What is Freedom?

Freedom is a powerful, inspiring, wonderful (and often), intimidating word. To me, Freedom is the privilege of liberty and independence. But what you do with Freedom, how you choose to exercise and respect it — is what really matters. - Hon. Consul of Estonia Mr.Pravin Goenka

Ideal freedom for me is having the ability to choose and to be responsible for the way one feels, acts, reacts and lives one’s life. - Mr. Anoop Sharma

Freedom for me, like many others in our country, is all about democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality. - Mr. Vijay Saraf

Freedom to me means limitless opportunities and possibilities. And for everyone to have equal access to said opportunities. - Mr. Rohan Naik

My thoughts on Freedom based on Current events  : 
Freedom can have several meanings, but in the present scenario, Im feeling blessed to live in free country like India, and not facing the threat of the likes of Taliban threatening to take over our country and facing the dilemma of fleeing or surviving. -  Mr. Vikash Tibrewal

Freedom is generally the ability to act without any constraint. Personally I believe we should learn to get freedom from outer self to go deep in to inner self. Let's learn to get freedom from pessimism to promote optimism within ourselves. - Dr. Raja Raja Chozhan

My thoughts on Freedom based on Current events: Freedom is peace. Freedom is moving away from fear, anxiety, anger on our emotional continuum towards love, empathy, generosity and selfless action. Freedom is possible and exists within. - Dr. Sujata Kelkar Shetty

Freedom according to me has kept changing its definition, and will till we ultimately become free. At  present , it means to get vaccinated. - Hon. Consul of Peru Mr. Vikram Vishwanath

Freedom according to me is when people have equal access to housing, food, education, employment, and health care — rights granted based on a person’s merit as a human and without judgment. - Mr. Premnath

I could subscribe to most of what already has been written by our distinguished members.
However, I would add that for me, with any freedom and liberty some respect and responsibility is needed. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion and belief, belonging, manifestation or any action should not harm, humiliate or intimidate the others.
One often realizes what freedom really incumbes and what is at stake when freedom has been taken away. So, it's something very very precious to be taken not for granted. It needs constant care to be taken both, by us individuals like by our statesmen to make it last and flourish. - Ambassador of Estonia Her Excellency Ms. Katrin Kivi

Freedom for me, is to not be judged, and to not judge anyone, anything else. Freedom to me is the ability to quiten the little voice in the head. Freedom to me is respect for all, and all the elements, and be able to become one with them all. Freedom to me is to have the same appreciation for darkness, as for light.  -  Mr. Gitesh Agarwal

The world has enslaved us with the greed  of wealth,success and status. As such, it is very essential to be free from evil thoughts and deeds. 
Freedom is to experience joy, consciousness and God. 
Freedom is also an amazing expression of justice , integrity, equality and being righteous. 
Truth is the ultimate ingredient as it provides absolute freedom. - Dr. Abraham Ebenezer

Freedom for me is a gift from God.
He has given us free will, however with freedom there must be structure. 
Jesus set us free from our sins, our freedom can be expressed in many forms, political, spiritual.
We are free from slavery, to express ourselves without condemnation or judgement, but we must remain obedient to God. 
Freedom should come from within expressed with Love. - Mr. Paul Heavey

‘Freedom’ for me is the karmic situation I am in that allows me the space to pursue my goal of self discovery and some transformation! - Ms. Bina Mirchandani

Freedom to me means, giving that privilege  of freedom to the underprivileged in the society from poverty, hunger. Only then any  society can experience complete freedom. Of course I am thank full to almighty for being born in such an amazing country and enjoying all the freedom - Mr. Arun Kumar

Freedom to me means living in a country  free from corruption a society where I am free to speak my mind without fear of oppression and harassment  where I am allowed to  invite  and support my foreign guests and where  all fellow citizens get access to food, clean water, education and healthcare. - Mr. Naveen Raju

Distinguished Members, we all see that the whole world is running after POWER. May it be physical power (Fuel, Arms) or psychological power (position & status)

We also know that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

But many are still ignorant of a truth that Knowledge is structured in one's own consciousness. 

To be able to access pure consciousness within one's own self through the process of Meditation is Freedom for the individual person.

