Can we call it independence, when women and children don’t feel safe? They are not free from the violence. Do our students have the freedom to select the career they want? We have the reservation coming in way of admission in the educational institutions. The caste discrimination is ever increasing. We just don’t want to let go the discrimination of caste, because it helps the vote bank politics. So what if it creates communal tensions. In past 71 years we have failed to get freedom from corruption. We have politicians with criminal records, unqualified, non-deserving people who don’t deserve to sit in the parliament and make decisions for us. In 71 years we have not been able to solve poverty and unemployment problems. So again my question is 71 years is old or young? Are we independent?

Where independence mean self-government, we the people in India have to pay bribe to get a basic driving license, birth certificate/death certificate, marriage certificate, bribe the  to a traffic police, bribe the clerk/peon in govt. office, to even get gas connection. Is this freedom?

Violence against women is increasing day by day. Rape, female feticide, acid attacks, domestic violence, dowry deaths, honor killings, forced abortion, human trafficking, sexual violence, forced prostitution and the list goes on and on. Sadly, the percentages of these crimes are increasing every day. According to an international report, every three minutes a woman is subjected to some kind of violence in our country.

The children are also not safe; they are not free from violence inside their homes, schools, streets, parks, school bus, school toilets. They go to schools to shape their future, and many of them are becoming a target of violence. We have so many cases, where teachers, principals, peons, bus drives, cleaners and washers have harassed and raped young kids. They are easy prey for human trafficking. Government data reveals that children are subjected to gross abuses in the very shelter homes that are made to protect them. This is so pathetic, its shame on us. So are we independent?

Corruption is on increase day after day. It has been adversely affecting our economy. We are immune to paying bribes; we have accepted it as a system. The judiciary, financial institutions, government offices, schools, colleges, hospitals, even temples everywhere we pay bribe to get our work done. The amount of scams is increasing. Forget the Public Sector banks; the private banks are also not clean. Major scams such as 2G spectrum scam of 1760 billion, 2010 common wealth games scam (700 billion), the Adarsh housing society scam, the mining scandal in Karnataka, cash for vote scam and many more. Wakf board land scam, AugstaWestland arms deal, Telagi scam, Coalgate scam,  Fodder scam, Satyma scam, NIrav Modi scam…the list is big. The financial institutions and criminals are hands in glove. People have lost corers’ of money – their hard earned money in numerous scams.

Who is real minority? After 71 years each of independence, number of communities is marching for reservation as minority. While only 3% to 4% of the total population of India pays taxes, they are completely ignored by the Government. They are in fact minority. And the taxpayers are harassed the most.

We are not free from the illicit use of power of casteism, communal violence. National Integration is essential for any nation with socio-cultural, religious, linguistic and geographical diversities. Our country requires it and it is necessary. But a series of religious, communal violence in recent years just goes on to show we are not free from it.

To sum it up: after seven decades of independence that we achieved from clutches of Britishers, we are yet to experience freedom from clutches of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, communal violence, corruption, vulnerability of women and children, pollution, perilous infrastructure, malnutrition, low standards of education, low standards of health care, inferior sanitation.

Why are we called a developing nation after 71 years? What is it that is holding us back from being the super power? We have the second largest world’s population. The question gets even more intricate when we start thinking about deeper meaning of independence.

What makes people of country happy? Is it economy? Is it environment? Is it education? Is it government policies? Well all of these do contribute to people’s happiness in a country. But, it is not necessary to be higher economic pace and growth always. People are happier when they don’t experience inequality in distribution of wealth; people don’t mind paying taxes when there is fairness in tax structure. People are happy when government practices transparency in the implementing policies. People want safety, people want welfare, people want good infrastructure, hygiene and people want good quality education.

Corruption undermines government revenue and, therefore, limits the capacity of the government to invest in productive areas.  Corruption distorts the decision-making in public investment projects. It’s been observed the higher the level of corruption in a country, the larger the share of its economic activity that will go subversive, beyond the reach of the tax authorities. Corruption discourages entrepreneurship and innovation, it only encourages inefficiency. It dislocates the human resources.  It creates uncertainty among the citizens. And, it diminishes legitimacy in all walks of life and increases crimes.

In all countries there are rich and poor; but when the levels of inequality are low, and the welfare systems are strong, the citizens are happy. People don’t mind paying higher taxes. Look at Denmark, it ranks 158th in the world and Switzerland is even worse, at 174^th in the World & Economic Ranking standards.

The World Happiness Index Report is an annual publication of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network which contains rankings of national happiness and analysis of the data from various perspectives. The first World Happiness Report was released in April 2012. In a high level meeting of UN well-being and Happiness were defined as new economic paradigms which drew international attention.

The report primarily uses data from the Gallup World Poll. Gallup is a credible polling organization. It is respected highly in media. Nevertheless, all researches including polling have some weaknesses which depend on the various methodologies and details of the poll and its questionnaires. Each research has few statistical limitations. Gallup ensures that each annual report is available to the public to download on the World Happiness Report website.

Happiness index is measured using parameters like Housing, Income, Work, Community, Civic Engagement, Education, Environment, Health, Life Satisfaction, Safety and Life-Work balance etc. Each report is organized by chapters that delve deeper into issues relating to happiness. The chapters also include mental illness, the objective benefits of happiness, the importance of ethics, policy implications which lead to subjective wellbeing. The report is based on how strong a country’s social foundation and social trust is.

Bhutan is one of the Buddhist Kingdoms in the World and so far has preserved much of their culture since the 17th century. Even with globalization, Bhutan follows its Buddhist culture. It allows a certain number of foreigners into the country each year, and the two hundred dollars a day that must be paid by every traveller is a deterrent for many. Internet, television, and western dress were banned from the country up until ten years ago. But over the past ten years globalization has proved to be a challenge to this tiny nation. Things have begun to change, but they are trying to balance things in their own way.

Bhutan is the only country in the world that has a ‘GNH’ which is “Gross National Happiness.” The process of measuring GNH began when Bhutan opened up to globalization. It measures people’s quality of life, and makes sure that both material and spiritual development happen together in its citizen’s lives. Bhutan has balanced it rightly so far.

Happiness is very important to both individuals and as a country. A happy individual is productive and creative. As human beings, although we possess cognitive abilities and are highly “thought” oriented, the quality of our lives is determined by our emotions. A happy human is emotionally strong because happiness protects heart, it strengthens immune system, it helps in combating stress, it found that happy people have fewer aches and pains.

All Nordic countries are among the happiest countries on the planet, as are Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Finland is the winner in 2018 report. Finland’s 5.5 million residents enjoy more forest per square mile than any European country. They have maintained extremely high environmental standards. It’s a peaceful place on Earth. Its immigrants are also happy. The World Happiness Report made particular mention of the consistency in happiness between them and local born residents.

In 2018 World Happiness Index Report, India ranks at 133^rd place with a drop of eleven places since previous report. Pakistan is ranked 75th, while Nepal ranked at 101^st, Sri Lanka at 116th position and Bangladesh at 115^th, Bhutan at 97^th place. If you wonder which is the world’s least happy country? It is Burundi, followed by Central African Republic, South Sudan and Tanzania, due to condemnation of life in Africa.