Every year, without fail, Republic Day arrives—and so do the posts.
CEOs of multinational companies, conglomerates, and increasingly, CEO aspirants take to LinkedIn to speak about nation-building, self-reliance, and how their company’s aspirations align with India’s destiny. The language feels familiar, the sentiment rehearsed, and the timing is impeccable.
I often wonder: why on this day?
Perhaps it is because this day is emotionally charged. Patriotism, when expressed in broad strokes, invites no disagreement; silence, on the other hand, is noticed. Over time, what began as genuine reflection seems to have evolved into ritual.
Corporate communications teams prepare templates, PR teams polish phrases, and legal teams ensure nothing strays into risk. Last year’s post is dusted off, slightly edited, and republished with fresh hashtags.
What’s more interesting is the growing participation of aspiring leaders. For them, these days offer a chance to sound statesman-like and signal readiness for the corner office.
It is personal branding, carefully draped in national sentiment. Social media amplifies this behavior. Platforms reward consensus over originality, and the uncomfortable truth is that many of these messages say more about the speaker than the country.
Nation-building does not happen in posts. It happens in decisions: in choosing to invest where infrastructure is weak, in building for affordability when profit margins suffer, and in staying the course when the easier option is to look elsewhere.
Perhaps that is why the most meaningful contributions often come without ceremony or hashtags. The companies that truly strengthen India rarely announce it. They are too busy solving unglamorous problems and building capabilities that reveal their value over time.
Hence I’m increasingly convinced of this…
Substance does not need a national holiday to speak. Real commitment to a country shows up every day …in the work itself.
Ravi Nagabhushnam
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