essay on patriotism in modern india

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• Speech on Patriotism

Speech on Patriotism for Students in English

Patriotism is the love and pride for one’s nation to an extent of sacrificing even one’s life for the betterment of it. A great sense of patriotism was shown by our freedom fighters during their struggle for independence. A soldier is also considered to be a patriot who loves and respects his country and is ready to sacrifice his life for the development of it. Does that mean only soldiers and freedom fighters are patriots? Well below-given speeches on patriotism, a long speech on patriotism and a short patriotism speech in English will answer a few questions about patriotism.

'Good morning everyone!' It is my pleasure to say a few words about patriotism. You may have heard this word many times especially to describe the freedom fighters. So what is patriotism ? and who is said to be a patriotic person?

Patriotism could be defined as the love for the nation to the extent of sacrificing your life for the betterment of it. A person who supports his or her country and is ready to defend it against enemies is called a patriot. A true patriot is considered to be the backbone of the nation. 

Patriotism is required for the growth of a nation. The patriotism of a person is tested during important times like the sudden outbreak of a pandemic, a war, during national disasters and national emergencies. 

We could say that our freedom fighters were the best example of patriotism. During that time every Indian wanted one thing and it was to have freedom from British rule. Many freedom fighters worked together to achieve independence. They are the true example of a patriot who did not think about their lives and made a lot of sacrifices to bring independence to our country. It is because of the patriotism shown by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Abdul Kalam Azad, and many noble personalities that we live in a free and democratic country. 

I do believe that being patriotic for the country only on Republic day and independence day is not the true form of patriotism, Posting about it on social media is not patriotic. A patriotic person will always work for the country's development silently. A patriot will be ready to help his fellow Indians whenever they are in danger rather than posting it about on social media. Patriotism cannot be taught by anyone as it is the true feeling a person develops on his own. 

You may think that patriotism always means to go to war for the country or shed the blood of the enemies who are against the country. Well, patriotism does not always mean fighting for the country or shedding blood. Showing true love for a country when it’s in danger through your actions is patriotism and the best example was given by few people in 2020. 

We all know 2020 was a harsh year due to covid-19. Many Indians lost their lives and jobs, and schools were closed. No transportation facilities were provided to migrant workers and farmers, and hospitals were rushed with patients who were infected by the coronavirus. This was the time true patriotism was shown by many people which included front line workers and actor Sonu Sood.

Ever since the outbreak of coronavirus Sonu Sood has shown his love for his fellow Indians by helping thousands of migrant workers, students, and farmers through a random act of kindness. From providing meals to the underprivileged and offering transport facilities for standard labourers to help them get back to their hometown. He also denoted personal protective equipment to frontline health care personnel and that for me is the sign of a true patriot as he was there to help the country when it was in danger. 

I would like to conclude this speech by saying that we should all show unity and togetherness. By helping each other only we can be the ladder that would help in developing our country. As I said, patriotism is the most important thing for the development of the country. A patriot on the other hand could be anyone who does his job with a passion which would result in the development of the country. Thank you and Jai Hind.

Short Speech on Patriotism

'Good morning everyone!', It is an honour and immense pleasure to give a speech on patriotism. Patriotism could be defined as the love for the nation to the extent of sacrificing your life for the betterment of it. A person who supports his or her country and is ready to defend it against enemies is called a patriot. A true patriot is considered to be the backbone of the nation. 

Patriotism is required for the growth of a nation. Patriots will always think about the development of the country and are ready to defend it against enemies. A true patriot is considered to be the backbone of the nation. 

The patriotism of a person is tested when the country is in danger like a sudden outbreak of a pandemic, national emergency, or natural disaster. A true patriot will help his fellow citizens of the country whenever there is danger. 

Freedom fighters are the best example that showcases patriotism. During the struggle for independence, all that our freedom fighters wanted was independence from British Rule, and together they achieved it. 

Showing love for the country only on Independence Day and Republic day and posting about it on social media does not make one patriot. A patriotic person will always work for the country's development silently. A patriot will be ready to help his fellow Indians whenever they are in danger rather than posting it about on social media.

I would like to conclude this speech on patriotism by saying that we should all show unity and togetherness. Together only we can make our country great.

Thank you 

10 lines Speech on Patriotism

Patriotism could be defined as the love for the nation to the extent of sacrificing your life for the betterment of it.

A person who supports his or her country and is ready to defend it against enemies is called a patriot 

The patriotism of a person is tested during important times like the sudden outbreak of a pandemic, a war, during national disasters and national emergencies. 

Freedom fighters are the best example of patriotism as they sacrificed day and night to achieve independence from British rule. 

A patriotic person will always work for the country's development silently.

A patriot will be ready to help his fellow Indians whenever they are in danger rather than posting it about on social media.

Been proud of the country and thinking about countries development through one’s actions is a sign of a true patriot 

Showing love for the country only on Independence Day and Republic day and posting about it on social media does not make one patriot. 

Being together and helping each other for the development of the country is what true patriotism is about.

Patriotism cannot be taught to anyone; it is the purest feeling a person develops for his country's betterment. 

Patriotism is defined as a strong affection for one's nation. This virtue motivates citizens to labour selflessly for their nation and improve it. True patriots make up a genuinely developed country. In other words, patriotism entails first thinking for the country's interests and then thinking about oneself. Patriotism is most visible during times of conflict. Furthermore, it contributes to the strengthening of the nation. There are more meanings to patriotism.

Patriotism's Importance

Our nation is usually alluded to as our country. This shows that we should cherish our country however much we love our mom. All things considered, our nation is no less like a mother, sustaining and directing us. Enthusiasm is a goodness that everybody ought to make progress toward since it works on the world.

Besides, it further develops the occupants' personal satisfaction. It does this by expecting residents to work to the greatest advantage of the nation all in all. There would be no irreconcilable circumstance assuming everybody worked for the government assistance of the country. Therefore, a cheerful climate will win.