To be able to convince others about this fact and have them all experience that state of inner bliss is True Freedom for the society. 

And the greatest Good News is for the social freedom, we need only SQUARE ROOT OF 1% of the the society to be experiencing this State of Quietness for all to be in FREEDOM.

Let's resolve to BE that tiny fraction of the 1%. - Dr. Vecram Addithyen

My understanding of Freedom is derived from the Sanskrit term svaatantryam coming from sva+tantra. sva=one's higher Self and tantra = extending, rule, realm, science etc. 
I see it as a state of Being which is ruled/governed by the Laws of the Self, an empowered and unconditional response to the world in every given circumstances with an independent experience of contentment - as the Gita says 'aatmany eva aatmanaa tuShTaH - one who is content in the Self by the Self'.  Freedom, therefore is the art of being like the lotus leaf through the vicissitudes of life untouched by the murky waters it grows in and like the lotus itself which in its spontaneous beauty remains free of the mud it grows in and instead flowers into its full majestic  bloom nourished by the light of the Sun ..  symbolic of the connection with the inner Sun of Truth - the Self. - Dr. Anuradha Choudry

Freedom:
What does it mean to me?
Nothing!
As I feel it is not a state of achievement but just your very beingness
When you are detached from the drama of the physical world, you are always in a state of Zen - Nothing bothers you 
So how can anything bind/cage you and bring you to a state where you crave or seek Freedom? - Dr. Aneeta Sanas

Moksha, as per our   philosophy and religion is  liberation and freedom from samsara.we say individual souls are immortal and one should aim at achieving moksha of the soul.
There is always scope for new values and ideals which arise in human development which we may not be able to predict despite knowing all of them aim for moksha of the soul  in some form.Freedom gives scope for personality development and creates conditions for growth.so it implies as Men and women we should respect humanity and it's frailties and tolerate our differences and serve each other in difficult times viz covid pandemic and so on.
This in true sense addresses the right to freedom as guaranteed in indian constitution. - Ms. M Usha Rani

To me Freedom means simply  :
Not to do what you feel like doing. - Mr. Abhijit Dutta

Freedom means freedom from greed and indulgence. One can inch towards it by abandoning physical and material desire to the extent possible. - Mr. Pradeep Gupta- Former Ambassador of India

Everyone aspires for freedom. But, where is freedom?  Freedom begins with responsibility.  Throwing away responsibility is throwing away opportunity for freedom.  Everybody wants to be free but nobody wants the responsibility.  Because responsibility is troublesome.  Burdensome.  We feel that the problem is because of responsibility.  But the truth of the issue is - freedom starts with responsibility.  Throwing away responsibility is throwing away an opportunity for freedom.  That is why, throughout the Geeta, Krishna insists that you have to perform your obligations.  You cannot drop the responsibility. 
How does responsibility bring about freedom?  When you are responsible, you have taken charge.  You do not rely on external factors. To take charge of yourself, you need courage.  It is easy to say, please save me, grant me salvation.  Slavery is easy but not the way one can truly evolve. - Mr. Eswaran

My definition of Freedom is to achieve my dream & not worry about what others think of me. - Mr. Raghu Rajappa

Freedom for me is to be free from coercion. To be yourself, live life on your own terms, making  choices  but respecting everyone else's personal  space snd expression. - Mr. Dhanwant

Referred the book CASTE:  appreciate the person who said that for them it's about being free from coercion. I'm in the US, and have been reading an important recent book called "Caste" by an African American scholar and journalist called Isabel Wilkerson. The book is a historical comparison of caste systems in the US and  India and Nazi Germany. It is written in a very lucid and clear-headed way and describes the means by which some groups of people have dehumanized others. Those of us who have lived free from being discriminated against by other people and free from laws which limit our potential to be our fullest selves, have benefited in part from the "caste" system we were born into. I know those of you on this thread in India are insiders to this system even if you oppose it, just as I, a white woman living in America, am part of a history which in small, everyday ways I can try to change. Respect, curiosity, deference in the face of anger and easily hurt feelings on the part of the oppressed group. - Ms. Rachel Cooke