Lucknow: As the tricolour rises over schools, colleges and neighbourhoods on Aug 15, Independence Day in Lucknow is being framed by many Gen Z residents as more than ceremony. Alongside patriotic songs, speeches and social media posts, students say the day pushes them to examine what freedom means in everyday life: the ability to study, choose careers, speak openly and plan a future on their own terms.Born decades after 1947, Gen Z did not witness the freedom struggle but lives with the rights it secured. Students invoked figures such as Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Begum Hazrat Mahal and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, saying the scale of sacrifice can feel distant but remains foundational to modern India.“Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s words, ‘Give me blood, and I promise you freedom,’ reflected the sacrifice demanded by the struggle,” said student Aryan Kushwaha, adding that the message still challenges young people to think about how they use the liberties they inherited.Others said the holiday highlights how routine freedoms are often taken for granted. “Independence Day makes me think about how easily we take freedom for granted. We can study, travel, choose our careers and speak about issues. These rights came after a struggle,” said college student Kumari Akansha.Education emerged as a central theme, with students pointing to expanded schools, universities, scholarships and digital learning, while also noting persistent gaps in access and quality. “To me, independence means having a fair chance. My caste, religion or gender should not decide what I can become,” said Lucknow University student Shivaji Yadav.Students also connected freedom to civic life and development, citing hospitals, transport, roads, electricity, sanitation and public services as daily measures of independence. At the same time, they said responsibility includes protecting local ecology, including Gomti, amid heat, pollution, water stress and climate pressures. “Patriotism is also about protecting the place we call home. If we celebrate the Tricolour but allow our rivers to become polluted, we are missing part of the meaning of freedom,” said student Mehak Khan.“Freedom should not stop with us. If earlier generations fought for our rights, our responsibility is to make sure the next generation inherits a fairer country,” said Lucknow University student Manav Rawat.“If we celebrate freedom but remain silent about corruption or unfair treatment, then we are only celebrating half of what independence means,” said college student Vishal Singh.
