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গায়ানায় ভারতীয় সম্প্রদায়ের সভায় প্রধানমন্ত্রী শ্রী নরেন্দ্র মোদীর ভাষণ

Published By : Admin | November 22, 2024 | 03:00 IST
The Indian diaspora in Guyana has made an impact across many sectors and contributed to Guyana’s development: PM
You can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an Indian: PM
Three things, in particular, connect India and Guyana deeply,Culture, cuisine and cricket: PM
India's journey over the past decade has been one of scale, speed and sustainability: PM
India’s growth has not only been inspirational but also inclusive: PM
I always call our diaspora the Rashtradoots,They are Ambassadors of Indian culture and values: PM

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Indian Community at an event organised in Georgetown, Guyana today. The President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Philips, Vice President Bharat Jagdeo, Former President Donald Ramotar were present among others. Addressing the gathering, Shri Modi thanked the President and expressed happiness over the grand welcome he received with special warmth on his arrival. He further thanked the President and his family for their warmth and kindness. “The Spirit of hospitality is at the heart of our culture”, said Shri Modi. The Prime Minister remarked that he planted a tree with the President and his Grandmother as part of the Ek Ped Maa ke Naam initiative of the Indian Government. He added that it was an emotional moment which he would remember forever.

The Prime Minister remarked that he was deeply honoured to receive the order of excellence, the highest national award of Guyana. He thanked the people of Guyana for the gesture. Shri Modi dedicated the award in honour of 1.4 billion Indians and the 3 lakh strong Indo-Guyanese community and their contributions to the development of Guyana.

Recalling the beautiful memories of his visit to Guyana two decades ago as a curious traveller, Shri Modi expressed happiness that now he had returned to the land of many rivers as the Prime Minister of India. Noting that there were a hoard of changes from then till now, he remarked that the love and affection of the Guyanese people remains the same. “You can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an India”, said Shri Modi and added that his experience of the tour had reaffirmed it.

Recalling his visit to the Indian arrival monument, earlier in the day, the Prime Minister remarked that it brought to life the long and arduous journey of the ancestors of Indo- Guyanese people nearly two centuries ago. Noting that the people had come from different parts of India, Shri Modi said that they brought with them the diversity of cultures, languages and traditions and made Guyana their home over time. He added that these languages, stories and traditions are today a rich part of the culture of Guyana. He lauded the spirit of the Indo-Guyanese community for their fight for freedom and democracy. He noted that they had worked to make Guyana one of the fastest-growing economies leading to a rise to top from humble-beginnings. Lauding the efforts of Shri Cheddii Jagan, Shri Modi said Shri Jagan rose to be a leader of global stature from his beginnings in a humble background of a family of labourers. He added that President Irfan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, former President Donald Ramotar were all ambassadors of the Indo-Guyanese community. The Prime Minister also noted that many Indo-Guyanese like Joseph Roman, one of the earliest Indo-Guyanese intellectuals, Ram Jaridar Lalla, one of the earliest Indo-Guyanese poets, Shana Yardan, the renowned women poet and others have had a profound impact in the fields of art, academics, music and medicine.

Highlighting that our commonalities provided a strong foundation to India-Guyana friendship, Shri Modi said Culture, Cuisine and Cricket were three important things in particular that connected India with Guyana. He added that this year’s Diwali was special as Shri Ram Lalla had returned to Ayodhya after 500 years. He further added that the people of India also remembered that the holy water and shilas from Guyana were also sent to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He lauded that their cultural connection with Mother India was strong, despite being oceans apart and he could feel this when he visited the Arya Samaj Monument and Saraswati Vidya Niketan School earlier in the day. Shri Modi remarked that both India and Guyana were proud of our rich and diverse culture and saw diversity as something to be celebrated, not just accommodated. He added that both countries were showing how cultural diversity was their strength.

Touching upon the cuisine, the Prime Minister noted that the Indo-Guyanese community also has a unique food tradition which has both Indian and Guyanese elements.

