Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Meeting India’s aspirations: On Modi’s ninth I-Day speech

Meeting India’s aspirations: On Modi’s ninth I-Day speech

India needs better governance (शासन, प्रशासन) for the sake of (की ख़ातिर) its own people, not global approbation (प्रशंसा, स्वीकृति, समर्थन)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rightly described independent India’s 75-year journey as one of “ups and downs (उतार चढ़ाव, अनिश्चितता)” in his ninth speech from the stately (आलीशान, औपचारिक, प्रभावशाली) Red Fort on Monday. Praising those who fought for India’s freedom, the Prime Minister pointed to (इशारा करना, संकेत करना) the country’s achievements even as (यहाँ तक कि के रूप में, जबकि, जैसे) he acknowledged (स्वीकार करना, पहचानना, महसूस करना) the challenges of fulfilling the pressing (दबाना, अत्यावश्यक, महत्वपूर्ण) needs of an ever-aspirational society, tugging (pull something rapidly with much force/vigour/effort, wrench, wrest, grab, catch hold of something strongly) at the seams (line or layer (of joint/junction); trace, presence of something) of government. National pride and self esteem (आत्म सम्मान, आत्मविश्वास) were dominant (प्रमुख, प्रभावशाली, आधिकारिक) themes as he urged the country to rid itself of the need to look for approval from abroad. Asking the question about how long India could go on (जारी रखें, आगे बढ़ना) living on “certificates” from abroad, the Prime Minister wondered why India could not develop its own “markers (निशान, पहचान चिह्न)”. Though Mr. Modi provided no context (संदर्भ, परिस्थितियों, स्थितियों) to these remarks, his comments (टिप्पणी, कथन, राय) could indicate his unhappiness with international criticism directed at his government on governance and human rights (human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status)’ issues. Successive (consecutive) Prime Ministers have used their Independence Day speeches as a stock-taking (the process of evaluating one’s situation) of their government’s record and as an insight (perception, awareness, discernment, understanding, comprehension, cognizance) to what the nation might face. With two years left for the general election, the Prime Minister was in an expansive (communicative, forthcoming, sociable, friendly, open, affable, amiable, genial, extrovert, extroverted) mood, taking up (become involved in, become interested in, engage in, pursue a matter further) issues of women’s safety, energy self-reliance (self-sufficiency, self-support, self-sustenance), celebrating the diversity (existence/presence of different people (from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives ranging from race to age to gender to hometown to educational experience) within group; variety, variance, difference) of India, the need to respect all languages, and promising an all-out (intense, aggressive, vigorous, powerful) war against corruption and “parivarvad (Hindi word meaning familism; an ideology that puts priority to family)”, or the pernicious (harmful, damaging, destructive) influence (effect, impact) of dynasty (a family, bloodline; line of rulers). The Prime Minister asked the people to give him their “blessings (approval, backing, support, assent, consent)” as the battle against corruption enters a decisive (resolute, firm, determined) phase where even the big fish will not be spared (pardon, excuse, leave unpunished, forgive, free, let off). Even as he dwelt on governance issues, Mr. Modi laced (give a quality/feature; mix, blend, fortify, strengthen) his speech with a political appeal (interest).

