President Droupadi Murmu's Full Speech PDF: Shubhanshu Shukla’s ISS Mission, Women In Defence Shine
In her Independence Day address, President Murmu lauded India's progress in space , Operation Sindoor against terrorism, and women's achievements in sports and the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam.
In her address to the nation on the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu celebrated landmark achievements across defence, space exploration, sports, and women’s empowerment, while reaffirming the country’s unity and resolve against terrorism.
Shubhanshu Shukla’s Space Mission Lauded
Commending Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey to the International Space Station as part of the Axiom 4 mission, President Murmu said it would serve as a major boost to the upcoming ‘Gaganyaan’ human space flight programme.
“I am sure that Shubhanshu Shukla’s space journey to the International Space Station has fired a whole generation to dream bigger. It will prove extremely helpful for India’s upcoming human space flight program, ‘Gaganyaan’,” she said, noting the unprecedented growth of the nation’s space programme driven by young minds.
The Axiom 4 mission, which included participants from India, Poland and Hungary, marked each nation’s first mission to the station and only their second government-backed human spaceflight in more than four decades.
Prez Murmu Calls Operation Sindoor ‘A Historic Response to Terrorism’
Reflecting on the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 that killed 26 civilians, the President labelled the incident “cowardly and utterly inhuman”, hailing Operation Sindoor as a decisive military retaliation.
“Operation Sindoor showed that our armed forces are prepared to meet any eventuality when it comes to guarding the nation. With strategic clarity and technical capability, they destroyed terrorist hubs across the border. I believe, Operation Sindoor will go down in history as an example in humanity’s fight against terrorism,” she said in her virtual address.
She emphasised that unity was India’s strongest answer to those seeking division, citing multi-party delegations of Members of Parliament who engaged with global leaders to explain the country’s stance against cross-border terrorism. The operation, launched on May 7, targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists.
President Murmu added that the outcome was also a testament to the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission in defence manufacturing, with India now self-reliant in meeting many of its security needs.
Women’s Excellence and Social Empowerment
The President celebrated Indian women’s achievements across generations, from the armed forces to sports. She highlighted the recent FIDE Women’s World Cup final, which saw 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh defeat 38-year-old Koneru Humpy to become the fourth Indian woman grandmaster.
“Our daughters are our pride. They are breaching barriers in every field, including in the areas of defence and security,” she said, noting that the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ had transformed women’s empowerment from “a slogan” into reality, with the employment gender gap steadily narrowing.
She also praised government measures enabling Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, and other communities to shed the tag of marginalised, helping them achieve social and economic aspirations.
President Murmu concluded by reaffirming the nation’s commitment to good governance and zero tolerance for corruption, invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s belief that “corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy” and urging citizens to pledge to eradicate the menace.
Read President Murmu's Full Speech
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