Proving Ivor Jennings' prediction of being "too long, too rigid, too prolix" wrong, the Indian Constitution has completed 72 years of its enforcement. It was not just Jennings — the greatest contemporary Constitution analyst of the time — but a larger global opinion that went against predicting sustainability for the Indian Constitution. It is intriguing what has kept the Indian Constitution alive and kicking in the seventh decade of its enforcement, despite a profound scale of countrywide diversity and differences. Also, what shielded it in its initial years when the country had just woken to a horrible bloodshed on account of religious differences during the Partition? There is a need to recognize the factors that prevented the Constitution from drifting apart in its nascent stage, and also to internalize those aspects in the present context. The initial words of the Preamble to Indian Constitution — 'We the people of India' — are not merely symbolic. The framing of the Indian Constitution saw widespread public participation. This inclusive nature of the Constitution sets it apart from many others. The second important aspect is its extraordinary detailing that barely leaves anything unbalanced; India claims to have the largest written Constitution in the world. The third and the most important factor had been the efforts put in by our political masters at that juncture. They had seen, and fought against, the horrors of colonial repression. Their genuine spirit towards preventing the nation from being exposed to such indignity again and their extraordinary intellect laid the groundwork for the Indian Constitution. We continue to enjoy the fruits of their grand endeavor. Their vision is not dead nor is their spirit. The Indian Constitution has frozen those within itself. Each Indian has a duty to internalize the values of the Constitution and abide by the rule of law — not just to protect their own rights and that of fellow citizens but also as a mark of respect to the masters who were elemental in framing it. It is a matter of contemplation where the nation stands today in preserving the values and provisions of the Indian Constitution, and in which direction it is headed. The picture certainly is not very rosy. Ambedkar envisioned that our "loyalty as Indians should be in the slightest way affected by any competitive loyalty". Unfortunately, this 'Indian first' concept is largely missing today — from the speeches of leaders to the acts of citizens. A silent acceptance or validation of persecutions on the basis of religion, caste and creed is a harsh reality that one has to come to terms with. The things that are spoken of the most — nation, religion, the Constitution, democracy etc. — are undeniably the most misunderstood ones on account of doctored connotations. The situation becomes precarious in circumstances where hypocrisy comes up to cover the wrongful deeds, as it blocks the scope for improvements. The issue is made even more complex by mutual give and take between the leadership and the public. While political narrative around religious and caste-based differences fuels the public sentiments, the other way round is equally true. It is important to see who takes the initiative to break this vicious cycle of hatred — political leaders or the general masses — to help us take closer to the idea of India envisaged by our constitution framers. To recount other challenges facing the realization of values and provisions of Indian Constitution, not going too far in history, we have witnessed Dharma conclave hate speech, declining state of discussions on Bills in the parliament, protesting farmers staying at the borders of Delhi for over a year, CAA protests, Northeast Delhi riots and many other 'smaller' incidences that go against Constitutional morality. It is also true that in some of these incidents we saw a ray of hope. We saw people fighting for their Constitutional entitlements, and gaining a varied degree of success in various cases. While the success of farmers' protest is a textbook example of fighting for rights, the fight in the Northeast Delhi riots is still on. The beautiful part is that people from the most unexpected and underprivileged background have risen up to the occasion and shown us the way forward. Currently, villagers in Dhinkia are holding the bastion against the powers that be to prevent the acquisition of their lands. This awareness of what is being provided under the Constitution and what needs to be fought for is a healthy sign for the Indian republic. It goes without saying that these people — standing up for the community they represent — also bear the cost of their brave actions. It is time we learn to stand up for the rights of others. Only that spirit will empower us to stand not just for sectional interests but also for the larger Constitutional ethos of the nation. And the same spirit will make us responsible enough to discharge our duties successfully. Happy Republic Day.