?

But what does the term ' freedom ' mean to Indians living in Australia? Is it an association that is still kept alive through links with the motherland, or has it taken on a completely new and liberating meaning? And does India's Independence Day in particular still mean something to us desi Australians? Or is it a past memory of flag hoisting at dawn, followed by bhajjias and garam chai? Indian Link asked people of Indian origin what independence rea lly means to them, with surprising results.

• Here and there!

: For me, li ving here in Australia,

• 'freedom' in an Indian context

.

: mean s independence from

: pollution, corruption and poverty

: back there. And for m y family

: back home, 'freedom' would mean

: the same thing - co have running

Say it loud, say it clear

I think India has been experiencing more freedom than ever before, and there is scill more to come. In the past year we have seen many issues that were hidden brought to light, like corruption and rape, which people never wanted co confront in public in the past. The freedo m of expression has become more pronounced, and I feel this is a good thing. This is what India needs , peop le co co Uectively voice their op inion and feelings about injuscice, and make a demand for righting wrongs. It is a good feeling to know char there are so many people wbo supporr the cause of right and who are willing co take a stance, as we have seen in the case of the New Delhi rape victim and the pub lic frenzy that followed, to ensure justice for the young girl who tragicaUy di ed from her injuries. In saying chat I bave co admit d1ac so metimes d1e press in India makes too much of an i ssue, they give social issues as much importance and coverage as Bollywood celebrities! But overaU, it is great to see that India l s going through a change where the freedom to speak openly and without fear is gathering strength I o n ly hope it lases!

Ashlsh Chawla St . Albans

My list

Can I have freedom to go to bed whatever time I want? And have McDonalds for dinner on more nights. Not have pumpkin soup for cl.inner or yellow rial. Watch TV whenever 1 want. Skip my shower when I am coo tired?

P lease?

Vihaan Chaw l a

Doing what I like

Freedom means not being dependent on anyone. So wb y single om Independence Day for chis. I enjoy this freedom every day! I love the freedom to do what I want in m y daily life, raise m y family as I see fit, make mer r y with friends, go out and enjoy beautiful Melbourne!

And yet I manage to do m y duty to our extended family back home, and the com m unity that I interact with at different levels here

Deepti Chawla

Choices

Freedom to me is being independent co make my own choices, to be able to express mysel f freely without restrictions, to be a part of th is wonderful life where I can respect others and have the same respect returned ro wate r and electricity throughom the da y, and to breathe in clean air instead of the dust and pollution from a million rickshaws, buses and cars! Bue they also have another kin d of freedom, they have the love and support of their entire family, which is what I miss They keep traditions alive rneecing at weddings and parties, they help each od1er in times of need. When J go back they treat me like royalty! After 66 years of Independence, corruption and poUucion have got worse, bm family ties have gotten stronger, they have become more multicultural and they last longer Their freedom is special and they will all celebrate Independence Day together with march pasts and !Nasti, while I will buy a flag from a local l ncliao s hop and stick it in a m Ltffi.n while si.nging]rwa g,ma 111at111!

N i ti.ka Son dhi

Sy dney me. To be true to myself without the fear of anyone or anything a reminder how lucky I am to wake up each morning and feel these words i:ing true every clay and every minute!

Ncclam

Vasudevan Oakleigh East

Young and free India may be celebrating 66 years of Independence, bm it is still a young country and in op inion , it is getting yo unger. There is a new breed of professi o nals, politician s, industrialists that are the new youthful face of India .in tbe international arena, which indi cates a change in the way the world sees us - modern and trendy, instead of conservative and obsolete. The old are making way for the young, who are not

Live and let live

As an lnd ian woman, freedom to me mean s being ab le co exercise the same rights and liberties enjoyed by men in the society with n o questions asked Freedom from hypocritical values, freedom from double scandards, freedom to disagree and not conform to superstition and blind faith

Freedom from fea r, prejudice and hate.

Around the \vorld in varying degrees, women are treated unequall y In some places they are not aJlowed to be seen or heard. Right to education and work opportunity fo r everyone irrespective of his or ber sex, race, wealth or religion equates t o cme freedom in my opinion.

