Srinagar, Jan. 26 -- Every year on Republic Day, India remembers an important moment in its history, 26 January 1950, when our country adopted its Constitution and became a Republic. The celebrations are grand: parades, flag hoisting and patriotic songs. But is Republic Day only about celebration, No, not at all, for me, it is also a time to reflect and ask an important question: What have we done with the Republic we inherited, and what kind of Republic are we creating for the future?

The Republic we inherited did not come easily. It was built through great sacrifices, long struggles and serious thinking. The makers of our Constitution had faced jail, exile and hardship during the freedom movement. They did not just write a legal docume...