من کی بات

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. The 31^st of October is the birth anniversary of our beloved Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. This year too, the youth of the country is all set, to take part in the ‘Run for Unity’. The weather too these days is pleasant. I urge you to participate in the largest possible numbers in this run for unity. Six months or so before Independence, on the 27^th of January, 1947, the world – famous international Magazine ‘Time’ had a photograph of Sardar Patel on the cover page of that edition. In their lead story, they had depicted a map of India; it was nowhere close to what the map looks like now. It was the map of an India that was divided into myriad fragments. There existed over 550 princely states. The English had lost interest in India; they wanted to leave India fragmented into pieces. Time Magazine had opined that hovering over India then were the dangers of problems like partition, violence, food scarcity, price rise and power-politics. The magazine further observed that amidst that plethora of problems, if there was anyone who possessed the capability to unite the country and heal wounds, it was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The story also brings to the fore other aspects of the life of the Iron Man of India… the manner in which he had managed relief operations during the Ahmedabad floods in the 1920s; the way he steered the Bardoli Satyagrah. Such was his sense of honesty & commitment that the farmer, the worker right up to the industrialist trusted him with full faith. Gandhiji considered Sardar Patel as the only one capable of finding a lasting solution to the vexed issue of the states and asked him to act. Sardar Patel formulated solutions one by one, weaving the warp & weft of unity on the axis of a single thread. He ensured the merger of all princely states with the Dominion of India. Whether Junagadh, Hyderabad, Travancore, or for that matter the princely states of Rajasthan, if we are able to see a United India now, it was entirely on account of the sagacity & strategic wisdom of Sardar Patel. It is but natural for us to solemnly remember Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as we exalt the spirit of unity that binds our Nation, our Mother India. The 31^st of October this year will be special on one more account- on this day, we shall dedicate the statue of unity of the nation as a true tribute to Sardar Patel. Erected on the banks of river Narmada in Gujarat, the structure is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. This is the world’s tallest scyscraping statue. Every Indian will now be proud to see the world’s tallest statue here on Indian soil. Sardar Patel, a true son of the soil will adorn our skies too. I hope every Indian being will swell with pride on this remarkable feat of mother India… and will sing paeans of glory in its praise with the head held high. Of course, the inner wish to visit the statue of unity will come naturally to every Indian. I am sure this will turn out to be a described destination for one & all across the country.

My dear brothers & sisters, we celebrated ‘Infantry Day’ yesterday. I respectfully bow before all of them who are part of the Indian Armed Forces. I also salute the families of our soldiers. But, do you know why we Indian citizens commemorate this day as Infantry Day? This is the very day when Indian Forces landed in Kashmir and saved the valley from the clutches of aggression. This incident too is directly related to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. I was reading an old interview with the celebrated Army officer sam Manekshaw. In that interview, field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was reminiscing on times when he was a Colonel. Around this time, military operations commenced in Kashmir. Field Marshal Manekshaw has mentioned  how in a meeting, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was irked on the delay in sending troops to Kashmir During the proceedings, Sardar Patel gave him  a characteristic glance and reiterated that there should be no delay in our Army operation and that a solution should be sought swiftly. And immediately after that, our troops flew to Kashmir… we’ve seen how our Army was successful. The 31^st of October also is the death anniversary of our former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Our respectful tributes to Indira ji too.