Following that, enthusiasm will be utilised to keep up with harmony and amicability. At the point when people share a charitable mentality, they will help each other. Thus, the nation will be stronger.

In rundown, enthusiasm is basic to the nation's turn of events. It disposes of childish and horrendous aims, which lessens debasement. Likewise, assuming that the public authority is without defilement, the nation will develop all the more rapidly.

Since its origin, India has had its reasonable portion of patriots. Different nationalists were brought into the world because of the battle for opportunity. These legends have made a few penances for the area to flourish and develop. Their names have stood out forever and are as yet respected with esteem and regard. Rani Lakshmi Bai, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, and Maulana Azad were among India's most prominent patriots.

Rani Lakshmi Bai was a notable nationalist of the country. Her valiance and bravery are as yet discussed. Her name is much of the time utilised corresponding to the 1857 uprising. She ascended against British control and battled for opportunity. She lost her life battling for our country in the combat zone.

One more name related to enthusiasm is Shaheed Bhagat Singh. He was inflexible with regards to liberating India from the chains of British power. He was associated with different freedom fights. Also, he started an unrest for a similar explanation. He submitted his life to this objective and kicked the bucket as a saint for the good of his country.

Maulana Azad was a steady patriot. The principal training pastor of India was a vital figure in India's freedom war. He went to a few urban areas, bringing issues to light of the British's treachery. Through his support, he united individuals and directed India to opportunity.

In this way, when we discuss the freedom battle and enthusiasm, a couple of names effectively come into view, yet today I'd need to zero in on others whose names are less generally known. We hear a tonne about pioneers who held onto the cudgel and conveyed the battle forward, yet in praising significance, we as often as possible disregard the essential, normal, but then complicated, character of humankind. We are continually discussing pioneers, however what characterises a pioneer if not his devotees. A contention that killed thousands, yet we decide to respect a couple.

FAQs on Speech on Patriotism

1.Why is it necessary to learn from the NCERT book?

NCERT texts are advocated by the CBSE board. These books follow the most recent CBSE syllabus. As a result, these books are sufficient for preparation for all  kinds of examinations. It focuses on things in a simple and straightforward manner. When it comes to improving your basics, these texts are the best. It has a plethora of solved examples and activities that help student's learning. The exam paper will be mostly entirely based on the NCERT textbook. As a result, students are recommended to thoroughly study the NCERT text.

2.Where can I get helpful study materials?

Everything you require may be found on the Vedantu app or website. These materials are made by experts in the subject, and the information is genuine and dependable. Students will be able to get the revision notes, important questions, question papers, and much more! There are no fees or costs for these study resources. All students are required to do is sign in, and then they can download everything they want in pdf format. You may benefit from these free tools, which will definitely help you to do well in your tests.

3.What are the two justifications for patriotism? When was patriotism born?

Here are some additional reasons why patriotism is essential.

It aids in bringing people together. Being a part of a single nation that is driven by a desire to improve your country might help you connect with others.

It contributes to the development of a stronger country.

Patriotism is a commendable trait. This might explain why the word patriotism was not used in English until 1726, when it was defined as "public-spiritedness." Citizens (rather than subjects) are supposed to be public-spirited in general. As a result, patriotism became inextricably tied with the emergence of popular sovereignty.

4.What is Patriotism?

Patriotism, also known as national pride, is a feeling of love, dedication, and commitment to one's country or nation, just as a partnership with different residents who share a similar energy to establish a sense of oneness among the people. This attachment can be a blend of many sentiments and language connected to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political, and historical themes. It comprises a number of themes that are strongly tied to nationalism, primarily liberal nationalism.

5.Where do you find these articles?

Vedantu app or website is the best place to find these useful resources which will be helpful for examinations. Vedantu has a set of Mock Tests, Scholarship tests, and Previous years questions which will help the student understand the pattern of the examination and do better. You can also find all the revision notes, solved question papers on vedantu website. You just have to simply register with the Mobile number or email Id and can start your learning. Vedantu also makes learning easy for a student with easily understandable material.

104 Patriotism Essay Ideas & Examples

Welcome to our list of patriotism essay ideas! Choose among positive and negative topics on patriotism and make sure to check out our patriotism essay examples.

🔝 Top 10 Patriotism Essay Ideas to Write about

🏆 best patriotism topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 most interesting patriotism topics to write about, 👍 good research topics about patriotism, ❓ questions related to patriotism.

