Mera Saansad
Search Search
Telugu language

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.

Click here to read full text speech

Login or Register to add your comment
Explore More
శ్రీరామ జన్మభూమి ఆలయ ధ్వజారోహణ ఉత్సవం సందర్భంగా ప్రధానమంత్రి ప్రసంగం

ప్రముఖ ప్రసంగాలు

శ్రీరామ జన్మభూమి ఆలయ ధ్వజారోహణ ఉత్సవం సందర్భంగా ప్రధానమంత్రి ప్రసంగం
View All
Modi’s West Asia tour marks India’s quiet reordering of regional security partnerships

Media Coverage

Modi’s West Asia tour marks India’s quiet reordering of regional security partnerships
View All
NM on the go

Nm on the go

Always be the first to hear from the PM. Get the App Now!
Download App
...
PM chairs 50th meeting of PRAGATI
December 31, 2025
In last decade, PRAGATI led ecosystem has helped accelerate projects worth more than ₹85 lakh crore: PM
PM’s Mantra for the Next Phase of PRAGATI: Reform to Simplify, Perform to Deliver, Transform to Impact
PM says PRAGATI is essential to sustain reform momentum and ensure delivery
PM says Long-Pending Projects have been Completed in National Interest
PRAGATI exemplifies Cooperative Federalism and breaks Silo-Based Functioning: PM
PM encourages States to institutionalise PRAGATI-like mechanisms especially for the social sector at the level of Chief Secretary
In the 50th meeting, PM reviews five critical infrastructure projects spanning five states with with a cumulative cost of more than ₹40,000 crore
Efforts must be made for making PM SHRI schools benchmark for other schools of state governments: PM

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 50th meeting of PRAGATI - the ICT-enabled multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation - earlier today, marking a significant milestone in a decade-long journey of cooperative, outcome-driven governance under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The milestone underscores how technology-enabled leadership, real-time monitoring and sustained Centre-State collaboration have translated national priorities into measurable outcomes on the ground.

Review undertaken in 50th PRAGATI

During the meeting, Prime Minister reviewed five critical infrastructure projects across sectors, including Road, Railways, Power, Water Resources, and Coal. These projects span 5 States, with a cumulative cost of more than ₹40,000 crore.

During a review of PM SHRI scheme, Prime Minister emphasized that the PM SHRI scheme must become a national benchmark for holistic and future ready school education and said that implementation should be outcome oriented rather than infrastructure centric. He asked all the Chief Secretaries to closely monitor the PM SHRI scheme. He further emphasized that efforts must be made for making PM SHRI schools benchmark for other schools of state government. He also suggested that Senior officers of the government should undertake field visits to evaluate the performance of PM SHRI schools.

On this special occasion, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi described the milestone as a symbol of the deep transformation India has witnessed in the culture of governance over the last decade. Prime Minister underlined that when decisions are timely, coordination is effective, and accountability is fixed, the speed of government functioning naturally increases and its impact becomes visible directly in citizens’ lives.

Genesis of PRAGATI

Recalling the origin of the approach, the Prime Minister said that as Chief Minister of Gujarat he had launched the technology-enabled SWAGAT platform (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology) to understand and resolve public grievances with discipline, transparency, and time-bound action.

Building on that experience, after assuming office at the Centre, he expanded the same spirit nationally through PRAGATI bringing large projects, major programmes and grievance redressal onto one integrated platform for review, resolution, and follow-up.

Scale and Impact

Prime Minister noted that over the years the PRAGATI led ecosystem has helped accelerate projects worth more than 85 lakh crore rupees and supported the on-ground implementation of major welfare programmes at scale.

Since 2014, 377 projects have been reviewed under PRAGATI, and across these projects, 2,958 out of 3,162 identified issues - i.e. around 94 percent - have been resolved, significantly reducing delays, cost overruns and coordination failures.

Prime Minister said that as India moves at a faster pace, the relevance of PRAGATI has grown further. He noted that PRAGATI is essential to sustain reform momentum and ensure delivery.

Unlocking Long-Pending Projects

Prime Minister said that since 2014, the government has worked to institutionalise delivery and accountability creating a system where work is pursued with consistent follow-up and completed within timelines and budgets. He said projects that were started earlier but left incomplete or forgotten have been revived and completed in national interest.

Several projects that had remained stalled for decades were completed or decisively unlocked after being taken up under the PRAGATI platform. These include the Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge in Assam, first conceived in 1997; the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, where work began in 1995; the Navi Mumbai International Airport, conceptualised in 1997; the modernisation and expansion of the Bhilai Steel Plant, approved in 2007; and the Gadarwara and LARA Super Thermal Power Projects, sanctioned in 2008 and 2009 respectively. These outcomes demonstrate the impact of sustained high-level monitoring and inter-governmental coordination.

From silos to Team India

Prime Minister pointed out that projects do not fail due to lack of intent alone—many fail due to lack of coordination and silo-based functioning. He said PRAGATI has helped address this by bringing all stakeholders onto one platform, aligned to one shared outcome.

He described PRAGATI as an effective model of cooperative federalism, where the Centre and States work as one team, and ministries and departments look beyond silos to solve problems. Prime Minister said that since its inception, around 500 Secretaries of Government of India and Chief Secretaries of States have participated in PRAGATI meetings. He thanked them for their participation, commitment, and ground-level understanding, which has helped PRAGATI evolve from a review forum into a genuine problem-solving platform.

Prime Minister said that the government has ensured adequate resources for national priorities, with sustained investments across sectors. He called upon every Ministry and State to strengthen the entire chain from planning to execution, minimise delays from tendering to ground delivery.

Reform, Perform, Transform

On the occasion, the Prime Minister shared clear expectations for the next phase, outlining his vision of Reform, Perform and Transform saying “Reform to simplify, Perform to deliver, Transform to impact.”

He said Reform must mean moving from process to solutions, simplifying procedures and making systems more friendly for Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.

He said Perform must mean to focus equally on time, cost, and quality. He added that outcome-driven governance has strengthened through PRAGATI and must now go deeper.

He further said that Transform must be measured by what citizens actually feel about timely services, faster grievance resolution, and improved ease of living.

PRAGATI and the journey to Viksit Bharat @ 2047

Prime Minister said Viksit Bharat @ 2047 is both a national resolve and a time-bound target, and PRAGATI is a powerful accelerator to achieve it. He encouraged States to institutionalise similar PRAGATI-like mechanisms especially for the social sector at the level of Chief Secretary.

To take PRAGATI to the next level, Prime Minister emphasised the use of technology in each and every phase of the project life cycle.

Prime Minister concluded by stating that PRAGATI@50 is not merely a milestone it is a commitment. PRAGATI must be strengthened further in the years ahead to ensure faster execution, higher quality, and measurable outcomes for citizens.

Presentation by Cabinet Secretary

On the occasion of the 50th PRAGATI milestone, the Cabinet Secretary made a brief presentation highlighting PRAGATI’s key achievements and outlining how it has reshaped India’s monitoring and coordination ecosystem, strengthening inter-ministerial and Centre-State follow-through, and reinforcing a culture of time-bound closure, which resulted in faster implementation of projects, improved last-mile delivery of Schemes and Programmes and quality resolution of public grievances.