Class 10 English NCERT Book First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela Summary in English with PDF File for cbse, hbse and other state boards.
Nelson Mandela Summary Class 10 English
Nelson Mandela author- Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
This essay has been taken from the autobiography of Nelson Mandela, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. Nelson Mandela is a South African leader. He greatly struggled for freedom to his people. He struggled against the racial discrimination between the whites and the blacks. In this essay, Nelson Mandela speaks about a historic occasion when he was sworn as the President of South Africa. It was the 10th May. The day was bright and clear. A huge gathering of international leaders had assembled in Pretoria to mark the end of White supremacy. Nelson Mandela calls this occasion the inauguration’. It was the inauguration of the first democratic non-racial government in South Africa.
The ceremony took place in a big open building in Pretoria. On that day, Mandela’s daughter Zenani was also with him. When the ceremony began, Mr de Klerk was sworn in as second deputy president. Then Mr Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president. Then it was Nelson Mandela’s turn. He was sworn in as the President of South Africa. He pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution. He dedicated himself to the well-being of his people.
In his speech, Mandela spoke of the newborn liberty. He thanked the international guests gathered there. He said that they had come there to be with his countrymen in the common victory for justice, peace and human dignity. Mandela pledged himself to liberate his people from poverty, suffering and discrimination. After the ceremony, there was a spectacular show by Jets, Defence and Police Force. South African jets and helicopters flew over the Union Buildings. The show symbolised the military’s loyalty to democracy. In the end V-shaped Impala jets left with a smoke trail of the black, red, green, blue and gold of the new South Africa flag. Then the highest military generals saluted him. After that two national anthems were played. These formed the old national anthems of the Republic.
On that important occasion, Mandela recalls history. He remembers how a system of racial domination was created against the black people in their own land. it was the most inhumane system. The white people had built a system of superiority over the blacks. The black people were not given even their basic freedom. The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in the country and his people. Nelson Mandela feels glad that the cruel system has been overturned. He promised that in the new system recognition would be given to the rights and freedoms of all people regardless of the colour of their skin. Mandela remembers all those leaders who sacrificed their lives to end the era of oppression. He pays homage to great leaders like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, etc. They were men of uncommon courage and wisdom. Such people are the greatest wealth of his country. These leaders taught him that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
According to the author, no one is born hating others because of colour or religion. If we can learn to hate, we can learn to love also. Love comes naturally to the human heart. This is what we should do. We should learn to love. The author talks about twin obligations-obligation to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children; and he has an obligation to his people, his community, his country. He says that in a civil society each one of us should fulfil these two obligations. He regrets that during the era of oppression no one in South Africa could fulfil these obligations.
He says that he was born free. But as he grew up, he realized that his freedom was an illusion. He began to hunger for freedom when it was denied to him. Soon he found that others like him were also not free. He joined the African National Congress. He wanted that his people should also be free. Now, he promises that each one of his people would get an environment where he would fulfill the twin obligations. He pledges to provide freedom to his people to live with dignity and self-respect without any fear.