Discussing the love for cricket which binds our nations strongly, Shri Modi said it is not just a sport, but a way of life, deeply embedded in our national identity. He added that the Providence National Cricket Stadium in Guyana stands as a symbol of our friendship.Underling that Kanhai, Kalicharan, Chanderpaul were all well-known names in India, Shri Modi said Clive Lloyd and his team have been a favourite of many generations. He added that young players from Guyana also had a huge fan base in India. He further added that many Indians enjoyed the T-20 World Cup that was hosted there earlier in the year.

The Prime Minister remarked that he had the honour of addressing the Guyanese Parliament earlier in the day. He added that coming from the Mother of Democracy, he felt the spiritual connection with one of the most vibrant democracies in the Caribbean region. Shri Modi underlined that India and Guyana have a shared history that binds us together such as the common struggle against colonial rule, love for democratic values and respect for diversity. “We have a shared future that we want to create”, said Shri Modi emphasising the aspirations for growth and development, Commitment towards economy and ecology and belief in a just and inclusive world order.

Expressing that the people of Guyana are well-wishers of India, Shri Modi highlighted “India’s journey over the past decade has been one of scale, speed and” sustainability.”. He added that in In just 10 years, India has grown from the tenth largest economy to the fifth largest and soon, India will become the third-largest. Lauding the youth, he said they have made us the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world. Shri Modi further highlighted that India was a global hub for e-commerce, AI, fintech, agriculture, technology and more. Emphasising India’s space missions to Mars and the moon, the Prime Minister said from highways to i-ways, airways to railways, we are building state of art infrastructure. Underling that India had a strong service sector, Shri Modi said that now India was also becoming stronger in manufacturing and India had become the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world.

 “India’s growth has not only been inspirational but also inclusive”, highlighted the Prime Minister and added that India’s digital public infrastructure was empowering the poor and the Government had opened over 500 million bank accounts for the people and connected these bank accounts with digital identity and mobiles. This, he said, helped people receive assistance directly in their bank accounts. Shri Modi also said that Ayushman Bharat was the world’s largest free health insurance scheme, benefiting over 500 million people. He added that the Government had built over 30 million homes for those in need. “In just one decade, we have lifted 250 million people out of poverty”, highlighted Shri Modi. He added that even among the poor, the initiatives had benefited women the most and Millions of women were becoming grassroots entrepreneurs, generating jobs and opportunities.

 

 Emphasising that while all this massive growth was happening, India was also focused on sustainability, Shri Modi said that in just a decade, India’s solar energy capacity grew 30-fold and had moved towards green mobility, with 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol. He added that at the international level too, India had played a central role in many initiatives to combat climate change like the International Solar Alliance, the Global Biofuels Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure among other initiatives having a special focus on empowering the Global South. The Prime Minister emphasised that India had also championed the International Big Cat Alliance and Guyana, with its majestic Jaguars, also stands to benefit from this.

Recalling that India had hosted President Irfaan Ali as the Chief Guest of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, last year, Shri Modi said India also received Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in India. He added that together, they had worked to strengthen bilateral cooperation in many areas. Shri Modi remarked that today, both countries had agreed to widen the scope of our collaboration - from energy to enterprise, Ayurveda to agriculture, infrastructure to innovation, healthcare to human resources, and data to development and the partnership also holds significant value for the wider region. He added that the second India-CARICOM summit held yesterday was a testament to the same. The Prime Minister remarked that as members of the United Nations, both countries believed in reformed multilateralism and as developing countries, they understood the power of the Global South. He added that they sought strategic autonomy and support for inclusive development. Shri Modi said both countries prioritise sustainable development and climate justice and continue to call for dialogue and diplomacy to address global crises.

 Referring to the diaspora as the Rashtradoots, Shri Modi said they were Ambassadors of Indian culture and values. He added that the Indo-Guyanese community was doubly blessed as they had Guyana as their motherland and Bharat Mata as their ancestral land. The Prime Minister underscored that today, when India was a land of opportunities, each one of them could play a bigger role in connecting our two countries.

Urging the diaspora to participate in the Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz which was launched, the Prime Minister said that the quiz was a good opportunity to understand India, its values, culture and diversity. He urged the people to invite their friends too to participate.

Shri Modi invited the diaspora to participate with families and friends in the Maha Kumbh to be held at Prayagraj, from 13 January to 26 February next year. He also added that they could visit the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister also invited the diaspora to come and participate in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas that will be held in Bhubaneswar in January and partake in the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath in Puri.

