Address by Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, Honourable Vice President on the occasion of 100th Birth Anniversary of Late Justice Konda Madhava Reddy at AV College in Hyderabad, Telangana on December 27, 2023.

I deem it a matter of pride, privilege and pleasure for having been called upon to release a special Indian Postal Cover commemorating the 100th anniversary of the late Justice Konda Madhav Reddy, former Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh and Bombay High Courts and former Governor of Maharashtra.

I congratulate the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, for their opportune initiative and as always, for ensuring the impeccable aesthetics in the design. It is commendable that the Department of Post has been a salient record-keeper of India’s inspirational and motivational legends and the present one is an instance.

Today’s initiative is a befitting recognition and tribute to legendary late Justice Konda Madhav Reddy.
 
I did not have the good fortune of having ever met or even seen the legendary figure late Justice Konda Madhav Reddy, but, I can claim to know of him well.
 
Justice Reddy born on August 15, 1872, was a visionary who made lasting contributions to India's justice and education system.

Justice Reddy among his peers is remembered as a soft-spoken, thoughtful, contemplative, reasonable and fair with an innate sense of justice and thorough with facts and the law. He was ever open to the other point of view, something we all need to imbibe.

The central message of late Justice Konda Madhav Reddy's life was inclusive society.

We must live by values and create values. He lived what he believed in and founded several educational, social and cultural organizations.

He took inspiration from those who were before him and encouraged young lawyers to work to their full potential. He was a contributor to several important judgments that shaped Indian history and discourse.

I resonate with Justice Reddy on a personal level not only because of his association with the judiciary but also as someone who did not forget his roots.
A son of the soil, Justice Reddy remained a cultivator in his native village, Dharmasagar, until the end.

As a Kisan putra myself, I am inspired by Justice Reddy’s efforts to alleviate rural struggles through his judgements. He gave a voice to those who were believed to be voiceless, he helped those who are the providers of Bharat i.e the Kisans of our Bharat.

As Bharat approaches its centenary year, Bharat@2047, we must remember the ideals advocated and emphasized by Justice Reddy - service, justice and compassion, as these must form the bedrock of an inclusive society and a vibrant democracy. As a matter of fact, these are essence of our civilizational ethos. We must ever continue to believe in them, practice them.

We are living in Amrit Kaal. The world is witnessing India’s progress across domains, the outcomes of which are impacting the lives of one-sixth of humanity – that is our Bharat.

This is our Gaurav Kaal- for we are laying the firm foundations for a developed Bharat, to reclaim the glory that had made ours the leading nation for many centuries.

It is soothing to note that all three organs - the Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislature are performing commendably and catalyzing the unprecedented rise of Bharat.

Judiciary:
The legal landscape of Bharat has been undergoing great affirmative change in recent months, which will have tremendous positive impact on its progress, and on the welfare of one-sixth of humanity.
 
During the past decade, significant strides have been made in the judicial system, emphasizing digitalization through the e-Courts Project and the National Judicial Data Grid. These have not only enhanced transparency and accessibility, but have resulted in reduction in pendency of cases.

Major legal reforms included the establishment of Commercial Courts and amendments to arbitration laws, aiming at faster dispute resolution.

Initiatives like National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been taken to strengthen legal aid mechanisms for the underprivileged sections of society, ensuring access to justice for all.

What is further noteworthy is that under the current Chief Justice of India, the Supreme Court has taken several critical steps including to bring justice to people in their own language.
 
SC has gone paperless, and even the Courts (including advocates) are performing paperless. 99% of the District Courts are connected to the respective High Courts, and the High Courts are moving towards a paperless ecosystem.

Achievements of Legislature: Just a few days ago, the three new criminal code bills received the assent of the Hon’ble President of India.

The new laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act — have unshackled Indian Criminal Justice system from colonial legacy while keeping the focus on justice rather than punishment. It is a monumental & revolutionary change that the Bhartiya Dand Sanhita has now become the Nyaya Sanhita.

The passing of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam by Parliament was another just landmark in our legal landscape. This law marks a long-overdue measure that will give women their rightful space in our democracy, and amplify the voice of one-half of our society

The Executives:
The most transformative steps have been undertaken by the government through public participation, highlighting the strength of our democracy.

