Nidhi, a Senior Nursing Officer was excited to receive an invitation among the other fifty nurses along with their families, to attend Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort on August 15.

They will be among 1800 special guests to listen to the 10th Independence Day speech of PM Modi since assuming office in 2014 from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort.
Speaking to ANI in Ghaziabad, Nidhi said, “We are very happy that PM Modi has specially invited us for the Independence Day celebrations. During the Covid, it was very difficult for us to work…We worked for 12 hours and the Covid period was very challenging for us…I am very thankful that the nursing fraternity has been given recognition & I wish to thank PM Modi for this…”

Recalling a 14-year-old boy who had lost his father during the covid-pandemic was unable to come to terms to accept his loss.

“The grief-stricken boy scoured through ambulances, hoping to find his father alive. It was a difficult, very depressing moment for all of our staff,” she recalled.
The nursing fraternity expressed gratitude to the PM for recognising their work and thereby sending an invitation.

Nidhi recalled how they would leave behind their families to attend covid-patients and would witness a large number of casualties.

Annie Kumar, a Senior faculty, Lady Hardinge Medical College, who has also been invited said, “It is a great privilege conferred to nurses by the Government of India and PM Modi. The nursing fraternity is very grateful for this recognition. We all are very proud to be part of this great occasion”.

She recalled how their teams helped the corona victims by putting their lives at risk.
The initiative to invite people from all walks of life, across India, and be a part of the celebrations has been taken by the Government in line with its vision of ‘Jan Bhagidari’, a press release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.
Speaking to ANI, Sushila Devi, Senior Nursing Officer, said the invitation is “turning into a blessing in disguise” for his family.

“It is a proud moment for us that PM Modi has given us this respect…” I and my husband worked on the front line as a covid warrior and it is proving to be a blessing in disguise. We have been invited along with our family. We will also get to meet the Union health minister during the independence day,” Devi said.

As part of the Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort on August 15, 2023, special guests from different walks of life, ranging from Sarpanches of Vibrant Villages, teachers, nurses, farmers, and fishermen, have been invited to participate in the celebrations, the release added.