My dear countrymen, who doesn’t love sports? Elements like spirit, strength, skill, stamina are extremely important in the world of sports. They are the ultimate test for a sportsperson’s mettle… all four of these virtues form the core foundation of nation – building universally. If the youth of a country possess these qualities, that country will progress not only in areas such as Economy and Science & Technology but also bring laurels home in the field of sports. Just recently I had two memorable meetings. First, I got an opportunity to meet our Para Athletes who participated in the Asian Para Games 2018 held at Jakarta. These athletes bagged a tally of 72 medals, creating a new, unprecedented record, bringing glory to the nation. I was fortunate to get an opportunity to meet all these talented athletes personally. I congratulated them. Their grit & determination; their resolve to overcome all odds in the path of success is indeed inspiring for all our countrymen. Similarly, I was blessed with a chance to meet our winners of the Summer youth Olympics 2018 held in Argentina. You will be pleased to know that in the Summer Youth Olympics 2018, the performance of our youth was the best ever. At this event we won 13 medals besides 3 in mixed events. You may recall that even, in the recent Asian Games, India’s performance was par excellence. Have you observed the way I have frequently used terms such as ‘the best ever’ or ‘new, unprecedented record’? This is the real story of Indian Sports which are witnessing an upswing with each passing day. India is setting new records not just in the field of sports but also in hitherto uncharted areas. To give you an example, I would like to mention about Para Athlete Narayan Thakur, who won a gold medal for the country in the 2018 Para Asian Games. He is a Divyang by birth. When he turned eight he lost his father. Then he spent another eight years in an orphanage. After leaving the orphanage, he eked out a living cleaning DTC buses and working as waiter at roadside eateries. The same Narayan is winning medals for India at International events. Not just that, just observe the rapidly enhancing levels of excellence in Indian sports ! Hitherto, India had never won a medal in a Judo event, at the junior or senior level. But Tabaabi Devi created history by bagging the silver medal at the youth Olympics. 16 year old player Tabaabi Devi hails from a village in Manipur. Her father is a labourer and mother a fish-seller. There were times when the family had no money to buy food. Even such hardships were not able to cow down her zest & devotion. And she has created history by winning a medal for the country. Stories like these are innumerable. Every life, every being is a source of inspiration. Every young sportsperson’s passion & dedication is the hallmark of New India.

My dear countrymen, you may recall that we had successfully organized FIFA Under- 17 World Cup in the year 2017. The whole world acclaimed this as a very successful tournament. FIFA Under -17 World Cup had created a record in terms of the number of viewers on the ground. More than 12 lakh enthusiasts enjoyed the romance of Football matches in various stadia across the country and  boosted the morale of the young players. This year also, we have been fortunate to be the hosts of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneshwar. The Hockey World Cup will commence on the 28^th November to be concluded on the 16^th December. Each Indian who plays any game or has interest in any game has a definite interest in Hockey. India has a golden history in Hockey. India has won gold medals in various tournaments and has been the World Champion once. India has produced many great hockey players. Whenever there will be reference to Hockey,the story will remain incomplete without a mention of these legends. Hockey maestro Major Dhyan Chand is a renowned name all over the world. Then, from Balbeer Singh Senior, Leslie Claudius, Mohammad Shahid, Udham Singh to Dhan Raj Pillai, Indian Hockey has had a very long journey. Even today, players of Team India are encouraging the younger generation through their hard work and focused attention.

It is a good chance for the sport lovers to witness closely contested matches. Go to Bhubaneshwar and cheer up the Indian team and also encourage each team there. Odisha has a dignified historical background and has a very rich cultural tradition. People of the state are full of warmth. This is a chance for the sports lovers to see Odisha. They can visit the world famous holy places like the Sun Temple of Konark, Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri and Chilka Lake along with enjoying the games there. I convey my best wishes to our Men’s Hockey Team for this tournament and assure them that 125 crore Indians are supporting them. I also convey my wishes to all the teams from around the world coming to participate in the tournament.

