Every Independence Day, India looks towards the sky. As millions of Tirangas rise above homes, schools and public institutions, they remind us of the sacrifices that won our freedom and the responsibility to preserve it. This year, as the nation celebrates Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 and the spirit of Vande Mataram, the Tricolour asks every Indian a profound question: Is freedom complete if even one citizen is left behind?
The answer is found in the extraordinary journey of Vijay Devarkhyani – a young Indian whose life has transformed the meaning of patriotism from celebration to inclusion.
Born with 98% cerebral palsy and intellectual disability, Vijay entered a world that often measured his limitations before recognising his potential. Where many saw disability, his mother saw possibility.
Mrs. Nanki Devarkhyani, a devoted Special Educator, dedicated her life to proving that every child deserves education, confidence and dignity. She never taught Vijay to seek sympathy; she taught him to discover purpose. Her unwavering belief became the foundation upon which one extraordinary life – and eventually a national movement – was built.
Today, Vijay is known across India as Flying High Vijay. It is not merely a name. It is a movement.
Flying High Vijay is dedicated to inclusion, accessibility, independent mobility and adventure for differently-abled children. Its mission is to ensure that every child, irrespective of physical or intellectual ability, experiences the joy of dreaming without barriers. Through motivational outreach and inclusive adventure initiatives, Vijay encourages children to replace fear with confidence, hesitation with courage and dependence with independence.
For thousands of families, he has become more than an inspiration. He has become hope.
Vijay’s remarkable journey has earned international recognition through the Official World Record, Limca Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, India Book of Records and the London Book of Records. These honours celebrate extraordinary achievement, but they are not his greatest accomplishment.
His greatest achievement is changing lives. It is the smile of a child who believes in themselves for the very first time. It is the confidence of a young wheelchair user who chooses adventure instead of fear. It is the parent who quietly says, “My child now believes they can.”
These victories will never be measured by medals or certificates, yet they represent the highest form of success.
The Tiranga carries three timeless values. Saffron represents courage. White represents truth and peace. Green represents hope and progress. But the India of tomorrow must embrace the value that gives meaning to all three: Inclusion.
Inclusion means schools where every child belongs. It means accessible airports, playgrounds and public spaces. It means workplaces where talent is valued before disability. It means designing a nation where dignity is not a privilege, but a birthright.
This is not charity. This is constitutional justice. This is nation-building.
The freedom struggle gave India political independence. Our generation has the responsibility to achieve inclusive independence – an India where no dream is limited by a staircase, no opportunity is denied by inaccessibility, and no family feels invisible because of disability.
As we proudly raise the Tiranga this Independence Day, let us do more than celebrate freedom. Let us remove one barrier. Let us empower one child. Let us create one opportunity.
Because the highest honour we can give our National Flag is to ensure that every Indian rises beneath it with equal dignity.
Har Ghar Tiranga. Har Dil Inclusion.
Flying High Vijay – Inspiring Ability. Empowering Dreams. Building an Inclusive India.
