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PM addresses inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav

Published By : Admin | December 14, 2022 | 17:30 IST
Performs pooja and darshan at Akshardham Temple
“India’s spiritual tradition and thought has eternal and universal significance”
“Journey from Vedas to Vivekananda can be witnessed today in this centenary celebration”
“Supreme goal of one’s life should be Seva”
“Tradition of getting a pen to file nomination from Swami Ji Maharaj has continued from Rajkot to Kashi”
“Our saintly traditions are not just limited to the propagation of culture, creed, ethics and ideology but the saints of India have tied the world together by emboldening the sentiment of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’”
“Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji believed in Dev Bhakti and Desh Bhakti”
“Not ‘Rajasi’ or ‘Tamsik’, one has to continue moving while staying ‘Satvik’”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav in Ahmedabad today. The year-long worldwide celebrations have culminated in the ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav’ hosted by BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Shahibaug, which is the global headquarters of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and is taking place from 15th December 2022 to 15th January 2023 in Ahmedabad, featuring daily events, thematic exhibitions and thought-provoking pavilions.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister began his address by hailing Pramukh Swami Maharaj and welcoming everyone on the momentous occasion. He conveyed his feeling of the presence of divinity and grandeur of resolutions and pride for the heritage. He said that one can see every colour of India in the premises.

The Prime Minister thanked every saint for their efforts at giving significance to their power of imagination for coming up with this magnificent convention. He said that this grand event will not only attract the world but also will inspire and impact the coming generations. “I want to appreciate the saints and seers for thinking of a programme of this nature and at such a scale”, he added. Calling Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj a father figure to him, the Prime Minister said that people will come to pay homage to him for this ongoing event. He also mentioned that the UN also celebrated the centenary celebration which proves the eternal and universal significance of India’s spiritual tradition and thought. Highlighting the emotion of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which has been established by the great saints of India including Swami Maharaj who propagated it even further, the Prime Minister said that the journey from Ved to Vivekananda can be witnessed today in this centenary celebration. “One can witness the rich saintly traditions of India here”, he said. The Prime Minister further remarked that our saintly traditions are not just limited to the propagation of culture, creed, ethics and ideology but the saints of India have tied the world together by emboldening the sentiment of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

The Prime Minister went nostalgic while remembering his association with Swami Ji, he said “I have been drawn to the ideals of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji from my childhood. I never thought that sometime in my life, I would get to meet him. It was perhaps back in 1981 that I met him during a Satsang. He only spoke of Seva. Each and every word got imprinted on my heart. His message was very clear that the supreme goal of one’s life should be Seva. ” He also noted the grace of Swami Ji who used to tailor his message for the ability of the receiver; this was the vastness of his personality, the Prime Minister added. The Prime Minister continued, everyone knows him as a spiritual person but he was a social reformer too in the truest sense of the word. The Prime Minister underlined Swami ji’s intuitive grasp of modern opportunities and his natural communication of the strength of the individual to take care of his or her problems. His key emphasis was on the welfare of society, the Prime Minister emphasised. “HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji was a reformist. He was special because he saw good in every person and encouraged them to focus on these strengths. He helped every individual who came in contact with him. I can never forget his efforts during the Machchhu dam disaster in Morbi”, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister recalled many key events of his life when he went to meet Pujya Swami Ji.

Revisiting the past when the Prime Minister was a candidate from Rajkot in 2002, he recalled that during the election campaign he got a pen from two saints saying that Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji had requested me to sign the nomination papers using this pen. “From there till Kashi elections, this practice has continued”, he remarked. Drawing an analogy to the relationship between a father and son, the Prime Minister recalled the time when he was working as a volunteer in Kutch when Pramukh Swami Maharaj had made food arrangements for him. He also informed that in the past 40 years he received Kurta Pajama cloth from Pujya Swami Ji every year without fail. An emotional Prime Minister said that this is a spiritual connection, a father-son relationship. He said that he is certain that Pujya Swami Ji is keeping an eye on his every move in the service of the country.