My dear countrymen, the way people are coming forward and volunteering for social works is really inspirational and encouraging for all our countrymen. “Service is Supreme” has been India’s tradition since centuries and we can feel the scent of this tradition in each and every sector today as well. But, in this new era, the new generation is coming forward in a new way with a fresh vigour and spirit to fulfill their new dream. Recently, I attended a programme where a portal was launched, its name is ‘Self 4 Society’, MyGov and the IT and Electronics industry of the country have launched this portal with a view to motivating their employees for social activities and providing  them with opportunities to perform in this field. Their dedication and vigour can make each Indian feel proud. A fresh and pleasant air of IT to society, We-not I, a transformation from the individual to the community is imbibed in this. Someone is teaching the old people; someone is involved in the campaign of cleanliness whereas someone is helping out the farmers. And there is no vested interest behind all these activities but a pure feeling of dedication and resolve is the driving force. One young person learned to play wheelchair basket ball in order to be able to help the wheelchair basket ball team of differently abled, divyang  players. This spirit, this dedication is a mission mode activity. Will this not make every Indian feel proud. This spirit of  ‘We, not I’ will surely inspire all of us.

My dear brothers and sisters, when I was going through your suggestion for Mann Ki Baat this time, I found a very interesting comment from Shri Manish Mahapatra from Pudducherry. He wrote on Mygov- Please take up the topic “in Mann Ki Baat” as to how the tribes and their traditions and rituals are the best examples of coexistence with the nature. How do we need to adopt their traditions in our lives for achieving sustainable development and learn from those traditions? Manishji, I appreciate you for bringing this subject among the listeners of  Mann Ki Baat. This is one subject that inspires us to look into our dignified past and our ancient traditions, Today, the whole world and specially the western countries are discussing about environment protection and are trying to find new ways to adopt a balanced life style. Our country is also facing this problem. But, for its solution we only have to look inwards, to look into our glorious past and our rich traditions and have especially to understand the lifestyle of our tribal communities. To live in consonance and closed coordination with the nature has been an integral part of our tribal communities. Our tribal brethren worship trees and plants and flowers like gods and goddesses. The Bhil tribes of  Central India and specially those in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh worship Peepal and Arjun trees religiously. The Bishnoi community in the desert land of Rajasthan has shown us a way of environment protection. Specially, in the context of serving trees, they prefer laying down their lives but cannot tolerate any harm to a single tree. Mishmi tribes of Arunachal Pradesh claim their relationship with tigers. They even treat them like their brothers and sisters. In Nagaland as well, tigers are seen as the forest guardians. People of Warli Community in Maharashtra consider tigers as their guests and for them the presence of tigers is a good omen indicating prosperity. There is a belief among the Kol community in Central India that their fortune is directly connected with the tigers and they firmly believe that if the tigers do not get food, the villagers will have to face hunger . The Gond  tribes in Central Indai stop fishing in some parts of Kaithan river during the breeding season. They consider this area as a fish reserve and they get plentiful of healthy fishes because of this belief of theirs. Tribal communities make their dwelling units from natural material which are strong as well as eco-friendly. In the isolated regions of the Nilgiri plateau in South India, a small wanderer community Toda make their settlements using locally available material only.

My dear brothers and sisters, this is a fact that the tribal community believes in very peaceful and harmonious co-existence but, if somebody tries to harm and cause damage to their natural resources, they do not shy away from fighting for their rights. There is no wonder that our foremost freedom fighters were the brave people from our tribal communities. Who can forget Bhagwan Birsa Munda who struggled hard against the British Empire to save their own forest land. Besides whatever I have said, there is a very long list of examples of the tribal communities which teach us how to keep a close coordination and make adjustments with the nature and the nation is indebted to our tribal people for the forest land that is still remaining with us. Come on, let us express our gratitude towards them.