From undertaking a nationwide “Swachha Bharat” campaign to bringing nearly a billion people online through a path-breaking digital public infrastructure push, which has been lauded by the World Bank & IMF. Our digital transactions in 2022 were four times of the combined transactions of US, UK, France & Germany. Our UPI is being adopted even by countries like Singapore.

Friends, we are witnessing a path-breaking public infrastructure push. The face of Bharat we are witnessing today is markedly different from what we have seen even a decade ago. Just a decade ago we were part of Fragile Five, now we are the 5th largest economy in the world & on way to become 3rd largest global economy. We have already overtaken Canada & UK, and soon will be overtaking the Japan & Germany.

In August 2023 India landed its Chandrayaan-3 unmanned probe near the south pole of the Moon, becoming the first and the only country in the world to achieve this feat!

G20: Merely days later, we hosted the world’s leading economies at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi.

PM Narendra Modi championed the African Union’s admission as a permanent G20 member, and amplified the voice of the Global South on the international platform as never before. Both these historic developments indicate global rise of Bharat. EU was already part of G-20. India became a very forceful voice of Global South.  

As the G20 chair, India sought to offer the world an alternative to the status quo, a shift from a GDP-centric to human-centric progress. We have to analyse the parameters which make human beings satisfied happy & he or she can his or her potential and the world has accepted it.

PM Narendra Modi reminded the world of what unites us, rather than what divides us. Inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive — these four words defined our approach as G20 president. As a result of these actions, we are today recognised as the fastest growing largest economy and a hot favourite destination for investment & opportunity as per the World Bank.

Technology:
The advent of disruptive technologies is posing new challenges as well as opportunities. There was a time when we used to look at other countries to develop technology, then we used to look upto them to give us the technology, then they’ll part with the technology in limited sense so we were far behind.

India has already positioned itself as one of the few countries in the world that is charting its own course in terms of researching and harnessing such technologies.

We have already directed our efforts on cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, 6G and Green Energy, so that Bharat@2047 is just not a vision but a reality that surpasses the world of our dreams!

I was an MP and minister in Union Government in 1989 & there was a time when a country known as Sone ki Chidiya (golden bird) had to send its gold in physical form to Swiss banks to sustain our fiscal credibility and viability. Now our forex reserve is more than 600 billion USD.

I have no hesitation to say that the spinal leadership our PM Shri Narendra Modi has brought about this big change that our passport carries a different meaning & our voice is heard globally at a level that we state our point and we don’t follow anybody’s point of view.

Today, the country has such an enabling ecosystem that allows each member of society to aspire for distinction, to unleash talent and follow and realise their dreams. Look at the startups & Unicorns.

By 2047, as we celebrate the centenary of our independence, I have no doubt that we will once again have institutions of the likes of Nalanda, Vikramshila, Takshashila that will be crucibles of invaluable thought and learning, not just for India, but for the world at large.

It’s time for our corporates & universities to grab the opportunity and cling to R7D of disruptive technologies so that we really become a world leader because technology defines who secure we are. It is critical for our national security.

Soft power of Bharat, in the form of its wealth of Ayurvedic wisdom, its spirituality and its gift of yoga, already widely recognized across the globe, will become an ever-greater guiding force for mankind in the decades to come.

It is indeed a momentous occasion that I get to honor another Kisan: a man who truly dedicated his life to the service of Bharat.

As a Kisanputra, I carry a great message for myself. I reaffirm my faith in the development of nation holistically.  Late Justice Konda Madhava Reddy is an icon, an authentic icon.

Friends nothing can be more dangerous for our society, that an informed mind, a knowledgeable person trades on ignorance of others to politize political & economic equity.  Justice Konda Madhava Reddy was different. He gave a message & we must carry that message. He was a man who deicated his life to the service of Bharat. A man who upheld the motto of the Supreme Court, यतो धर्मस्ततो जय: which means Where there is righteousness and moral duty, there is victory.

I am sure that Justice Konda Madhava Reddy’s life and work will continue to guide and inspire the young minds of today in creating a better and stronger nation as we come together to mould the nation of our dreams at 2047.
 
Thank you. Jai Hind