• Patriotism and Global Citizenship
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• Social Media’s Effect on National Sentiment
• What Happens to Patriotism in Times of Crisis?
• Does Patriotism Foster Civic Engagement?
• The Line Between Patriotism and Nationalism
• The Role of Literature, Music, and Art in Nation-Building
• What’s the Connection Between Patriotism and Identity?
• National Flags and Anthems as Expressions of Patriotism
• Patriotism in the Modern World and Its Categories The other category is constructive or critical patriotism which is the belief that the best way to love one’s country is with constructive criticism of the government The constructive or critical patriotism leads me to […]
• Poems comparing: Country Lovers and What It’s like to be a Black Girl In the poem, What it’s like to be a Black Girl, Smith explores the issue of racism in a jagged society.
• Roman Patriotism in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” The gladiator Maximus, and the general in one person, embodies the greatest Roman patriotism, in the name of which he sacrifices his wife and son, loses his liberty and wastes his precious life.
• Loyalty Imagery in “Patriotism” by Yukio Mishima This highlights the theme of loyalty, as the soldiers are ready to obey orders well aware of the dangers involved. The author continues to explore the symbol of compliance and selflessness by explicating how soldiers […]
• “The Patriot” by Roland Emmerich Other aspects of social life, such as the number of children Ben had, the idea that the mother had died at a young age, the presence of black people working as servants and slaves, and […]
• The Problem of Patriotism Analysis Thus, the era of social revolutions in Russian and their attempts in Europe was characterized by a critique of patriotism as it was defined in the liberal tradition.
• Comparison of Ethnicity and Racism in “Country Lovers” and “The Welcome Table” In both cases, the texts have devoted their concerns to the plight of a black female who is deposed off her meaning within the realms of the society.
• Philosophy: Is Patriotism a Virtue? Hence, in the above context, patriotism is the feeling that arises from the concerns of the safety of the people of a nation.
• “Patriotism” by Yukio Mishima Literature Analysis Nevertheless, the use of imagery to underscore the theme of devotion comes out clearly, as the story unfolds. In this case, the education edict comes out as an image, a controversial image for the author […]
• Summary of the Movie “Patriot” by Roland Emmerich Therefore, the paper aims to summarize the plot and the characters of the film “Patriot” in the framework of those historical events.
• Patriotism in Music of Lee Greenwood, Jean Sibelius, John Legend and Others The speed of the beat that is in this is sometimes slow and, at times, medium. Scale is a pattern of notes that makes the melody in a song familiar.
• Patriotism in Music and Songs of America Patriotism can be defined as the attachment to a country and its core attributes, which does not always equal loyalty to the government or a sense of superiority.
• The U.S. Patriot Act and Controversy The key components of the USA PATRIOT Act are characterized by a crosscutting reduction in the restrictions imposed on law enforcement entities curtailing their domain of influence in carrying out telephone, e-mail communication, medical and […]
• A Critical Review of Nancy Ward: American Patriot or Cherokee Nationalist The article states that Nancy Ward’s actions come from her understanding of changes that Cherokee had to face, and her will to adapt to the changes rather than commit to American Patriotism or Cherokee nationalism.
• “Patriotism” by Yukio Mishima They worship photos of their “Imperial Majesties,” and each offers total allegiance to their respective gods: Shinji to the army, and Reiko to Shinji.
• Blame Them if You Are a True Patriot If a citizen of any country speaks against the policies or actions of the country, especially when the nation is engaged in war, it appears to others as treason because it is assumed that the […]
• The Phenomenon of Patriotism in the Context of the U.S. War of Independence It is important to consider the phenomenon of patriotism in the context of the US War of Independence. Exploring the reasons for the victory of the American revolution, which led to the formation of the […]
• Adolf Hitler: From Patriotism to Racism He was also forced to live and work in the city and it is was the cultural and social shock that he experienced as he transferred from the rural to the urban that changed the […]
• Comparison and Contrasting: Country Lovers and Child of the Americas For instance, the first paragraph gives the picture of the environment or the setting of the story as a farm, which harbors two races blacks and whites.
• Fake Democracy and Patriotism: “Give Me Liberty” by Naomi Wolf It also define the battle plan that the American citizens would use in ensuring that they fight back and regain back the rule of laws defined in the American constitution that enhance the liberty that […]
• The Question of Loyalty and Patriotism Considering the fact that the alien country, is where one lives and has accumulated most of her/his wealth, it becomes reasonable to show loyalty to the country though this action can also result into negatives […]
• Notions of Community and Notions of Self in The Plague and Patriotism Rieux, though a competent doctor and essentially kind hearted, exhibits a slightly annoyed air during the early days of the plague, and as the disease wears on, this annoyance graduates to full blown resentment.”The whole […]
• American Patriotism: Struggle for Independence The children’s’ efforts in the struggle for independence were greatly recognized and appreciated by the government which led to the introduction of classes on patriotism and nationalism.
• Differences Between Nationalism and Patriotism-Which Is Better for Nation Building
• Comparing Patriotism and Volunteerism in the Society
• The American Revolution: Treason or Patriotism
• United States Declaration of Independence and Patriotism
• The Effects of Country of Origin Image and Patriotism on British Consumers’ Preference for Domestic and Imported Beef
• An Analysis of the Patriotism of the Immigrants in the United States
• An Argument Which Argues Whether Children Should Be Taught in Education to Be Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism
• Patriotism Should Be Propagated In Singapore Schools
• Patriotism and the Historical Inaccuracies in The Patriot, a Film by Roland Emmerich
• The Subtle Use of Patriotism in the Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• Gandhi’s Views On Patriotism and One’s Love for Their Country
• The European Charter – Between deep Diversity and Constitutional Patriotism
• Patriotism And National Identity : A Symbol Of National Hero
• U.S. Definition of Patriot and Patriotism
• Japanese Culture vs. Chinese Culture: the Loss of Patriotism
• Patriotism: American Identity Defined Through Opportunity, Hard Work, And Loyalty
• Racism, Unprovoked Hatred and Misguided Patriotism in Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
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• The Patriotism Of Despair By Serguei Alex Oushakine
• The Influence of The Miracle on Ice Game in Changing the Public Attitude and Feelings of Patriotism in America
• Preserving the American Idea of Patriotism
• Economic Patriotism, the Clash of Capitalisms, and State Aid in the European Union
• False Patriotism in America
• Patriotism, Cosmopolitanism, Consumer Ethnocentrism and Purchase Behavior
• The Consequences Of Patriotism As Moral Justification
• Comparing Patriotism and Nationalism
• The Representation of Patriotism and Militarism in the Drinking Fountain
• The Different Versions of Our True Patriotism
• Red White and Beer: a Rhetorical Analysis of America’s Retail Patriotism
• The Relation Between Seppuku and Patriotism Within the Japanese Society
• Is American Patriotism Also Blind Patriotism
• The Birthplace of American Patriotism
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• Wanda Coleman, Colin Kaepernick, and The Refusal to Prioritize Patriotism Over Blackness
• Patriotism, Preferences and Serendipity: Understanding the Adoption of the Defence Transfers Directive
• The Policy Of Economic Nationalism: From Origins To New Variations Of Economic Patriotism
• U.S. Patriotism: A Link to American Hatred. Politics in the Media
• A Deeper Look at Patriotism, Conscience and the Mexican War
• How Does Economic Patriotism Differ from Nationalism?
• What Acts Promote Patriotism?
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• How Are Terrorism, Patriotism, and the Farce of Loyalty Oaths Related to Each Other?
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• How Do You Demonstrate Patriotism?
• What Is Patriotism in Core Values?
• Should the Canadian Government Coordinate the Organization of Youth Groups That Would Encourage Patriotism?
• Was the American Revolution a Treason or Patriotism?
• How Does Promoting Patriotism Contribute to Economic Prosperity?
• What Are the Positive Effects of Patriotism?
• How Has Patriotism Changed Over the Centuries?
• What Are the Main Types of Patriotism?
• Did the First World War Change the Idea of War and Patriotism?
• What Is the Relationship Between Seppuku and Patriotism in Japanese Society?
• How Does Globalization Affect Patriotism?
• What Is the Difference Between Nationalism and Patriotism, and Which Is Better for Nation Building?
• How Is Patriotism, Bravery, and Freedom Described in the Book “Born on the Fourth of July”?
• What Is Your Idea of Patriotism and Its Importance in Our Lives?
• Should Teachers Emphasize Patriotism and Heroes?
• What Are the Factors Affecting Patriotism?
• How Can the American Idea of Patriotism Be Preserved?
• What Does True Patriotism Mean to You?
• How Important Is Patriotism for Young People?
• What Are the Qualities of a Good Leader That Promote Patriotism?
• Is It Important to Educate Patriotism in Elementary School?
• What Does the Concept of Patriotism Mean to Mishima?
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Essay on Patriotism