Mr. Modi was silent about his promises made in 2016 to double the income of farmers by the time the country celebrated its 75th Independence Day. However, he did lay out (explain, set out, arrange, display (something clearly and carefully)) his vision for an “amrit kaal (a quarter century period in which India must strive to assume the status of a global power, recognised for her ability to do things differently. Amrit Kaal stretches from the 75th year of India’s independence to the centenary of her freedom in 2047)”, or developed age, in the next 25 years, the 100th year of India’s independence, in 2047. Details of how the country would reach the objective were scanty (limited, modest, minimal, meagre, scant, scarce, insufficient, too small), apparently (supposedly, seemingly, allegedly, it appears/seems that) kept for another day. In keeping with (consistent with, in accordance with, in agreement with, in line with, compatible with) the Bharatiya Janata Party’s new status as the natural party of governance, the Prime Minister underlined (emphasize, give emphasis to, lay stress on, highlight, accentuate, call/draw attention to, focus on, zero in on) that India had got a stable government after many decades, resulting in (cause, prompt, bring about, give rise to) speedy decision-making. There was little in his 82-minute speech about the strategic (relating to achieving long-term or overall goals) challenges before the country in the wake of (as a result of some event, especially an unpleasant one; in the aftermath of, as a consequence of, on account of, because of, owing to) tensions (strained relations, strain, unease) at the borders and turbulence (instability, troubles, disturbance, chaos, confusion) in the international order following the Russian invasion (occupation, conquering, capture, seizure, annexation, annexing, takeover) of Ukraine. To achieve its full potential (potentiality, capability, capacity, ability), India must not only be able to overcome many obstacles that hold it back but also sail (travel, navigate) with the rest of the world in meeting (fulfil, satisfy) the benchmarks (standard, base/basis, point of reference, criterion, ideal) of democratic rights, equitable (fair, impartial, unbiased, even-handed, fair-minded, objective) distribution of wealth and access to health and education. India might not need approval from other countries, but it needs to do better on rights and freedoms, welfare (social security, government/state benefit, public assistance) and justice, growth and development, and in building a more egalitarian (relating to the idea that all people are equal and should have equal rights and opportunities; fair, just, equal, impartial, unbiased) society

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.governance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शासन, प्रशासन
English Meaning - direction, administration, rule, premiership, directorship.

2.for the sake of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - की ख़ातिर
English Meaning - benefit, advantage, good/gain, interest.

3.approbation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशंसा, स्वीकृति, समर्थन
English Meaning - approval, acceptance, support, assent.

4.ups and downs (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - उतार चढ़ाव, अनिश्चितता
English Meaning - uncertainties, inconstancy, instability, unpredictability, chanciness, variability, changeability, fluctuation, changes.

5.stately (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - आलीशान, औपचारिक, प्रभावशाली
English Meaning - majestic, ceremonious, impressive, elegant, grand, glorious, splendid, magnificent.

6.point to (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - इशारा करना, संकेत करना
English Meaning - indicate, suggest, signal, signify, denote.

7.even as (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - यहाँ तक कि के रूप में, जबकि, जैसे
English Meaning - while, whilst, as, at the same time that, exactly when.

8.acknowledge (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्वीकार करना, पहचानना, महसूस करना
English Meaning - accept, recognize, realize.

9.pressing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दबाना, अत्यावश्यक, महत्वपूर्ण
English Meaning - urgent, critical, crucial, important, desperate, serious.

10.self esteem (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आत्म सम्मान, आत्मविश्वास
English Meaning - self-confidence, self-assurance, pride, dignity, morale.

11.dominant (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रमुख, प्रभावशाली, आधिकारिक
English Meaning - most influential, most powerful, authoritative.

12.go on (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - जारी रखें, आगे बढ़ना
English Meaning - continue, carry on, proceed.

13.marker (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निशान, पहचान चिह्न
English Meaning - identification, identifying mark.

14.context (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संदर्भ, परिस्थितियों, स्थितियों
English Meaning - circumstances, conditions, factors, state of affairs; background, situation, backdrop.

15.comment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - टिप्पणी, कथन, राय
English Meaning - remark, observation, statement, opinion, view.

16.meet (verb)

English Meaning - fulfil, satisfy.

17.aspiration (noun)

English Meaning - aim, ambition, objective, goal, target.

18.tug (verb)

English Meaning - pull something rapidly with much force/vigour/effort, wrench, wrest, grab, catch hold of something strongly.

19.seam (noun)

English Meaning - line or layer (of joint/junction); trace, presence of something.

20.rid (oneself of) (verb)

English Meaning - clear, free, make free, relieve (from something unwanted).

21.human rights (noun)

English Meaning - human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status.