My dear countrymen, in “Mann Ki Baat”, we talk about those persons and institutions who make extra-ordinary contribution for the society. These works may seem small but have a very deep impact in changing our thinking and in giving a new direction to the society. A few days ago, I was reading about a farmer brother Gurbachan Singh from Punjab. The son of this  hard working farmer Gurbachan Singh ji was to be married. Gurbachan Singh ji had told the bride’s parents that the marriage would be performed in a solemn manner. There is absolutely no need to spend much on wedding reception or any other item. We have to keep it a very very simple event. But then he suddenly said that he had one condition. And, when a condition is put these days, generally it is thought that the other side is going to make a big demand which will be really difficult for the bride’s family to fulfill. But, you will be surprised to know that Bhai Gurbachan Singh was a simple farmer and what he told the bride’s father and the condition he placed reflects the true strength of our society. Gurbachan Singh ji asked him to promise that they will not burn parali or stubble in their fields. You can well imagine the social strength this statement had. This point made by Gurbachan Singh ji appears quite ordinary but this reveals how tall and strong his personality is and we have seen that there are many families in our society who connect their individual matters with the benefit of the society as a whole. Shriman Gurbachan Singh ji’s family has presented one such example before us. I have also read about a village Kallar Majra which is near Nabha in Punjab.  Kallar Majra came into lime light as the farmers there mix the stubble with the sand by ploughing their fields rather than burning the stubble and adopt the necessary technology for the process. Congratulations to bhai Gurbachan Singh ji ! Congratulations to the people of Kallar Majra and of all those places who are making their best efforts to keep the environment clean and pollution free. All of you are carrying forward the Indian tradition of a healthy life style as a true successor. Just as a sea is formed by collection of tiny drops, similarly,a small constructive step, plays a vital role in creating a positive environment.

My dear countrymen, it has been told in our epics:-

 ॐ द्यौ: शान्तिः अन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः,

पृथिवी शान्तिः आपः शान्तिः ओषधयः शान्तिः |

वनस्पतयः शान्तिः विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिः  ब्रह्म शान्तिः,

सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सामा शान्तिरेधि ||

ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ||

It means- O, Lord, peace should prevail all around in all three “Lokas”,in water, in air, in space, in fire, in wind, in medicines, in vegetation, in gardens, in sub conscious, in the whole creation. Grant peace to each soul, each heart, in me, in you, in every particle and everywhere in the Universe. Om Shanti: Shanti: Shanti:.

Wherever there will be a talk of world peace, India’s name and contribution will be written in golden letters. For India, 11^th of November this year has a special significance because on 11^th November a hundred years back the World War I had ended. Ending of that war is completing one hundred years meaning thereby that a century of ending of the vast devastation and human loss would also get completed. For India, World War I was an important event. Rightly speaking we had no direct connection with that war. Despite this, our soldiers fought bravely and played a very big role and made the supreme sacrifice. Indian soldiers showed it to the world that they are second to none if it comes to war. Our soldiers have displayed great valour in difficult areas and adverse conditions. There has just been a single objective behind it- Restoration of peace. The world witnessed a dance of death and devastation during the World War I; According to estimates, around one crore soldiers and almost the same number of civilians lost their lives. This made the whole world realize and understand the importance of peace. The definition of peace has changed in the last hundred years. Today, peace does not only mean ‘no war’. There is a need to work unitedly to address issues such as terrorism, climate change, economic development to social justice through universal cooperation and co-ordination. Development of the poorest of the poor is the real indicator of peace.

My dear countrymen, our North-East has a unique distinction of its own. The natural beauty of North –East has no parallel and the people of this area are extremely talented. Now our North-east is also known for all best deeds. North east is one region that has made grand progress in organic farming. A few days ago Sikkim won the prestigious Future Policy Gold Award, 2018 for encouraging the sustainable food system. This award is given by the UN body ‘Food & Agriculture Organisation’ – FAO. You will be delighted to know that this best policy making award is equivalent to an Oscar in the sector. Not only this, our Sikkim  outperformed  51 nominated policies of 25 countries to win this award. For this, I heartily compliment the people of Sikkim.

My dear countrymen, October is about to end. Quite a change is being felt in the weather. Winter has set in and with the changing weather, the season of festivals has also set in - Dhanteras, Deepawali, Bhaiya Dooj, Chhatth – in a way it can be said that the month of November is the month of festivals. I extend my best wishes to all countrymen for these festivals.