Patriotism is identified by a sense of responsibility and love towards the motherland and fellow citizens. The principle of service before self is eccentric to patriotism.

Short and Long Essays on Patriotism in English

I am giving below three essays of different word lengths for my readers.

Patriotism Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) The feeling of love and respect for the country and its people is called patriotism.

2) A patriotic is a person that always chooses the nation before everything.

3) Patriotism is the devotion and attachment to the nation.

4) A true patriot can even sacrifice his life for the country.

5) Patriotism is a feeling that encourages people to contribute to the nation.

6) Honesty, bravery, and courage can be found in a patriotic person.

7) Patriotism is helpful in a country’s development and growth.

8) Patriotic citizen is respected everywhere.

9) Soldiers are the true patriot of our nation.

10) Patriotism helps to establish peace and harmony in society.

Essay 1 (250 Words) – What is Patriotism and its Significance

Introduction

Patriotism is a feeling that encourages service to the motherland as the utmost priority. Responsibility for the nation becomes more significant than one’s own personal life or issues. Patriotism in one line could be expressed as ‘service before self’ where service refers to the ‘service to the nation.’

Identifiers of Patriotism

There are some certain identifiers of patriotism. They are clear signs indicating the existence of patriotism in a person or in a community. Some of the most prominent identifiers are listed below –

• Unconditional love for the nation.
• A general concern for the state of fellow citizens.
• Zeal to protect the nation from external threats as well as internal conflicts.
• Unity among the masses belonging to different backgrounds, keeping in mind the larger interest of the nation.
• A sense of accountability to the state of the nation.
• A sense of service towards the nation and its people.
• Upholding the principles of democracy and the rights of fellow citizens at all costs.

Significance of Patriotism

Patriotism is an important prerequisite for the progress of a nation, more significantly so for a nation as culturally diverse as India. It is patriotism that unites Indians belonging to different religions and cultures and compels them to work for the overall good of the nation and its people.

Patriotism unites people, who keep service to the nation before self and protect the rights of each other, upholding the principles of democracy.

Patriotism is at the core of national development. It unites people to defend their nation and also to work for its growth and prosperity.

Essay 2 (300 – 400 Words) – Patriotism and its Examples

The word ‘patriotism’ had been eccentric to the Indian freedom struggle, even long before that. It was patriotism that had united people from different backgrounds together. In this essay we will understand a simple definition of patriotism; some examples of patriotism and its significance.

Patriotism in Simple Words

In simple words, patriotism is a sense of responsibility, love, and respect towards one’s nation. It is also identified by a sense of unity as well as concern for other citizens. A patriot puts the nation first, before his/her own issues. It is identified by a deep sense of duty towards the nation even above self.

Examples of Patriotism

Indian freedom struggle is the best example of patriotism. When East India came to India, the latter was a disintegrated group of small to large kingdoms, having their own governance and rules.

Subsequent British atrocities and unjust trade policies instilled unrest among the original inhabitants of the continent. This unrest consequently led to a territorial unity arising more out of the need of the time than anything else.

Kingdoms and their subjects knew that they have to stay united if they ever have to fight the British out of their land. This developed the concept of one nation that is India and zeal to defend her freedom and the right of her inhabitants. This feeling of risking ones’ own life for the freedom of the nation and her people is nothing but patriotism.

The history of Indian freedom struggle is replete with many patriots who never gave it a second thought before sacrificing their lives and belongings for the freedom of the motherland.

Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai are few patriotic names that have given their all to the service of the nation.

Modern Day Patriotism

Patriotism today has become a broader concept than it was a century before. Today, patriotism is in participating in national development and taking part in national festivals, enthusiastically. It is not necessarily identified by fighting for the nation and for the rights of its people, but also by working for its improvement and ensuring the prevalence of democracy.

Patriotism is an essential requirement for democracy to be established and for it to be successful. India is a perfect example of how patriotism acts as the binding principle between different communities, who together participate in nation-building keeping the interest of the nation before self.

Essay 3 (500 – 600 Words) – Types and Qualities of Patriotism

Patriotism is a sense of love for one’s motherland and ethnic roots. There is much similarity between patriotism and nationalism, but the former includes a patriotic and unconditional love for the motherland. It is an ideology that inspires citizens to defend their motherland till their last breath.