Peter Parker's (S p iderman's alter ego) quoce, "With great power there must also come great responsibility," can be reworded to suir the context: "\'{/ith freedom there must aL~o come responsibili ty" I believe freedom g iven/ available to a few, causes more harm than good. A sociecy is truly free only when it's free from inequali ty and ignorance. True freedom is co be able to live and lee live.

Shraddha Arjun Sydney

Freedom to create

Freedom to me, personally, is all abom having the option to be creative in life. I believe that if God is watching us, the least we can do is be emert.c'lining and co be entertaining one n eeds to be creative. During my wonderful childhood m y parents ga\7 e me the freedom to explore, learn and in mm create. My dad \Va$ in a role that required a lot of travel and we lived in many part~ of India. In all the travelling we did there was always so much to !earn from tbe divers ity and util ise the !earning in my own li fe be it in cooking something from a region, dancing a local folk dance, learning a new tbat much interested i.n money-making and are keen to scamp our corruption. Maybe because they themselves were born ri ch, so it doesn't marte r as much to them They mar not have much experience like the older generation, bur they are smart and qui ck learners. India today makes me wish tbac l was getting younger too!

Sheryl Dixit Kellyville Ridge Sydney

language, adopting a new fashion or being inspired by a new book. All of it inAuenced and enriched the way I lived and enjoyed m y life

The experience fo r nu1ate ly continued even after l grew up and finished my education, got married and migrated to Australia. Despite the challenges of seeding in a new country, adjusting to new relationships and working in a new environment, there was always freedom to create, freedom to learn and be inspired and freedom to do my own dung I rate that as one of the highest facmrs in m y abili ty m enjoy m y life and be happ y

Pree.ti JabbaJ

Glen Waverley

. . .. .... ..... .... ..... ...................................... .... ......... ..... .... ........ .. ..

I

depend on me!

1 enjoy my freedom I am a mother and a homemaker, but even with all this, I am free. To ha\'e a cup o f tea at 1 1am, to rend to my t11/si and karne pt1k trees .in my garden, co chat with my friends, to enjoy the occasional mums' night om, to not have to feel the pressure of answering too many questions about my li fe from inquisitive neighbourhood aunties and nor being coo deeply imo fami.ly politics back home r work, cook, tend to my family and enjoy life - without the aid of cooks, maids or ,9ahs. And 1 survived, learning to depend on myself. Living away from India has made me more independent, so 1 guess I have every reason to celebrate its 66th.

Asha Pujari Hawthorn East

INDIAN LINK

It's, like, cool!

Freedom, like, it'~ a really cool cbing! My idea of freedom is to go clubbing with my friends, but my parents won't let me until I'm

2 1. They're.like, really, reaJly OTT with stuff like that, d1ecking FB and m y Mac. Bur like, I'm not a kid! I'm 1 6, and y'know, I'd like to p lay on the PS3 all day, or sleep in late every day, or not go to school, or bang out at tbe maJI all weekend with my friends. I wane an iPbone 5, a WiiU, designer skinny jeans and a cool haircut.

M y parents don't let me do ani'thing! I guess someone needs ro exp lain wbac freedom is to theml LOU

Na111 r 1J1itbheld 0 11 request, or his pr11 r11/s 1111: r gil'f hi111 theji-redo111 lo ltal'f ho111pf

Fun freedom

l'ru called the 'chanya choli queen' and I love it! Freedom for me means the chance co wear gorgeous Indian clothes and jewellery and dance to bha11gra and Bollywood b eats eve n in the middle of winter in Melbourne! My cous ins in Mumba i don't do this, they d ress in western clothes co go to rave parties and dance co Timomatic! I love the freedom co be more lndian d1an lndian's back in lndia. Ir's great]

Surabhi Sh ah

Carlton North

TV time for me

Freedom is co be able to watch the TV I want, peacefully 1 o st1as-bah11 dramas for me, or even your T/ oicc, lvlastcrchej, Big Brother or whatever d1e latest reality series is. I've made arran gements to be able to watch the cricket wherever it is being played in the world, and am on top o f the foory here. l'vfy wife and I now bave out own separate TV sets, and I am enjoying my TV freedom.

Padmanabhan T Rowville