Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday reminded the people of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's wise words that "India will be what we are; our thoughts and actions will shape her."

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In his maiden Independence Day address, Singh said: "Panditji had then said 'all of us talk of India and all of us demand many things from India. What do we give her in return? India will ultimately give us what we give her of love and service and productive and creative work.'"

"At that time I was a young student and looked upon the dawn of Independence as the opening of new vistas of opportunities to build an India of our dreams," he said.

In his 45-minute speech in Hindi, Singh wanted the people to remember these "wise words of Panditji as you go about doing your work, be in farms, in factories, in schools, in colleges, in government offices, in shops or in research laboratories."

"What is that Bharat that we all wish to build? A Bharat that is just and humane. A Bharat that treats all its citizens as equals. A Bharat that is prosperous. A Bharat that lives in peace. A Bharat in which every person is literate and healthy.
A Bharat in which everyone who seeks work is able to find it, and works for a brighter future for all of us," the prime minister said.