rate to be 73% in 2011 while National Statistical Commission pegged the literacy rate to be 77.7% in 2017–18. While we still have miles to go, this is surely something to celebrate.

 

The number of schools grew more than ten times since the independence. Also, it's worth noting that while India had only 27 universities and 578 colleges back in 1950, now we have 1181 universities and more than 43,796 colleges.

The multi-payer universal healthcare model

India now has a multi-payer universal healthcare model, and the public hospital system here is essentially free for all Indian residents. The government has launched numerous policies on several occasions to ensure the expansion of our healthcare system. The National Health Policy was endorsed by the Parliament of India in 1983, which was updated in 2002, and then again updated in 2017.

 

Notably, the doctor-patient ratio in India is now 1:834 which is better than the WHO's (World Health Organisation) prescribed norm of one doctor per 1,000 people. On the other hand, there is now significantly more scope for medical education across the country.