Types of Patriotism

There are primarily two types of patriotism namely, blind patriotism and constructive patriotism, that we will discuss now.

• Blind Patriotism

Blind patriotism is identified by a strong and assertive love for the nation and heritage, often compromising with human rights. Let us understand it with a simple example – Self-declared patriotic groups harassing couples at market places and parks, in the name of preserving the conservative culture of the land, is an example of blind patriotism. People of groups with blind patriotism; tend to think that their ideology is in the best interest of the nation, even if it sidelines the basic principles of democracy and human rights.

• Constructive Patriotism

Unlike blind patriotism, constructive patriotism has democratic principles at its core. There is a feeling of oneness and a sense of responsibility towards fellow citizens. There is also an urge to contribute to the nation’s progress and growth as well as its safety. The concept of constructive patriotism is to put the interest of the nation before self. It is constructive patriotism that compels a soldier to defend his/her national borders as a primary duty. His/her own family comes after the service to the nation and its safety.

Qualities of Patriotism

There are few qualities of patriotism that are evident in the person or in the society. When we talk about the qualities of patriotism, it must be kept in mind that it is constructive patriotism that we are talking about. Following are some of the qualities of patriotism –

• Love for the nation

Patriotism includes an undeniable love for the nation. There is a visible zeal in the person or community, for doing something for their motherland. It could be anything from defending territories to helping fellow citizens to take part in national activities.

• Concern for Fellow Citizens

This is also an important quality of patriotism identified by a sense of responsibility and accountability towards fellow citizens. For example, a soldier defends the boundaries keeping in mind that he/she is defending the millions of families of fellow citizens. Similarly, a patriot will always long for helping fellow citizens in need. There is a general sense that the nation is not separate from its inhabitants and the interest of both needs to be protected.

• Sense of Sacrifice

This is indeed the most important characteristic of patriotism. A true patriot never hesitates in sacrificing his/her own life to the service of the nation. There is even a sense of pride in sacrificing all for the nation. Patriots don’t repent their losses; rather they derive pleasure from the sacrifices.

• Taking part in nation-building

You don’t necessarily need to be a soldier or a revolutionary to be a patriot. You can be a simple citizen engaged in his/her day to day activities, yet be patriotic. If you take part in nation-building activities, participate in national festivals, keeping always the growth of the nation and concern for fellow citizens, you too are very much a patriot.

Patriotism must be viewed together with unity, love for the nation and citizens, and also an urge to do something for the nation. It is not a separate entity but the inclusion of many nationalistic feelings and activities with the interest of the nation and its people at the core.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans . The word patriotism has been derived from the Latin word ‘Patria’ that means country.

Ans . We should stand in attention whenever national anther is sung.

Ans . We can show love to our country by becoming good and responsible citizens of the nation.

Ans . East Germany is stated as the least patriotic country in the world.

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Throughout my childhood, I fell asleep in a world full of elephant gods, monkey armies, and eight-handed goddesses. Before bed, my grandmother would tell me stories from ancient Hindu epics as I snuggled against her soft cotton sari. My favorite was the Ramayana , the tale of an exiled prince named Ram who goes on a journey to save his wife and defeat an evil empire before returning home to claim his rightful throne. Like millions of Indian children, I saw Ram’s love, righteousness, and tolerance as a model for my own life.

Today, Indians are being shown a version of Ram that’s nothing like the figure I remember. Over the past decade, I’ve watched Prime Minister Narendra Modi render the deity an avatar of violent nationalism. In his telling, Ram isn’t a broad-minded king but a wrathful avenger, ready to punish Muslims for their supposed offenses against India’s Hindu majority. Officials in Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) post images of Ram with six-pack abs , drawing his bow and arrow —a far cry from the Ram in my grandmother’s temple , who smiles beside his family. The politicization of Ram culminated earlier this year, when Modi consecrated a temple to the god on the same spot where Hindu radicals once demolished a centuries-old mosque. This was meant to incite Modi’s base of Hindu nationalists, whose devotion is a key reason Modi won a third consecutive term yesterday, even as the BJP seems to have lost a significant number of seats in Parliament.

Modi’s transformation of Ram is part of a decades-long attempt by India’s right wing to “Hinduize” one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world—the birthplace of not only Hinduism but also Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Modi presents India’s 200 million Muslims as “infiltrators” and suggests that Ram can subdue them. But using Ram as a political weapon defiles the great achievement of modern India: religious tolerance. It defiles Hinduism, too, by undermining one of its fundamental teachings—nonviolence—and turning its hero into a monster.

Read: India is not Modi, we once said. I wish I still believed it.

Hindu mythology maintains that when Ram became king, he established a utopian society defined by social harmony, justice, and noncoercion ( ahimsa )—values that would influence Mahatma Gandhi and help enshrine nonviolence as a cultural ideal in postcolonial India. Modi has now made Ram a mascot for the destruction of those same values, as Hindu nationalists have assaulted Sikhs and Muslims , torched an Islamic library, and lynched minorities . The perpetrators of attacks such as these have chanted “ Jai Shri Ram” —“Victory to Lord Ram”—a rallying cry for nationalists around the country.

Nobody has corrupted Ram’s image like Modi has, but he isn’t the first to change it. Since the Ramayana was composed, some 2,500 years ago, it has been told and retold, each time a little differently. Like other enduring epics, it got folded into local customs as it traveled. India’s Ramayana is very different from the one in Indonesia, where the story made room for Javanese gods. Politics have changed the Ramayana too. According to Ankur Barua, a scholar of Hinduism at the University of Cambridge, Hindus started to depict a more militaristic Ram during the British occupation of India, when imperial soldiers occasionally showed up in iconography as bloodied victims or vanquished demons.

