You know what? Foreigners probably still see us as a nation that only celebrates festivals.
But we are so much more than a stereotypical collection of Holi and Diwali photos. In fact, we have so, so, so much more to celebrate. So many other special days. After all, we are a nation of strong values. Of strong leadership.
Think about Good Governance Day. It is such a great example of how much importance we place on meaningful actions. Going the extra mile to commemorate them. And how welfare stays at the top of the minds of our leaders. We really have quite a bit going on, to be fair.
Though a day established in recent history, Good Governance Day is already quite significant in its own regard. Which means you absolutely must know about it. And that applies to both of you. Parents and students. As they say, it is a thing of general knowledge and that means it is time to put your learning hats on. Let us help you!
Good Governance Day: what is it?
This is a day to observe the birth anniversary of… Any guesses who? He was a major politician. He was our PM thrice. A master orator and author of some of the most memorable quotes of all time. No? It is Atal Bihari Vajpayee! He was one of India’s most prolific leaders. A visionary in all ways, he actually was the co-founder of the party in power, the BJP. Which is short for Bharatiya Janata Party. Plus, he was a great poet and author too. Exceptional oratory skills. We will get to his greatness though. For now, you need to know what is coming next.
When is Good Governance Day? What time of the year?
Believe it or not, the answer to ‘when is Good governance day’ might surprise you.
Good Governance Day is celebrated on the 25th of December each year. Bit of a shocker right?
Because that is Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday! He was born on this day in the year 1924. In the town of Gwalior. And since this day is all about honouring him and his legacy, that is why Good Governance Day is celebrated on 25th December. Every year.
And what exactly is the history of Good Governance Day?
So it was started back in 2014. Which makes this year’s commemoration of the day its 10th year. Our current honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi initiated the commemoration of this day in his first year in office. His thought was simple. To know honour one of the greatest prime ministers we have ever had. Obviously, he was one of the greatest BJP leaders too. He was the co-founder of BJP. That should tell you something about it.
On 23rd December in the year 2014, two great leaders, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the great Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (he was the former president of the Indian National Congress – more than a hundred years ago, might we add) were graced with the Bharat Ratna. Which is, no points for guessing, the highest civilian award in our country, given to persons of great merit.
Anyway, post that PM Narendra Modi announced the observance of Good Governance Day on 25th December, thus awarding national recognition to the immense contributions of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Lastly, what about its significance?
The significance of Good Governance Day lies in the amount of awareness this day is supposed to raise about what a good government should be like. Basically, the day was put into practice to hold the government accountable. Responsible for acts they commit and how they govern our good nation. In fact, this day was turned into a working day for the government across the country when it was established. And this is despite 25th December being Chriistmas Day and a government holiday! This just goes to show the gravity of the day and how seriously it is taken by the governments of our nation. In fact, the Good Government Index was set up by PM Modi in 2019 so we could see how well our government has performed based on specific scientific parameters! That is what explains the significance of Good Governance Day.
The many achievements of Atal Bihari Bajpayee
At the risk of us sounding pretty cliched, we kind of still have to say it. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a great man. He was a visionary, no less! In his lifetime, he achieved a lot. And as we told you that we will get to him and his life, well here we are. Let’s know more. Together!
- Remember the famous Golden Quadrilateral Project? That was his brainchild! He undertook the initiative to have constructed a network of highways that would connect the four metropolitan cities of India. Which then were Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
- Privatisation of companies in India was like another feather in his cap. It was under his administration that big names Indian Petrochemicals and VSNL went from public to private. A big step forward for businesses in India!
- He was a big believer in education too! No one before him took their passion of ensuring every child got the right to study as far as he did. Atal Bihari Vajpayee started the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which made education a fundamental right. For children between the ages of 6 and 14 at least.
- Before his reign as PM, the penetration of telecom in India was just 3%. A meagre number. But under his 12-year rule, that same figure rose to 70%. Which is massive growth, no doubt!
- Here is a big one. Delhi metro was both approved as well as inaugurated by him. Even the Chandrayaan 1 project was passed by him. So that is huge as you know.
Who knew that everything about Good Governance Day could be so interesting! When you get down to the real story behind any special day, you get to learn a lot. And that can be a very enriching experience. Just like studying at EuroKids is for your preschool babies. Not to brag, but we make learning a hell lot of fun with our unique engagement-based learning approach. Our curriculum has been designed so well that it has won us a few awards too. Want to know more? Visit any of our centres then!
