The hundredth independence day Read online

redth Independence Day

  “Welcome Sir, today is 15th of August, 2047. The forecast is for Clear, sunlit weather with a maximum of 41 degrees Celsius, light breeze from the north-west, almost negligible possibility of rain. The latest headlines are as follows: President Jefferson Delacoir of the French Republic is visiting the United States of India today, for joining the celebrations making the 100th anniversary of Indian independence from the British rule. His flight is schedules to land in New Pataliputra City at 10 AM where he will be received ceremonially by Deputy Prime Minister of the USI Manoj Srivastava. The celebrations marking the 100th anniversaryof Indian Independence have already began across the major megacitiesof the country, including New Calcutta, Indraprastha City and Mumbai City. On other topics, the United Republic of Korea today announced completion of the second phase of its Marscolonisation project...” Tejas just wanted to kill the damn AI for waking him up so early. “Man, it's just 6:30 now, would it kill me to have another hour of rest? Huh, big celebrations”, Tejas thought as he slipped into his pajamas and entered the bathroom.

  “Sir, you have 2 new messages today, should I synchronize them into your personal Telelink for easy retrieval?”, the AI asked. “No, save the messages and remind me to check them out tomorrow, Robin, and thank you. What's on the sports section?”. “The United Indian League has started off with its 15th initiation ceremony and the first match will be played tomorrow between New Calcutta Warriors and Indraprastha Infernos. Would you like me to set a reminder for you for easy notification of the event, Sir?”. “No, thanks Robin. I guess I'd rather spend my weekend trying to book my ticketto Luna. I really need a vacation.”. “I am sorry to bother you once again, Sir, but there has been a recent update madeavailable to improve my voice interface. Should I download it immediately and reboot myself?”. “Yea, do whatever you like. I am just gonna have my bath and grab a bite to eat. Lots of work today.”. Tejas snapped in sarcastically as he started the shower. Voice-activating the radio, Tejas began to work out his plan of action for the day. It had been a rough night with Neena, and the woman never listens to him. It's just that same degree of old-fashioned patriotism shown by those old fools born 90 years ago and still batting off, possibly trying to make a century. While medicaladvances have their advantages, Tejas just can't tolerate those lecturing habits of old men he has to meet everyday.

  The radio continued to play “And so finally we've reached the very special occasion of 15th August. And this is not just aspecial day, but a specially specially special day indeed! I mean, Boy! Who could have believed a hundred years ago that such a long time would just pass away like a beam of light? Stay tuned, as we bring you more updates from the beautifully decorated streets of Indraprastha City, just after this small infobreak.”. “Back Off”, thought Tejas, as he commanded Pinky to fetch him a sandwich and something hot to drink. The cute, pink robot immediately giggled like alittle girl and went on her way. Drat, these machines are being programmed to mimic everything we humans have or exhibit. A simple robotic confirmation would have been okay, but what's the matter with all these giggling stuff??

  Tejas powered on his 3D Texlet and saw that the magazine has finally arrived. Damn you USI 360! A whole day of server repairing and this magazine is getting delivered after a total delay of 18 hours! How Could anyone even stay up-to-date with such crap? Grumbling to himself, Tejas started flipping the virtual pages of the magazine. Pinky had, in the mean time, fetched him a warm, moking cup of coffee and a nicely baked sandwich, awaiting further instructions. “Well,what are you staring at? Go and finish the laundry” Tejas almost barked. Pinky sighed and left. What the shit? Are these steel boxes Programmed to take over the planet by simulating artificial emotions some day? Tejas threw Thetexlet away and voice-commanded the viewlet to power on. “Activate News 60 degrees channel and synchronize theprogramme schedule with my telelink”. “As you wish, Sir”, replied Robin with a slightly modified voice, possibly an effect of the update, Tejas thought. So what's on? Damn, all those news about India. THE UNITED STATES OF INDIA IS NOT THE SAME OLD INDIA! THESE PEOPLE MUST REALIZE THAT, Tejas almost mentally screamed, and poweredthe viewlet down. And Neena! Would she really go there, to watch that silly flag-hoisting cerenomy? No, she can't. All those patriotism stuff, nobody gives a rat's ass anymore. It's all commercialization, everything is business.