India’s Muslims became central characters in Ram’s story in December 1992. In Ayodhya, where Modi recently consecrated his temple, Hindus stormed a mosque that was built in 1528, spurring protests that killed nearly 2,000 people, mostly Muslims. The Hindu mob thought that the mosque stood on the site of Ram’s birth, a belief that had inspired antagonism between Hindus and Muslims for more than a century. After the mosque was destroyed, a new era in Indian politics began. The BJP’s influence expanded as it pledged to replace the Ayodhya mosque with a Ram temple. A long legal dispute ensued over whether such a temple could be built, putting Ram at the center of a nationalist campaign that pitted Hindus against Muslims. Modi took office in 2014; five years later, a verdict from India’s supreme court cleared the way for him to fulfill his party’s promise. In an echo of 1992, the recent consecration also prompted violence against Muslims, though on a smaller scale.

Indian law prohibits politicians from making religious appeals to voters, but the new Ram temple features regularly in Modi’s speeches as well as in BJP’s manifesto. Its consecration—equal parts reelection bid and religious spectacle—was a clear violation of India’s secular democratic norms: In India, temples are consecrated by priests, not prime ministers. Virtually every news channel broadcast Modi’s election-year stunt. The government declared a national holiday, closing banks, courts, and hospitals across the country. Last month, Modi went back to Ayodhya and staged a political rally. By associating himself with Ram and taking on the mantle of Hindu nationalism—even telling supporters that he was chosen by God—Modi has tried to distract from the high unemployment, rising prices, and hunger crisis that have marked his tenure as prime minister.

Read: Many Indians don’t trust their elections anymore

But in transforming Ram, Modi has done much more than advance his own political ends. As stories such as the Ramayana are retold, they preserve their culture’s traditions and distill its values. They provide heroes, meaning, and lessons that remain useful across time. Now one of India’s most important stories—one that embodies the kind of tolerance that the modern constitution promises—is being replaced with a cooked-up tale of resentment and bigotry. It presumes that India is a Hindu nation, and that achieving peace and unity is simply a matter of subjugating, or expelling, the Muslims who live here.

As a Hindu, I find that story not only repugnant but also absurd. Before my grandmother died, she taught me that Hinduism loses nothing by tolerating other religions. Her Hinduism was not threatened by Muslims praying in public, eating meat in their own house, or marrying people who don’t share their faith. Her Hinduism was light enough to carry in her memory, preserved by the stories that she was told as a kid and that she used to tell me. When those stories are lost, so is faith—not just religious faith, but faith in the kind of society they describe.

The BJP’s poor showing yesterday, which included losing the constituency that houses the Ram temple, suggests that Indians are beginning to see through Modi’s nationalist myth. They have an opportunity to reclaim the stories that helped form the country’s ideals—and that can now help save them. As violence and prejudice have become chronic, India’s children need those stories more than ever.

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The Modern India

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Published: Dec 18, 2018

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Lydia Polgreen

India Keeps Its Glorious, Messy Tradition Alive

By Lydia Polgreen

Opinion Columnist

Back in January, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India looked all but unstoppable, he visited the small city of Ayodhya for the unofficial start of his campaign to win a third term. The location was freighted with symbolism. For decades, Hindu nationalists had sought to build a temple in Ayodhya, at a spot they believe to be the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram. The only problem was that there was already a house of worship on the spot, a mosque built by a Mughal emperor in 1528. A Hindu mob had dismantled the mosque in 1992, setting off riots that killed 2,000 people, most of them Muslims. The ruins were a flashpoint of religious tensions in India for decades.

Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party promised to build the temple, and the lavish event at which Modi officially opened it was a showcase for that achievement. At the time it seemed like strong election-year messaging for a politician who built his career on the twin planks of Hindu nationalism and building a muscular new India. Unlike other politicians, the event implied, Modi made promises and kept them.

“It is the beginning of a new era,” he declared .

Feeling supremely confident, Modi had boldly asked the Indian electorate for something akin to a blank check to remake the country — control of 400 seats in Parliament in elections that began in April and concluded on June 1. And why shouldn’t he have been confident? India’s economy was the fastest-growing in the world. India had overtaken China as the world’s most-populous country. World leaders sought Modi’s support on issues ranging from the war in Ukraine to the climate crisis, cementing India’s ascent in global affairs.

But the ever unpredictable electorate of the world’s largest democracy responded to Modi’s demand for still more power resolutely: No thanks.

In a stunning rebuke, election results released on Tuesday showed that India’s voters have reduced the parliamentary share of Modi’s party by more than 60 seats , not enough for an outright majority, never mind the supermajority he had sought.

It struck me as particularly apt that despite all the fanfare about the glorious new temple in Ayodhya, Modi’s party lost the city’s parliamentary seat to a political opposition that had been all but left for dead.

There appears to be a clear ceiling to the appeals to Hindu identity on its own. “We are very happy with the temple but people were fed up with the B.J.P.,” a local business leader, Rakesh Yadav, told Reuters . “People will not always fall for the caste or temple-mosque politics. They also want to see development.”

This is a big year for democracy, almost a referendum of sorts on the very idea. Dozens of countries are holding elections, representing roughly half of the world’s population. But authoritarianism has been on the march. The latest report from Freedom House found that by many measures, global freedom has declined for the 18th straight year.

India, despite its status as the world’s most-populous democracy, has been a poster child for this decline under Modi: His government has taken aim at just about every form of freedom. He has attacked and grievously weakened the independence of India’s once boisterous press. He has jailed critics and political opponents. He has sharpened religious animosity, referring during this campaign to Muslims, who make up 14 percent of India’s population, as “infiltrators” who seek to steal wealth and power from the Hindu majority. It’s an Indian edition of the nationalist, populist playbook playing out around the world.

That a newly unified opposition managed to prevent Modi’s party from winning an outright majority under these conditions took everyone, including me, by surprise. And it suggests that even when would-be authoritarians attempt to tilt the playing field, voters can and will state their will, no matter the autocrat’s preferences.