I would request all of you to take best care of yourselves and take care of your health as well and also take care of social interests. I am sure these festivals are an opportunity to make new resolves. These festivals prove a chance to advance in a mission mode and to make firm resolves in your life. Your progress is a vital part of the country’s progress. The more you progress, the more will the country progress. My best wishes to you all. Thank you very very much.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. There must be hardly any Indian who doesn’t feel proud of our Armed Forces, our army jawans, our soldiers. Every Indian, irrespective of region, caste, religion, sect or language, is ever eager to express joy and show solidarity with our soldiers. Yesterday, one hundred and twenty-five crore Indians celebrated the Paraakram Parva, the festival of Valour. We remembered that surgical strike carried out in 2016, where our soldiers gave a befitting reply to the audacity of a proxy war under the garb of terrorism. At various places in the country, exhibitions have been organised by our Armed Forces in order to apprise the maximum number of citizens, especially the younger generation, of the might we possess; how capable we are and how our soldiers risk their lives to protect us citizens. A day such as Paraakaram Prava reminds our youth of the glorious heritage of our Army. It also inspires us to maintain the unity & integrity of the country. I too participated in a programme held at Jodhpur in the land of the valiant, Rajasthan. It has now been decided that our soldiers will give a befitting reply to whosoever makes an attempt to destroy the atmosphere of peace and progress in our Nation.

We staunchly believe in peace; we are committed to taking it forward… but NOT at the cost of compromising our self-respect and sovereignty of our Nation. India has always been resolutely committed to peace. In the two world-wars fought in the 20th century, over a lakh of our soldiers made the Supreme Sacrifice; that too in a war where we were not involved in any way.

We have never eyed someone else’s territory maliciously. This in itself was our commitment & dedication towards peace. A few days ago, on the 23rd of September, on the occasion of the centenary of the Battle of Haifa in Israel, we remembered & paid tributes to our brave soldiers of Mysore, Hyderabad & Jodhpur Lancers who had freed Haifa from the clutches of oppressors. This too was an act of valour on part of our soldiers on the path to peace. Even today, India is one of the largest contributors to various United Nations Peace Keeping Forces in terms of sending forces personnel. For decades, our brave soldiers wearing blue helmets have played a stellar role in ensuring maintenance of World Peace.

My dear countrymen, the sky offers the rarest of hues. It is not at all surprising that the Indian Air Force has proved itself to be the cynosure of every citizen’s eye, through the display of sheer might in the skies. It has bestowed upon us a sense of security. One of the notable features eagerly awaited by spectators during the Republic Day Parade is the Flypast comprising the magnificent display of the might of our Air Force through their breath taking aerobatic manoeuvres.

We celebrate Air Force Day on the 8th of October. Making a humble beginning in 1932 with six pilots and 19 Airmen, our Air Force has emerged as one of mightiest and the bravest Air Force of the 21st century today. From the core of my heart, I congratulate those Air Warriors and their families who rendered service to the nation. In 1947, when Pakistani attackers resorted to an unprecedented attack, it was indeed our Air Force which ensured that Indian Soldiers and armaments reached the battlefield promptly. The Air Force also retaliated befittingly in 1965 too. Who does not know about the Bangladesh Freedom Struggle of 1971? The Air Force played a very significant role in 1999 by pushing back the intruders and liberating Kargil from their clutches.

The Air Force defeated the enemy at Tiger Hill by carrying out air sorties on their positions round the clock. Be it the relief and rescue work or disaster management, our country is indebted to our Air Force for the commendable efforts of our Air Warrior. They have always displayed a unique spirit in times of natural calamities like storms, cyclones, floods and forest fires to extend full assistance to our countrymen. The Air Force has set an example in ensuring gender equality and has opened its doors for our daughters of India. Now, the Air Force is offering the option of Permanent Commission to Women besides the Short Service Commission, which I had announced on the 15th of August this year from the Red Fort.

Indian can proudly claim that in the armed forces, our Army not only man-power but woman-power too is contributing equally. Women are already empowered and now getting armed too.