  “Sir, Miss Neena is requesting physical access. Would you like to see her at this moment?”. “Yeah, Robin, just call her in. And have Pinky bring us two cups of coffee” Tejas replied with relief. Ok, so she hasn't yet gone to that ceremony. Maybe she'd re-consider her decision about spending the day at Silliguri City? Tejas thought as he stepped into the lobby, greeting Neena with a dry smile. “Ok, so sweetheart, looks like it's going to be quite a sunny day today. Andyou've just arrived at the correct time. Let's have a cup of coffee and catch the HSL to Silliguri City, as planned”. “No, my dear, instead I've come to invite you to visit the central ground today. Why don't you understand that this day isn't just any day? It's the 100th Independence day! Bring out your car and lets drive there. We're noble citizens now, aren't we, Tejas?”. “Ah, the same old ghost of patriotism! This is almost the second half of the 21st century, babe, and you're talking about that fundamental neurological weakness of mankind, patriotism?! It's a disease, a sort of evolutionary response because of staying too many cycles as primitive primates. An aftereffect of living together incaves, I'd say”. “Everything isn't anything that your neuroscience can explain. And there should be things like dedicationand devotion to your own country. Don't view everything so dryly or life will because even drier or you”. “Huh, is that an open threatening? Shit, looks like I'll have to cancel the HSL reservations”.

  HSL, or the Hyper Sonic Locomotive, has truly been hailed as train of the future. After all, which train could take you from New Calcutta to Silliguri City within 30 minutes? Seats are all booked, but still Tejas managed to find two somehow, with a little bit of tweaking by Brajesh. Right, the chap can be a true friend at times. Having a friendly guyinside a HSL Reservation Office can really help.

  Pinky entered the room with an enamel tray, carrying two steaming cups of coffee. “Would you like additional sugar cubes with your coffee, Miss Neena?”. “NO SHE WON'T! AND DON'T JUST WALK IN WITHOUT MY EXCLUSIVE PERMISSION FROM NO ONWARDS. UNDERSTOOD?”. Neena was plainly disgusted at Tejas. After all, what's the reason behind getting so irritated at such a simple matter? Neena's father was a military official, who saw the glorious battle of unification the Indian army fought, to regain control over what was once Pakistan and Aksai Chin. Even more thrilling, as her father would say, was the battle of Tibet, 2019. With increasing levels of self-immolation by Tibetan monks in front of the offics of India, it became difficult, plainly for sake of humanitarian grounds alone, to restrain fromprotesting. The PLA, or as they were called in those days, the Dragon Army, had replied fiercely, invading deep into what once was Arunachal Pradesh, as far as Itanagar itself. The Indian Parliament had no choice but to declare war. Everyone knew, it was just a matter of time before the People's Liberation Army had superiority. But things often turn out to be quite different from the expected results. The airforce of China had suffered tremendous defeat at thehand, or better to say, wings of its Indian counterpart. “The Americans were hebind it, certainly. In fact they couldn't bear to see the largest democracy of the world suffer defeat again”, she recalled her father saying many a time. Whatever the cause way, the result was a turning point for the course of history
. Despite the expected air-superiotityto be displayed by the Chinese Air Command, it was the IAF which finally emerged victorious, and with surprisingquickness came to the aid of the ground forces holding off wave after wave of Chinese heavy legions.

  By the end of 2019, the result was clear. The PLA had to retreat back into Xinxiang, and the Indian tricolour flew for the first time ever on the cold hills of Tibet. With the sound of conch shells and chanting of “Vande Maataram”, the Tibetans welcomed the victorious army of India, thus uniting with India to form what as known as the United States of India.

  The following years hadn't been easy either, Neena recalled. Her father, Lieutenant Commander Indradyumna Saini, was deployed in the western wing of the IAF. The bloody tides of the fourth Indo-Pak war followed, finally ending in Pakistan's disembodiment into the southern states of Sindh and Balochistan and the remaining portion, northernPakistan. Sindh gradually became a key