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Thursday, August 14, 2025
TopicGreat Speeches

Topic: Great Speeches

Ayurveda is a perfect science: Morarji Desai

On 25 June 1977, Prime Minister Morarji Desai addressed a conference in New Delhi where he urged Ayurveda practitioners to adopt a missionary spirit.

Universities should develop personality, otherwise learning is worthless: C Rajagopalachari

On 8 August 1949, India’s last Governor-General C Rajagopalachari spoke about the state of higher education in India and its shortcomings at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

India will never remain united if we try for uniformity: IK Gujral

On 1 September 1997, Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral delivered a speech in the Lok Sabha on the state of democracy, democratic institutions, and the economic situation in India as the country marked 50 years of independence.

No room for pessimism—What Shanmukham Chetty said in free India’s first budget speech

On 26 November 1947, RK Shanmukham Chetty presented the first budget of independent India, calling for help and co-operation in maintaining peace, increasing production, and avoiding internecine quarrels.

Will it be India of Buddha, Ashoka, Nehru, or of those who don’t like them: Ramdhari Singh Dinkar

On 20 May 1952, poet and freedom fighter Ramdhari Singh Dinkar delivered his Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, speaking about India’s future and the importance of unity.

Easier to throw off foreign tyranny than tyranny of elected representative: Nani Palkhivala

In 1971, Nani Palkhivala delivered a speech at the Loyola College in Chennai, where he bitterly criticised the 24th, 25th, and 26th amendments to the Indian Constitution.

When we know how a nation doles out justice, we know its moral character: Ram Jethmalani

On 6 September 2003, eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani delivered the Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture, where he spoke about the the judicial system, stressing on the need for urgent reform.

We want heart unity, not paper unity that will break under the slightest strain: Sardar Patel

In 1931, Vallabhbhai Patel delivered his presidential address at the Karachi Congress Session, stating that communal unity was essential for India and required courage from Hindus.

For the fundamentalist, secular is dirtiest of dirty words: Rushdie on The Satanic Verses fatwa

In February 1993, Salman Rushdie addressed an audience at King’s College Chapel, Cambridge University, marking the fourth anniversary of the 1989 fatwa issued against him following the publication of The Satanic Verses.

A warped, tragic reincarnation of Hinduism calls itself nationalism: Rajmohan Gandhi

On 12 September 1991, during a debate on the Places of Worship (Special Provisions Bill) in the Rajya Sabha, Rajmohan Gandhi warned that those seeking to right the wrongs of history will only produce destruction.

On Camera

Asim Munir wants to be guardian of the Middle East. He’s fated to fail at home

Countering insurgency needs the Pakistan Army to demonstrate a political will that ties leaders at the centre with those in the borderlands. But it may not have the imagination.

Slashing GST on waste can unlock Rs 1.8 lakh crore, high tax hurting circular economy goals—CSE

Centre for Science and Environment in new report makes case for rationalising GST on waste material, saying most informal operators can’t afford high tax & it also hinders recycling.

India, US troops to undertake joint military exercise next month, first after Op Sindoor

21st edition of annual joint military exercise will be held from 1 to 16 September, aimed at sharing military tech, operational best practices & disaster relief coordination methods.

Modi’s ready to risk it all for farmers. Farm reform can answer Trump with new Green Revolution

Standing up to America is usually not a personal risk for a leader in India. Any suggestions of foreign pressure unites India behind who they see as leading them in that fight.