Throwing light on his relationship with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the Prime Minister recalled that Swami Maharaj ji was the first person to call him after he reached Jammu during the hostile Ekta Yatra under Dr MM Joshi's leadership in 1991. “The moment I reached Jammu after hoisting the national flag at Laal Chowk, the first call I got was from Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji, who asked about my wellbeing”, he said. The Prime Minister also recalled the dark time of the terrorist attack on the Akshardham Temple and remembered his conversation with Pramukh Swami Maharaj about maintaining calm during such tumultuous times. This poise was possible only because of the inner spiritual strength of Pujya Swami Ji.

Informing about Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s wish to build the Akshardham on the banks of the Yamuna, the Prime Minister highlighted the vision of Mahant Swami Maharaj who was the then disciple of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. He remarked that even though people look at Mahant Swami Maharaj as a Guru, the Prime Minister is aware of his dedication as a disciple towards Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji. “It is a result of his vision and dedication that Akshardham Temple was built on the banks of Yamuna. The millions of people who visit Akshardham Temple every year try to understand the Indian culture and traditions through its magnificence”, the Prime Minister continued. “Go to any part of the world, you will see the outcome of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Ji's vision. He ensured our Temples are modern and they highlight our traditions. Greats like him and the Ramakrishna Mission redefined the Sant Parampara. Pujya Swami Ji played a big role in creating the tradition of service that goes beyond spiritual upliftment.” The Prime Minister further added that Swami ji ensured that a saint, apart from renunciation, should also be capable and well-versed. As Swami Ji established an institutional mechanism for holistic spiritual training, the Prime Minister said that this will benefit the nation for many generations to come. “He never differentiated between ‘Dev Bhakti’ (worship of god) and ‘Desh Bhakti’, devotion to the country”, the Prime Minister pointed out. Those who live for ‘Dev Bhakti’ and those who live for ‘Desh Bhakti’ were ‘Satsangis’ for him. The Prime Minister said that “our saints went beyond narrow sects and worked to strengthen the notion of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and uniting the world.”

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister remarked on the journey of his conscience and said that he has always been associated with such saintly and advanced traditions. “In a vindictive and vengeful world like that of today, I have been fortunate enough to be around saints like Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj who create a virtuous environment. It was like a tired person sitting in the shadow of a great banyan tree. Not ‘Rajasi’ or ‘Tamsik’, one has to continue moving while staying ‘Satvik’ ”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Governor of Gujarat, Shri Acharya Devvrat, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, and Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami were those present on the occasion among others.

 

Background

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a guide and guru who touched countless lives across India and the world. He was widely respected and admired as a great spiritual leader. His life was dedicated to the service of spirituality and humanity. As the leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, he inspired countless cultural, social and spiritual initiatives, providing comfort and care to millions.

People from across the world are celebrating his life and work in the birth centenary year of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The year-long worldwide celebrations have culminated in the ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav’ hosted by BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Shahibaug, which is the global headquarters of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The month-long celebration is taking place from 15th December 2022 to 15th January 2023 in Ahmedabad, featuring daily events, thematic exhibitions and thought-provoking pavilions.

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha was established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj. Based on the teachings of the Vedas and founded on pillars of practical spirituality, BAPS reaches out far and wide to address today's spiritual, moral and social challenges. BAPS aims to preserve values of faith, unity, and selfless service and provides for the spiritual, cultural, physical, and emotional needs of people from all walks of life. It performs humanitarian activities through global outreach efforts.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi, earlier today. The three-day Conference was held in Pusa, Delhi from 26 to 28 December, 2025.

Prime Minister observed that this conference marks another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised that Human Capital comprising knowledge, skills, health and capabilities is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.

The Conference included discussions around the overarching theme of ‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’. Highlighting India's demographic advantage, the Prime Minister stated that nearly 70 percent of the population is in the working-age group, creating a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister said that India has boarded the “Reform Express”, driven primarily by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s key priority. Prime Minister noted that the Conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and moving steadily towards becoming a major global economic power.

He further observed that Viksit Bharat is synonymous with quality and excellence and urged all stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes. Emphasising quality in governance, service delivery and manufacturing, the Prime Minister stated that the label "Made in India' must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthen our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect.’ He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and strengthen economic resilience in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education too, he suggested that there is a need for academia and industry to work together to create high quality talent.