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Prime Minister’s address to the Indian Community in Malaysia
February 07, 2026

His Excellency, Prime Minister अनवर इब्राहिम,

My dear friends, brothers and sisters,

सलामत पतांग!

वणक्कम्!

सुखमाणो?

सत श्री अकाल!

बागुन्नारा?

केम-छो?

The warmth of your greetings reflects the beautiful diversity of our shared culture.

First of all, I thank my dear friend, Prime Minister अनवर इब्राहिम, for joining this community celebration. I also thank him for his very kind words on the scale and future potential of India – Malaysia friendship in his speech just now.

Not just that, Prime Minister came to the airport to welcome me, and he brought me here in his car. Not only his car, but his seat also. These special gestures reflect his love and respect for India and for all of you.

I am grateful for your warm words, hospitality and friendship.

Friends,

We have just seen a record setting cultural performance. More than 800 Dancers in perfect harmony. This performance will be remembered by our people for years to come. I congratulate you. I congratulate all the performers.

Friends,

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and I have been friends even before he became Prime Minister. I commend his focus on reforms, his great intellect and able Chairmanship of the ASEAN in 2025.

Last year, I could not visit Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit. But I promised my friend that I will come to Malaysia soon. And as promised, I am here.

This is my first foreign visit in 2026. I am delighted to be with you during these festive times. I hope everyone celebrated Sankranti, Pongal and तइ-पूसम् with great joy. Soon, the festival of Shivaratri is coming. In a few days, Ramzan begins and then हरि राया will be celebrated with great devotion. I wish everyone happiness and good health.

Friends,

Malaysia has the second largest Indian-origin community in the world. There is so much that connects Indian and Malaysian hearts. The exhibition that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and I saw a short while ago, shows these connections beautifully. You are a living bridge that links us.

You have connected रोटी चनाई with the मलाबार परोट्टा.

Coconut, spices and of course तेह तारिक…

The flavours feel so familiar, whether it is in Kuala Lumpur or Kochi. We understand each other so well. It must be due to the large number of common words between our languages and मलय.

I have heard that Indian movies and music are popular in Malaysia. You all know that Prime Minister अनवर इब्राहीम sings very well. But many Indians back home did not know it. During his last visit, they were pleasantly surprised. Videos of him singing an old Hindi song in India went viral! It is wonderful that he also loves Tamil songs of the legendary MGR.

Friends,

I know that India has a special place in your hearts. I remember very clearly an instance from 2001. When there was an earthquake in my home state of Gujarat, many of you came together to help. I thank you all.

And even long before that, to make India a free country, thousands of your ancestors made great sacrifices. Many of them had never seen India. But they were among the first to join Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army.

In his honour we renamed the Indian Cultural Centre in Malaysia after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. I also take this moment to salute the efforts of the Netaji Service Centre and Netaji Welfare Foundation in Malaysia.

Friends,

It is remarkable the way you have preserved traditions over centuries. Recently, I spoke in my monthly radio conversation Mann Ki Baat about you. I shared with 1.4 billion Indians how over 500 schools in Malaysia teach children in Indian languages.

The influence of great saints like तिरुवळ्ळुवर् and स्वामी विवेकानंद can also be felt here. The तइ-पूसम् in बतु caves last week was so divine that it looked like the celebrations at पळनि. Equally grand are the cultural celebrations at श्री वेंकटेश्वरा Temple, बागान दातोह.

I am told that Garba is very popular here. We also deeply cherish the cultural connections with our Sikh brothers who live here. You have carried the teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji to this day by promoting नाम जपो, किरत करो, वंड छको.

Friends,

We have people from all parts of India here. The threads of cultural unity bind us strongly. Our strength is we understand unity in diversity.

Friends,

Tamil is India’s gift to the world. Tamil literature is eternal and Tamil culture is global. In the same way, Tamil people have also served humanity with their talents. And I proudly say, India’s Vice President, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan ji, Our Foreign Minister Jaishankar ji who is with us today, Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman ji, who has presented our budget nine times. Dr. Murugan, our Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, are all from Tamil Nadu.

