India, Aug. 14 -- This Independence Day marks the beginning of the 80th year of India's independence. The nation is far from realising its "tryst with destiny" and it has its discontents, as should be the case in a democracy. But none of them should sidetrack us from appreciating the achievements over the last 80 years. There are numbers galore, if one wants to make this comparison. A country, however, is more than just numbers. It is also about collective memories, changing perceptions and evolving benchmarks on which citizens judge their well-being or lack thereof. In this author's case, comparing India from when it was 49 going on 50 (in 1996) to 79 going on 80 (2026), are useful milestones to do this exercise.

Back then, I was at the...