For livelihoods of youth, Prime Minister observed that tourism can play a huge role. He highlighted that India has a rich heritage and history with a potential to be among the top global tourist destinations. He urged the States to prepare a roadmap for creating at least one global level tourist destination and nourishing an entire tourist ecosystem.

PM Modi said that it is important to align the Indian national sports calendar with the global sports calendar. India is working to host the 2036 Olympics. India needs to prepare infrastructure and sports ecosystem at par with global standards. He observed that young kids should be identified, nurtured and trained to compete at that time. He urged the States that the next 10 years must be invested in them, only then will India get desired results in such sports events. Organising and promoting sports events and tournaments at local and district level and keeping data of players will create a vibrant sports environment.

PM Modi said that soon India would be launching the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM). Every State must give this top priority and create infrastructure to attract global companies. He further said that it included Ease of Doing Business, especially with respect to land, utilities and social infrastructure. He also called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and strengthen the services sector. In the services sector, PM Modi said that there should be greater emphasis on other areas like Healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, AI, etc. to make India a Global Services Giant.

Prime Minister also emphasized that as India aspires to be the food basket of the world, we need to shift to high value agriculture, dairy, fisheries, with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity. Similarly, in learning outcomes States must identify the lowest 100 districts and must work on addressing the issues around the low indicators.

PM also urged the States to use Gyan Bharatam Mission for digitization of manuscripts. He said that States may start a Abhiyan to digitize such manuscripts available in States. Once these manuscripts are digitized, Al can be used for synthesizing the wisdom and knowledge available.

Prime Minister noted that the Conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, and that the Chief Secretaries Conference, institutionalised by the Government of India, has become an effective platform for collective deliberation.

Prime Minister emphasised that States should work in tandem with the discussions and decisions emerging from both the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation.

Prime Minister suggested that similar conferences could be replicated at the departmental level to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister also said that all States and UTs must prepare capacity building plan along with the Capacity Building Commission. He said that use of Al in governance and awareness on cyber security is need of the hour. States and Centre have to put emphasis on cyber security for the security of every citizen.

Prime Minister said that the technology can provide secure and stable solutions through our entire life cycle. There is a need to utilise technology to bring about quality in governance.

In the conclusion, Prime Minister said that every State must create 10-year actionable plans based on the discussions of this Conference with 1, 2, 5 and 10 year target timelines wherein technology can be utilised for regular monitoring.

The three-day Conference emphasised on special themes which included Early Childhood Education; Schooling; Skilling; Higher Education; and Sports and Extracurricular Activities recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready workforce.

Discussion during the Conference

The discussions during the Conference reflected the spirit of Team India, where the Centre and States came together with a shared commitment to transform ideas into action. The deliberations emphasised the importance of ensuring time-bound implementation of agreed outcomes so that the vision of Viksit Bharat translates into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. The sessions provided a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, key challenges and possible solutions across priority areas related to human capital development.

The Conference also facilitated focused deliberations over meals on Heritage & Manuscript Preservation and Digitisation; and Ayush for All with emphasis on integrating knowledge in primary healthcare delivery.

The deliberations also emphasised the importance of effective delivery, citizen-centric governance and outcome-oriented implementation to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable on-ground impact. The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve inter-departmental coordination and adopt data-driven monitoring frameworks to enhance service delivery. Focus was placed on simplifying processes, leveraging technology and ensuring last-mile reach so that benefits of development reach every citizen in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Conference featured a series of special sessions that enabled focused deliberations on cross-cutting and emerging priorities. These sessions examined policy pathways and best practices on Deregulation in States, Technology in Governance: Opportunities, Risks & Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chain & Market Linkages; One State, One World Class Tourist Destination; Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Swadeshi; and Plans for a post-Left Wing Extremism future. The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, replication of successful State-level initiatives and time-bound implementation to translate deliberations into measurable outcomes.

The Conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States/Union Territories, domain experts and senior officers in the centre.