“The B.J.P. had positioned itself as a new hegemonic power,” Yamini Aiyar, a scholar and analyst of Indian democracy who has been a frequent target of Hindu nationalist rage, told me. “The beauty of an election is that politicians have to go to the people, and the people get an opportunity to express their anxieties and their perspectives.”

Express them they did.

Looking back, the weakness of the B.J.P.’s re-election case is clear: Yes, India’s economy was growing fast. But despite the flashy new infrastructure projects and deals to increase high-tech manufacturing, the growth was not creating nearly enough jobs , and inflation remained stubbornly high , especially for food, which hits the poorest hardest. Much of the wealth generated by growth has gone to India’s richest tycoons , and inequality has soared.

“The reality is that the real economy has been hurting for a very long time and they have systematically sought to ignore it,” Aiyar said.

India has managed to lift millions of people out of poverty since Modi came to power 10 years ago, but particularly in rural areas, where most Indians live, that has meant social welfare rather than jobs.

There were other issues too — Modi’s allies had floated the idea of changing India’s Constitution in various ways, including removing its commitment to secularism and enshrining Hinduism as the national faith. These kinds of appeals have helped the B.J.P. in the past but seem to have had less power this time around. One clear sign was its heavy losses in Uttar Pradesh, which is not just India’s most populous state; it is also part of the heavily Hindu heartland of northern India.

It also seems that the opposition may finally have gotten its act together. India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, has been in decline for years and had struggled to make common cause with other opposition parties in previous elections. But this year they managed to make a much stronger coalition and focused on kitchen-table issues and highlighted the Modi government’s ties to big business and high-flying billionaires.

The opposition didn’t shy away from making the stakes for Indian democracy clear. But the relentless focus on what voters said mattered most offers lessons for those battling revanchist movements elsewhere, including the United States. Sometimes you need to meet voters where they are.

This vote wasn’t a total rebuke of Modi and his policies. He is all but certain to get his third term as prime minister by making a coalition with allied parties. But it is a clear and salutary check on his authoritarian project.

This election is also a rebuke of Indian elites — in business and media especially — who had willingly surrendered to a kind of inevitability of Modi’s long-term consolidation of power, making peace with it or even celebrating it. Activists, analysts and journalists who had the temerity to speak plainly about Modi’s revanchist project, the threat he posed to the world’s biggest democracy and its long history of tolerance, secularism and free speech have been hounded out of public life. I hope that this troubling slide ends now.

As the results rolled in on Tuesday, I remembered my own reporting trip to Ayodhya in 2009, when I was a correspondent for The Times based in India. An explosive new government report had just been issued about the destruction of the mosque and the role of Hindu nationalist groups in stirring up violence.

But when I got there, I was surprised to find that on the hotly contested spot itself there was hardly any hoopla. The crowds of Hindu nationalist volunteers who for years had routinely shown up to build the temple with their bare hands had disappeared. India was going through a period of hopeful prosperity. Voters had just returned the Indian National Congress party and its allies to power with a larger majority, and a brilliant, teetotaling economist named Manmohan Singh was prime minister. With the future looking so alluring, no one seemed all that interested in litigating the past.

These hopes were ultimately dashed amid scandals over political corruption and mismanagement. The Congress party, which once seemed unstoppable, lost power in 2014 for failing to deliver on its promise to bring India to its long-awaited place among the world’s richest and most powerful nations.

The years ahead will, with any luck, be ones of negotiation and compromise. This will be a return to form for India, a vastly diverse nation whose unruly polity has resisted autocracy at every turn since it shrugged off British colonial rule in 1947. The whole world should breathe a sigh of relief that India’s voters have spoken, loudly, in favor of continuing that glorious, messy tradition.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Lydia Polgreen is an Opinion columnist and a co-host of the “ Matter of Opinion ” podcast for The Times.

Photos show how being LGBTQ+ in the US military has changed

• The fight for LGBTQ+ equality in the military has spanned decades.
• "Don't ask, don't tell" forced LGBTQ+ service members to remain closeted. It was repealed in 2010.
• Trump banned transgender individuals from serving in the military in 2017, but Biden overturned it.

LGBTQ+ individuals in the US have fought for equality in all areas of their lives, including the opportunity to serve their country in the military.

Even though the "blue discharges" of World War II and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy of the 1990s are things of the past, LGBTQ+ service members still face hurdles despite the progress of the last few decades.

This Pride Month , here's a look back at how being LGBTQ+ in the US military has changed through the years.

During World War II, homosexuality was considered a mental illness that disqualified soldiers from serving in the US military.

New recruits were asked about their sexual orientation upon enlisting in the military, forcing potential service members to lie or answer vaguely if they identified as LGBTQ+.

Soldiers who were outed during their service were given "blue discharges" that labeled them as having "undesirable habits and traits of character," according to the National Park Service . The discharge records were public, which made it difficult for former service members expelled for their sexuality to find work.

Sergeant Leonard Matlovich, who was discharged from the Air Force for being gay, appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1975 to share his story.

The Stonewall Inn uprising of 1969, in which patrons at an LGBTQ+ bar fought back against a police raid, sparked nationwide awareness of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Matlovich, who served in Vietnam and was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, appeared on the Time magazine cover in uniform with the headline "'I Am a Homosexual:' The Gay Drive for Acceptance." He became a lifelong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights until his death at age 44.

Matlovich was buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC. His tombstone reads: "When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one."

Gilbert Baker, a former Army medic, created the first rainbow flag in 1978.

After experiencing homophobic threats and harassment in basic training, Gilbert Baker switched to medic training and served for two years in California hospitals, according to the National Park Service . He kept his sexuality hidden for the rest of his military career and was honorably discharged in 1972.