22.successive (adjective)

English Meaning - consecutive.

23.stock-taking (noun)

English Meaning - the process of evaluating one’s situation.

24.insight (noun)

English Meaning - perception, awareness, discernment, understanding, comprehension, cognizance.

25.expansive (adjective)

English Meaning - communicative, forthcoming, sociable, friendly, open, affable, amiable, genial, extrovert, extroverted.

26.take up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - become involved in, become interested in, engage in, pursue a matter further.

27.self-reliance (noun)

English Meaning - self-sufficiency, self-support, self-sustenance.

28.diversity (noun)

English Meaning - existence/presence of different people (from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives ranging from race to age to gender to hometown to educational experience) within group; variety, variance, difference.

29.all-out (adjective)

English Meaning - intense, aggressive, vigorous, powerful.

30.parivarvad (noun)

English Meaning - Hindi word meaning familism; an ideology that puts priority to family.

31.pernicious (adjective)

English Meaning - harmful, damaging, destructive.

32.influence (noun)

English Meaning - effect, impact.

33.dynasty (noun)

English Meaning - a family, bloodline; line of rulers.

34.blessing (noun)

English Meaning - approval, backing, support, assent, consent.

35.decisive (adjective)

English Meaning - resolute, firm, determined.

36.a big fish (phrase)

English Meaning - an important/powerful person.

37.spare (verb)

English Meaning - pardon, excuse, leave unpunished, forgive, free, let off.

38.dwell on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to think, speak or write about a specific thing for a long time, especially something that is a source of sadness or displeasure.

39.lace (with) (verb)

English Meaning - give a quality/feature; mix, blend, fortify, strengthen.

40.appeal (noun)

English Meaning - interest.

41.lay out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - explain, set out, arrange, display (something clearly and carefully).

42.amrit kaal/developed age (noun)

English Meaning - a quarter century period in which India must strive to assume the status of a global power, recognised for her ability to do things differently. Amrit Kaal stretches from the 75th year of India’s independence to the centenary of her freedom in 2047.

43.scanty (adjective)

English Meaning - limited, modest, minimal, meagre, scant, scarce, insufficient, too small.

44.apparently (adjective)

English Meaning - supposedly, seemingly, allegedly, it appears/seems that.

45.in keeping with (phrase)

English Meaning - consistent with, in accordance with, in agreement with, in line with, compatible with.

46.underline (verb)

English Meaning - emphasize, give emphasis to, lay stress on, highlight, accentuate, call/draw attention to, focus on, zero in on.

47.decade (noun)

English Meaning - a period of ten years.

48.result in (verb)

English Meaning - cause, prompt, bring about, give rise to.

49.strategic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to achieving long-term or overall goals.

50.in the wake of (phrase)

English Meaning - as a result of some event, especially an unpleasant one; in the aftermath of, as a consequence of, on account of, because of, owing to.

51.tensions (noun)

English Meaning - strained relations, strain, unease.

52.turbulence (noun)

English Meaning - instability, troubles, disturbance, chaos, confusion.

53.world/international/global order (noun)

English Meaning - the arrangement of power and authority that provides the system for the conduct of diplomacy and world politics in relation to the entire world.

54.invasion (noun)

English Meaning - occupation, conquering, capture, seizure, annexation, annexing, takeover.

55.potential (noun)

English Meaning - potentiality, capability, capacity, ability.

56.hold back (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - prevent, hinder, hamper, inhibit, impede, obstruct, block, thwart.

57.sail (verb)

English Meaning - travel, navigate.

58.benchmark (noun)

English Meaning - standard, base/basis, point of reference, criterion, ideal.

59.equitable (adjective)

English Meaning - fair, impartial, unbiased, even-handed, fair-minded, objective.

60.welfare (noun)

English Meaning - social security, government/state benefit, public assistance.

61.egalitarian (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the idea that all people are equal and should have equal rights and opportunities; fair, just, equal, impartial, unbiased.