My dear countrymen, a few days ago, Officer Abhilash Tomy of our Navy was struggling between life and death. The whole country was concerned about saving Tomy. You know, Abhilash Tomy is a very courageous, brave soldier. He was the first Indian who set on a global voyage in a small boat without any modern technology. For the last 80 days, he was moving ahead in South Indian Ocean to participate in the Golden Globe Race maintaining his speed but suddenly a severe cyclonic storm landed him in trouble. Yet, this brave heart from the Navy kept struggling for many days in mid-ocean. He fought to be afloat without food or drink. He did not accept defeat and continued to fight death. A rare example of courage, determination, strength and bravery – a few days ago I talked to Abhilash over the telephone after he was rescued and brought safely ground. I had met Tomy earlier too Despite having faced such a tough situation; his grit & spirit, his determination to make another similar attempt is an inspiration for our younger generation. I pray for Tomy’s sound health and I am sure that his courage, bravery and resolve to fight and emerge a winner will inspire our younger generation.

My dear countrymen, every child in our country knows the importance of the 2nd of October for our nation. The 2nd of October, this year, has a special significance. For two years from now on, we are going to organise various programmes throughout the world on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy has inspired the whole world.

Everyone including great personalities like Dr. Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela derived strength from Gandhiji’s ideology to be able to fight a long battle to ensure right of equality and dignity for the people. In today’s Mann Ki Baat, I want to talk about another important work of revered Bapu which maximum countrymen should know. In 1941, Mahatma Gandhi started penning down a few thoughts in the shape of a constructive Programme. Later, in 1945, when the Freedom Struggle gained momentum, he prepared an amended copy of those ideas. Revered Bapu, put forth his ideas on various subjects like Farmers, villages, securing of labour rights, cleanliness and promoting of education. This is also known as the Gandhi Charter. Revered Babu was a people’s person. Getting connected with people or connecting people with him was Bapu’s special quality, this was in his nature. Everyone has experienced this as a most unique part of his personality. He made everyone feel that he or she was very important and absolutely necessary for the country. His biggest contribution in the Freedom struggle was that he made it an expansive “Jan-Aandolan” (People’s Movement).

During the Freedom Struggle people from all sections and all regions dedicated themselves at Mahatma Gandhi’s call. Bapu gave an inspirational mantra to all of us which is known as Gandhiji’s Talisman. In that, Gandhiji had said, “I give you one mantra, whenever you are in doubt or whenever your ego gets over your personality, undergo this test; remember the face of the poorest or the weakest person that you have seen, recall his looks and ask your inner self how useful your intended step would be for that person. Will this, in anyway, benefit him! Will he be able to get some control over his life and destiny through your step ! Meaning thereby that will your step help millions of those people in getting Swaraj who have an empty stomach and a dissatisfied soul! Then, you will see that your doubt is waning away and your ego is also getting quelled.

My dear countrymen, one of Gandhiji’s mantras is very relevant event today. The swelling middle class of the country, its increasing economic power, increasing purchasing power; can we remember revered Bapu for a moment while going out for shopping! Can we remember that mantra of Bapu!” Can we spare a thought while purchasing anything as to who in my country will be benefitted by this purchase! Whose face will sport a smile! Who will be the fortunate one to get a direct or indirect benefit from your purchase! I will feel much happier if my purchase will benefit the poorest of the poor. Keeping this mantra of Gandhiji in mind while making any purchases during the 150th Anniversary of Gandhiji, we must make it a point to see that our purchase must benefit one of our countrymen and in that too, one who has put in physical labour, who has invested money, who has applied skill must get some benefit. This is the mantra of Gandhiji, this is the message of Gandhiji and I firmly believe that a small step of yours can surely bring about a very big benefit in the life of the poorest and the most underprivileged person.