After his military service, he volunteered at the San Francisco Gay Community Center and used his artistic skills to create banners for gay liberation marches.

In 1978, he sewed the first rainbow flags for the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco. Rainbow flags went on to become a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and protest.

"We all felt that we needed something that was positive, that celebrated our love," Baker said of the rainbow design.

Between 1980 and 1990, around 17,000 service members were discharged from the military due to their sexual orientation.

In 1992, the US General Accounting Office found that it cost $28,266 to replace each member and $120,722 to replace each officer who had been discharged due to their sexual orientation, according to a report cited by the Congressional Research Service .

Also that year, Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer (pictured) was discharged after 23 years of service after revealing she was a lesbian. A judge later ruled her discharge unconstitutional and she returned to the National Guard until she retired in 1997.

In the 1990s, organizations like the Gay Veterans Association advocated for equality in the US military.

Members of the Gay Veterans Association demonstrated outside the White House during a gay rights march in 1993.

President Bill Clinton enacted the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy in 1993.

Clinton pledged to allow gay and lesbian service members to serve openly in the military during his presidential campaign, but he was unable to deliver on his promise due to opposition from Congress and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Instead, he brokered a compromise in which service members would not be asked about their sexual orientation, but could be discharged if they disclosed it.

In his remarks announcing the change, Clinton said that the policy was "not a perfect solution," but called it a "major step forward."

"It is an honorable compromise that advances the cause of people who are called to serve our country by their patriotism, the cause of our national security, and our national interest in resolving an issue that has divided our military and our nation and diverted our attention from other matters for too long," he said.

"Don't ask, don't tell" remained controversial.

"Don't ask, don't tell" allowed LGBTQ+ individuals to serve in the military on the condition that they remained closeted. LGBTQ+ rights advocates pushed to end the policy, saying it still treated LGBTQ+ soldiers as second-class citizens and resulted in suspicion and harassment, Time magazine reported.

In 2009, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network found that 13,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual soldiers had been discharged since "don't ask, don't tell" was enacted, costing $200 million to replace them, CNN reported.

In 2010, President Barack Obama signed legislation repealing "don't ask, don't tell."

Obama pledged to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" during his 2008 presidential campaign and signed the legislation doing so on December 22, 2010.

"No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie," he said. "I believe this is the right thing to do for our military. It's the right thing to do, period."

The Department of Defense hosted its first Pride Month event in 2012.

The event featured video messages from Obama and then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, a keynote speech by then-Department of Defense General Counsel Jeh Johnson, and a panel titled, "The Value of Open Service and Diversity," according to the Obama White House 's official website.

In 2013, same-sex military spouses became eligible for benefits provided by the Department of Defense.

Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act stated that federal marriage benefits only applied to heterosexual couples, even if individual states recognized their marriages. For LGBTQ+ service members such as Lieutenant Colonel Shannon McLaughlin (pictured above, second from right), that meant that her wife, Casey McLaughlin (left), could not receive military spouse benefits.

In June 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, allowing same-sex spouses to receive military benefits such as housing, healthcare, and burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Marriage equality became the law of the land in the US in 2015.

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states, citing the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of " equal protection under the law ."

"As the state itself makes marriage all the more precious by the significance it attaches to it, exclusion from that status has the effect of teaching that gays and lesbians are unequal in important respects," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion.

In 2016, the Pentagon announced it would no longer ban transgender individuals from serving openly in the military.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter outlined a policy in which transgender service members would be able to receive medical care related to their transition and change their gender identification without being discharged or denied reenlistment.

"Americans who want to serve and can meet our standards should be afforded the opportunity to compete to do so," Carter said.

In 2017, President Donald Trump surprised officials when he announced a ban on transgender people serving in the military, which then went into effect in 2019.

"After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US Military," Trump wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, citing "tremendous medical costs and disruption" as the reason for the reversal.

BBC News reported that the Pentagon was surprised by Trump's announcement, with then-Defense Secretary James Mattis only finding out about it after Trump published his statement on X.

When the policy went into effect in 2019, it allowed transgender troops who had already been diagnosed with gender dysphoria to continue serving in the military, but did not allow transgender individuals to enlist.

President Joe Biden overturned Trump's ban and appointed transgender military officer Rachel Levine as assistant health secretary in 2021.

Days after his inauguration, Biden signed an executive order overturning Trump's ban on transgender troops, stating that "all Americans who are qualified to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States should be able to serve."

In addition, Biden appointed Rachel Levine , a trans woman, as assistant secretary of health, making her the highest-ranking openly trans person in the federal government and the first openly trans person to be confirmed by the Senate.

In October 2021, Levine was sworn in as a four-star admiral in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps — the first woman and openly trans person to hold the rank in US history.

That same year, a Navy ship was named after the LGBTQ+ rights activist and politician Harvey Milk.

Milk, who was discharged from the Navy due to his sexuality, was one of the first openly gay politicians in the US. He was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 and assassinated in 1978.

"For far too long, sailors like Lt. Milk were forced into the shadows or, worse yet, forced out of our beloved Navy," Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said at the launch of the USNS Harvey Milk. "That injustice is part of our Navy history, but so is the perseverance of all who continue to serve in the face of injustice."

LGBTQ+ members of the US military still face discrimination despite enormous progress.

Despite progress through new policies, LGBTQ+ service members still encounter stigmas and discrimination due to their sexuality.

A 2020 study published in The Journal of Traumatic Stress found that over 80% of LGBTQ+ active-military service members said they have been sexually harassed during their service. LGBTQ+ veterans are also more likely to experience economic insecurity, housing instability, and mental health concerns than non-LGBTQ+ veterans, according to a 2022 analysis conducted by the Center for American Progress .

Organizations like the Modern Military Association of America continue to advocate for LGBTQ+ service members, providing resources and support as well as opportunities to march with a rainbow flag during Pride Month.

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