Page 155 - SST Class 06

Diversity and Interdependence different identities in the same house. Then the
society is very large; it is natural for him to have
In order to meet our diverse needs, it is essential
that people are diverse. We have to depend on a many more identities. Outside the four walls of
farmer for food, on a doctor for medicines, on a the house, an individual becomes a friend, a
professional, a member of a club, a citizen of the
tailor for clothes, on a writer for books, on a
teacher for education and so on. One person country. And his basic identity is that he is an
cannot do all these things, so we have to be Indian.
dependent on others directly or indirectly.
Normally we do not go to a farmer directly to buy INDIAN : FIRST AND FOREMOST
grain or vegetables. We buy it from the market, All of us are Indians first and foremost; only then
but we are certainly dependent on him. Similarly, we can be boy / girl, son / daughter / father /
other people are dependent on us directly or mother, Hindu / Muslim / Sikh / Christian, Bengali
indirectly. / Tamilian / Gujarati / Kashmiri, doctor /
shopkeeper / tailor / farmer or anybody else.
Diverse Identities of an Individual
The fact of our being Indian reveals the underlying
The moment a child is born, he/she is
son/daughter to parents, grandson/granddaughter unity that binds all of we Indians together. We are
strong when we are united. We can progress
to grandparents, brother/sister to brothers/sisters
and so on. But the basic identity is that he/she is a when we are united. We can be safe when we are
united. History is witness that the invaders
child. In the same way, your father is a husband,
plundered us only when we were not united. We
brother, son : all at the same time; and his basic
identity is man. So is your mother whose basic may have diversities and differences, yet we have
to stand united and prove ourselves to be true
identity is woman.
INDIANS.
You can see that one and the same individual has

v There is underlying diversity in all aspects of life though they may look different outwardly.
v Even similar things are done differently by different people.

v We can observe diversity in different aspects of life, like dresses, foods, houses, occupations, religions etc.
v Diversity is essential in life.
v We can find diversity in India in different fields—physical features, races, religions, cultures, dresses, foods,
customs, traditions etc.
v Diversity and interdependence are the two sides of the same coin.
v We are Indians first and anybody else afterwards.

A. Tick (3) the right option :

1. India is famous for ____________ .
(a) unity (b) diversity (c) unity in diversity

Diversity
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