New Delhi, Aug 15: How should a corporate house go about celebrating Independence Day, besides declaring a holiday? Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) president Anand Mahindra has ten ideas, among them the merit of listening to what the Prime Minister has to say from the Red Fort. In an email to CII members, Mahindra hopes members will fly the national flag at every office, factory, home, and any other establishments of their company, including hospitals and schools. The flag could be hoisted in the presence of executives, workers, and their families and everyone should sing the National Anthem and songs like Vande Mataram.
“I think India is one of the few countries in the world where it is unfashionable to be patriotic. Our ‘Tiranga’ (national flag) ought to get as much reverence as the British give their ‘Union Jack’ or the Americans give the ‘Stars and Stripes’, if not more,” Mahindra told FE.
Industrialist Naveen Jindal — his public interest litigation eventually got the Supreme Court to allow ordinary citizens to display the national flag on any day of the year — didn’t just agree. He wanted more. “As a symbolic gesture, we should be flying the national flag all days of the year, not just on national holidays. This generates a sense of working not only for the company, but for the country too. This can also inspire people to work with a common objective of creating wealth for the country,” Jindal told FE.
Among Mahindra’s other suggestions, companies should hold musical and cultural programmes, enabling employees and families to make August 15 a very special national day. Another idea is that small-sized national flags be distributed liberally to staff and their families.
Also, Mahindra hopes that a small gift for each child with special needs or a disability will be distributed. Similarly, specific initiatives or actions dedicated to the empowerment of the women, whether in society at large or within the company or family, will be taken up. Community development programmes in the immediate vicinity of one’s factory or office could also be initiated.
There’s something for the PM too. Mahindra hopes that employees and their families have been encouraged to tune in to the radio or television to listen to the Prime Minister’s address, as well as the President’s address of India on the eve of Independence Day.
Mahindra has also suggested that people narrate stories of Independence to at least one person from the younger generation in the family, in the office or in the community. Companies have been asked to consider sponsoring a national song on TV, radio or a cinema theatre nearby. And why does any of this need a circular from the CII president? “This is just a guideline for each one of us. We need to build to upon our national pride and show our patriotism and not be apologetic about it,” Mahindra said.