Independence Day 2025: 'Freedom gives us the chance to dream', Tendulkar, Gukesh and other sportspersons extend wishes

India celebrated its 79th Independence Day on Friday, 15 August with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation at the Red Fort in Delhi, as is the custom every year.

PM Modi discussed several topics during his speech on Friday morning, from the idea of Made in India jet engines and rolling out the first Made in India semi-conductor chip by the end of the year to increasing India’s nuclear power generation capacity by over ten times in the next two decades with the introduction of 10 new reactors.

The Prime Minister also hailed the Mansukh Mandaviya-led Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ decision to introduce the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 to the parliament recently and for getting it passed in both houses earlier this month.

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How Tendulkar and other sporting icons wished India on 79th Independence Day

Social media was inundated with messages from eminent sportspersons and other users celebrating the special occasion. Here are select reactions from some of India’s greatest sporting heroes including Sachin Tendulkar and Neeraj Chopra:

Happy Independence Day!
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/W8K8iMPD8d

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 15, 2025

🇮🇳🫡 pic.twitter.com/edOMxh92HA

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) August 15, 2025

Freedom gives us the chance to dream, and representing India gives me the honour to live it every day. Happy Independence Day! ❤️🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/TOObQwJW86

— Gukesh D (@DGukesh) August 15, 2025

Each time I represent India, I wish to stand on the podium and listen to this.
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳#IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/YHGLqdu2e4

— Manu Bhaker🇮🇳 (@realmanubhaker) August 15, 2025

My country, my identity, my life! Jai Hind!🇮🇳#IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/seiUpwc8so

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) August 15, 2025

कुछ नशा तिरंगे की आन का है,
कुछ नशा मातृभूमि की शान का है,
हम लहरायेंगे हर जगह ये तिरंगा,
नशा ये हिन्दुस्तां के सम्मान का है।
स्वतंत्रता दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं !#स्वतंत्रता_दिवस pic.twitter.com/05GpGvYolM

— Virrender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 15, 2025

Wishing every Indian a Happy Independence Day! 🇮🇳
Our freedom was hard-earned; our duty is to keep it alive — in spirit, in action, and in unity.
Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/3tporvuzZ0

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) August 14, 2025