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PM Modi, along with other world, leaders inaugurates Gandhi Solar Park at the UN headquarters

Published By : Admin | September 25, 2019 | 05:05 IST
PM Modi and other world leaders inaugurate Gandhi Solar Park at the UN headquarters, in New York
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To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi – a global icon of peace and non-violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a high-level event on the sidelines of the 74th UNGA today at 6:30 pm in the ECOSOC Chamber of the UN Headquarters.

The event was graced by H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN, H.E. Mr. Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, H.E. Ms. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica and H.E. Ms. Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Other dignitaries who took part in the event include the Prime Minister of Bhutan H.E. Mr. Lotay Tshering, First Lady of Republic of Korea H.E. Ms. Kim Jung-Sook, senior officials of the UN and diplomats from member states.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar gave the welcome remarks. The participating dignitaries together inaugurated the Gandhi Solar Park at the UN Headquarters (contributed by Government of India to the UN), the Gandhi Peace Garden at State University of New York College at Old Westbury and unveiled the special commemorative edition of the Gandhi@150 Postage Stamps brought out by the UN Postal Administration.

PM Modi in his keynote address talked about the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi to the cause of greater human freedom in the 20th century; emphasis on the welfare of all (Sarvodaya); championing of the downtrodden (Antyodaya); and prescient concern for environmental sustainability. PM said that Mahatma Gandhi’s faith in collective will, shared destiny, moral purpose, people’s movements and personal responsibility are extremely germane to contemporary times.

PM said that violent conflict, terrorism, economic inequalities, socio-economic deprivation, pandemics and the looming existential threat of climate change are impacting people, states and societies. Leadership is crucial to addressing any and every one of these issues and the values promoted by Gandhi serve as moral compass for enlightened leadership.

Secretary General Guterres said that Gandhi gave us a talisman to judge any policy and indeed any action – to assess if the proposed action would enhance the life, dignity and destiny of the poorest person we met. Sanitation, maternal health, primary education, gender balance, women empowerment, reduction of hunger, and ensuring partnerships for development formed the basis for Gandhi's life and practice long before the MDGs or SDGs were designed. In fact, the Sustainable Development Goals are Gandhian philosophy in action.

The participating leaders used the occasion to pay tribute to Gandhian thinking and said that the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi will endure for generations to come. They said the name of Mahatma Gandhi transcends the bounds of race, religion and nation-states, and has emerged as the prophetic voice of the twenty-first century. Gandhi was a multi-faceted personality. He was a nationalist and an internationalist, a traditionalist and reformist, a political leader and a spiritual mentor, a writer and a thinker and a pacifist and an activist for social reform and change. The world remembers the Mahatma not just for his passionate adherence to the practice of non-violence and supreme humanism, but as a benchmark against which we test men and women in public life, political ideas and government policies, and the hopes and wishes of our shared planet.

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Prime Minister reaffirms commitment to wildlife conservation on World Wildlife Day; shares Sanskrit Subhashitam
March 03, 2026

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi said that World Wildlife Day is about celebrating the incredible faunal diversity that enriches our planet and sustains our ecosystems. He said it is a day to acknowledge everyone working towards wildlife protection and reaffirm our commitment to conservation, sustainable practices and protecting habitats so that wildlife continues to thrive.

The Prime Minister noted that India cherishes being home to some of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife. He highlighted that India is home to over 70% of the world’s tiger population, has the largest population of the one-horned rhino and the maximum number of Asiatic elephants. He further stated that India is the only place in the world where the majestic Asiatic lion thrives.

The Prime Minister underlined that the Government has undertaken numerous efforts for wildlife protection. These include the setting up of the International Big Cat Alliance as an exceptional forum to share best practices with fellow nations. Other efforts include initiatives aimed at protecting the Great Indian Bustard, Gharial and Sloth Bear, as well as the translocation of cheetahs.

Emphasising India’s cultural ethos, the Prime Minister said that our scriptures pray for the welfare of all living beings and inspire sensitivity towards wildlife along with conservation. He shared a Sanskrit Subhashitam on this occasion which says-

“निर्वनो वध्यते व्याघ्रो निर्व्याघ्रं छिद्यते वनम्। तस्माद् व्याघ्रो वनं रक्षेद् वनं व्याघ्रं च पालयेत्॥”

The Subhashitam conveys that without forests, tigers perish; and without tigers, forests are destroyed. Therefore, the tiger protects the forest and the forest protects the tiger, underscoring the deep interdependence of nature.

In a series of X posts, Shri Modi said;

“World Wildlife Day is about celebrating the incredible faunal diversity that enriches our planet and sustains our ecosystems. It is a day to acknowledge everyone working towards wildlife protection. We reaffirm our commitment to conservation, sustainable practices and protecting habitats so that our wildlife continues to thrive.”

“We in India cherish the fact that we are home to some of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife. We are home to over 70% of the world’s tiger population. We have the largest population of the one-horned rhino, the maximum Asiatic elephants. India is the only place in the world where the majestic Asiatic lion thrives.”

“The NDA Government has undertaken numerous efforts for wildlife protection. This includes the setting up of the International Big Cat Alliance, an exceptional forum to share best practices with fellow nations. Other efforts include those aimed at protecting the Great Indian Bustard, Gharial, Sloth Bear and translocation of cheetahs.”

“आज World Wildlife Day है। हमारे शास्त्रों में सभी जीवों के कल्याण की कामना की गई है। उनसे हमें वन्यजीवों के संरक्षण के साथ-साथ उनके प्रति संवेदनशील होने की प्रेरणा भी मिलती है। उसका एक उदाहरण यह है… निर्वनो वध्यते व्याघ्रो निर्व्याघ्रं छिद्यते वनम्। तस्माद् व्याघ्रो वनं रक्षेद् वनं व्याघ्रं च पालयेत्॥”