‘Date with destiny’ to ‘tryst with destiny’: How Nehru changed his I-Day speech; Congress shares handwritten draft

PTI

New Delhi, August 14

The Congress on Sunday shared former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s handwritten draft of his famous first Independence day speech in which he had written about the country’s “date with destiny” but delivered it as “tryst with destiny”.

Congress general secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh also shared the video of Nehru’s speech delivered at the midnight session of the Constituent Assembly as India achieved independence on August 15, 1947.

Ramesh said on Twitter, “75 years ago, a little after midnight, Nehru gave his immortal ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech. Here’s his handwritten draft dated 14.8.47. He had penned it as ‘date with destiny’, but in a moment of true genius delivered it as ‘tryst with destiny’.”

Nehru in his draft note wrote, “Long years ago we made a date with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the strike of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom.”

“Our moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of the nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity...,” Nehru said in his draft note of August 14, 1947.

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