‘India is my country.’ The very first line of the Indian National Pledge claims this land to be our own, and yet, not all citizens are good citizens. Patriotism is more than just spirited chest-thumping; it can be defined only as an inspired struggle towards a more radiant Bharat. Here is a metre to check where we stand with respect to our grand national resurgence:

Give yourself points if you –

+1

Salute the national flag daily.

Know the stories of at least five Indian Army heroes.

Know the stories of at least five Bharatiya scientists.

Visit a temple regularly.

Read the ingredient label on packaged food products.

+2

Plant a sapling regularly.

Choose local products over branded ones.

Have nursed/rescued a stray animal.

+3

Speak about the glory of Bharat, past or present.

Employ methods to reduce water and electricity usage.

Ditch plastic for more sustainable alternatives, like cloth and bamboo.

Take away a point if you have ever –

-1

Honked unnecessarily at traffic.

Abused a passerby/pedestrian/driver on the road (even verbally!)

Cut the line at a government office/public service centre.

Made a discriminatory remark about someone from a different community, caste or religion.

Ignored, disrespected, or mocked a Bharatiya language.

-2

Sat down while the National Anthem played.

Littered, spit on, or urinated near a public street or highway.

Chosen to remain silent after witnessing a legal offence.

-3

Vandalised a wall, floor, or other publicly visible structure.

Taken or paid a bribe.

Stolen anything from a public place.

You might have noticed a slight difference here, dear reader. You gain points only for things that you do regularly, but you lose points even for singular offences. The reasoning is thus: building a nation requires persistent, enduring effort; breaking a nation only takes a moment of ignorance and animalism. Patriotism must seep from our hearts into our actions.

So, let's make this a practice, to not just say it, but to DO IT! Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!