I have grown up in a family where every one is a part of the

The words of Nikita Dutta rise from the heart of legacy and sacrifice — “I have grown up in a family where everyone is a part of the defence forces, so freedom and everything related to independence runs deep down my veins.” In this declaration, we hear not the boast of privilege, but the quiet thunder of inheritance — the kind of inheritance that is not measured in gold or land, but in duty, courage, and love for one’s nation. It is the voice of one whose very identity has been shaped by the shadow of service, where freedom is not a word in a book, but the echo of footsteps marching at dawn, the silence of a folded flag, the strength of a promise kept through generations.

To grow up among those who serve in the defence forces is to be raised by a living flame — one that teaches that liberty is never free, and that peace, though gentle, is guarded by the steadfast. For such families, the idea of independence is not abstract; it is personal. It is in the eyes of a mother who waits beside a dim lamp for news of her son. It is in the salute of a father who never wavers, even when the sky fills with smoke. In every heartbeat of such a lineage, there flows the deep understanding that freedom, once earned by blood, must be honored by character.

In the great tapestry of history, every generation owes its breath to the unseen sacrifices of those who stood watch while others slept. When Nikita Dutta says that freedom runs in her veins, she speaks for all children of soldiers, sailors, and guardians — those who inherit not medals, but memories. Think of the Indian soldiers at Kargil, who climbed icy cliffs under the cover of night, not to conquer, but to reclaim what was theirs. Many did not return, but their courage seeded the soil of a nation’s pride. And from that soil, new generations — like Nikita’s — rise, carrying forward the invisible thread of valor and devotion that binds the living to the fallen.

Such is the sacred paradox of service: those who defend freedom the most rarely get to enjoy it fully. They live in hardship so that others may live in peace. They walk in danger so that others may walk in safety. And those born into such families come to understand early that freedom is not comfort — it is responsibility. It is a weight one must carry with dignity, a flame one must keep burning through acts of honor, truth, and gratitude.

In ancient times, warriors were not only trained in battle but in wisdom. They were taught that the sword is not noble unless guided by purpose, and that victory means nothing if it is not tempered by mercy. The same spirit breathes through those raised in the homes of the defence forces — they learn that discipline is not punishment, but power over oneself; that loyalty is not submission, but the highest form of love; that independence, though cherished, must never become arrogance. True strength lies not in domination, but in protection — in standing firm so that others may stand free.

We see echoes of this truth in the lives of those who transformed service into inspiration — like Captain Vikram Batra, who cried “Yeh Dil Maange More!” even as he charged toward death, turning a soldier’s duty into a nation’s heartbeat. Or like Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, whose humor and humanity were as mighty as his leadership. These men, and countless others, have taught the world that freedom lives not in speeches, but in the spirit of those who defend it — and that spirit, once inherited, becomes eternal.

Therefore, let all who hear these words remember: you need not wear a uniform to serve your country. To honor freedom is to live with integrity, to speak with honesty, to act with courage. Let patriotism not be confined to days of celebration, but practiced in moments of compassion, fairness, and respect for the rights of others. Every citizen, whether soldier or civilian, holds the duty to keep their nation’s conscience clean.

And so, as Nikita Dutta says, let freedom flow in your veins. Let it shape your actions, your work, your kindness, your resolve. For independence is not a gift handed down once a year — it is a living fire, kept alive by those who refuse to let fear rule over faith. Guard it. Honor it. And when you stand beneath your nation’s sky, remember those who stood before you — for in their courage, you find your own.