In the same way, the members of the Tamil diaspora in Malaysia, are serving the society, in various fields. In fact, The Tamil diaspora has been here for many centuries. Inspired by this history, we are proud to have established the तिरुवळ्ळुवर Chair in the University of मलाया. We will now set up a तिरुवळ्ळुवर Centre to further strengthen our shared heritage.

Friends,

Our relationship with Malaysia is scaling new heights each year. In 2024, during the visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to New Delhi, we elevated our ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Today, we walk hand in hand as partners towards progress and prosperity. We celebrate each other’s success just as our own. I was touched by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s good wishes on the historic success of Chandrayaan-3. I agree with you, my dear friend. India’s success is Malaysia’s success, it is Asia’s success.

That is why, I say the guiding word of our relationship is IMPACT. IMPACT means India Malaysia Partnership for Advancing Collective Transformation.

IMPACT on the speed of our relations

IMPACT on the scale of our ambitions

IMPACT for the benefit of our people

Together, we can benefit entire humanity!

Friends,

Indian companies have always been keen to work with Malaysia. It is a privilege that we played a part in creating Malaysia’s first and Asia’s largest insulin manufacturing facility.

Over 100 Indian IT companies operate in Malaysia, generating thousands of jobs. The Malaysia-India Digital Council is paving new pathways for our digital collaboration. I am happy to share with you that India's UPI will come to Malaysia soon.

Friends,

We share the same blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Across the ocean, we love to visit each other. I invite you all to visit different parts of India.

In the past few years, India has seen unprecedented growth in infrastructure and connectivity. The number of our airports has doubled in a decade. Highways are being built at a record pace. Modern trains like Vande Bharat are getting international acclaim. I encourage more of you to travel and experience Incredible India.

You must also bring your मलय friends with you. Don’t come alone. Because people-to-people connect is the cornerstone of our friendship.

Friends,

When we met in 2015, I spoke to you about India’s potential. Now, I speak to you about India’s performance. In one decade, India has seen a massive transformation.

Then, we were the 11th largest economy in the world. Now, we are knocking on the doors of the Top 3. We are also the world’s fastest growing major economy.

Then, Make in India was a sapling that was just planted. Now, India is the world’s second largest mobile manufacturer. Our defence exports have gone up nearly 30 times since 2014. India has also become the third largest startup hub in the world.

We have built the world’s largest Digital Public Infrastructure and the world’s largest fintech ecosystem. Nearly half of the world’s real-time digital transactions happen in India, thanks to our UPI platform.

While growing fast, we also ensured that our growth is clean and green. For example, in one decade, our solar energy has grown about 40 times.

Friends,

Earlier, India was seen just as a huge market. Now, we are a hub for investment and trade. India is seen as a trusted partner for growth. Whether it is the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, the EU or USA, countries have trade deals with India. Trust has become India’s strongest currency.

Friends,

India will always embrace you with open arms. That is why we made a historic decision just a few months ago. We extended the OCI card eligibility to Malaysian citizens of Indian origin up to the 6th generation.

We have been supporting the Indian Scholarships Trust Fund. Now, we are also going to give तिरुवळ्ळुवर Scholarships for students to study in India. And we look forward to seeing you in the Know India Program.

You would be happy to know that we will soon be opening a new Consulate of India in Malaysia. This will bring us even closer.

Friends,

1.4 billion Indians want to build a developed India by 2047.

विकसित भारत बनाना है ना ?

विकसित भारत बनाके रहेंगे कि नहीं रहेंगे ?

हम अपने सपनों को साकार करेंगे कि नहीं करेंगे ?

हम सपनों को संकल्प में बदलेंगे कि नहीं बदलेंगे ?

हम संकल्प को सिद्ध करके रहेंगे कि नहीं रहेंगे ?

In this journey, our Pravasi Bharatiyas, the Indian diaspora, is a valuable partner. Whether you were born in Kuala Lumpur or Kolkata, India lives in your hearts. You are an active part of Malaysia’s and India’s progress. You will help realise the vision of prosperous Malaysia and Viksit Bharat.

Jai Hind!

जुम्पा लागी!

मिक्का नण्ड्री!