My dear countrymen, when Gandhiji said that by maintaining cleanliness, freedom will be won then he probably was not aware how this would happen. But this did happen and India got freedom. In the same way today we may feel that even by making a tiny contribution I may be contributing in a big way to help in the economic upliftment and economic empowerment of my country and help fight a battle against poverty by lending strength to the poor. I feel that this is true patriotism, and a perfect tribute to revered Bapu’s work. For example, think of purchasing Khadi and handloom products on special occasions; this will benefit many weavers. It is said that Lal Bahadur Shastriji used to preserve old and worn out Khadi clothes because some one’s labour could be felt in the making of those clothes. He used to say that all these Khadi clothes have been woven after putting in a hard labour, every thread of these clothes must be utilized. This spirit of attachment towards the country and fellow countrymen was deeply imbibed in that great person of a very short physical stature. Two days later, we shall celebrate the birth anniversary of Shastriji along with respected Bapu’s birth anniversary. The very name of Shastriji evokes a feeling of eternal faith in the hearts of us, Indians. His mild persona always fills every Indian with a sense of pride.

Lal Bahadur Shastriji had a unique quality in that, he was very humble outwardly but he was rock solid from inside. His slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” is the hall mark of his grand personality. It was the result of his selfless service to the nation that in a brief tenure of about one and a half years he gave to our jawans and farmers the mantra to reach the pinnacle of success.

My dear countrymen, while remembering revered Bapu today, it is quite natural not to skip talking of cleanliness. A movement “Swachhta Hi Sewa” was launched on the 15th of September. Crores of people got connected with this movement and luckily I also got a chance to participate in the voluntary cleanliness shramdaan with the children of Delhi’s Ambedkar School. I went to the school, the foundation of which had been laid by none other than respected Baba Saheb himself. On the 15th of September, people from all sections across the country connected themselves to this voluntary cleaning movement. Institutions also extended their contribution enthusiastically. School children, college students, NCC, NSS, youth organisations, media groups, the corporate world, all of them offered voluntary cleanliness service on a large scale. I heartily congratulate all these cleanliness-loving countrymen for their efforts. Come on, let us listen to a phone call.

Many many thanks, you’ve made a significant remark that cleanliness has a specific meaning in every one’s life and what could be a matter of immense joy for all of us than the fact that a toilet has been built in your house under the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” and that, all of you have the facility now. And possibly those connected with this movement may not be able to guess that you cannot see because of your visual challenge. But one understands the difficulties you were facing when there was no toilet and that the construction of this toilet has really proved to be a big boon for you. If you had not made a call about this aspect, perhaps those connected with this cleanliness movement might have also not thought about such a sensitive issue. I specially thank you for your phone call.

My dear countrymen, Swachh Bharat Mission or Clean India Mission has become a success story not only in our country but in the whole world and everyone is talking about this movement. This time India is hosting the biggest Sanitation Convention of the world so far, the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention. Sanitation Ministers from countries across the world and experts on the subject of sanitation will converge and share their experiments and experiences. Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention will conclude on 2nd October, 2018 with the commencement of Bapu’s 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations.

My dear countrymen, there is a Sanskrit quote- U;k;ewya LojkT;a L;kr~ (Nyayamoolam Swarajyam Syat) meaning justice lies at the root of swaraj and while discussing the subject of justice, the spirit of human rights is inherent in that. This is specially essential for the freedom and peace of the exploited, victimised and deprived people and to ensure justice for them.

In the Constitution drafted by Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, many provisions were inserted to protect the fundamental rights of the poor. Inspired by his vision, the 'National Human Rights Commission' (NHRC) was formed on 12th October 1993. A few days later NHRC would complete 25 years of its existence.The NHRC has not only protected human rights but has also promoted respect for human dignity over the years. Our most beloved leader, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the former Prime Minister of our country, had clearly said that human rights are not analien concept for us.

In the emblem of our National Human Rights Commission, the ideal mantra harking back to Vedic period- "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah" is inscribed. NHRC has instilled widespread awareness of human rights and has played an important role in preventing their misuse. In its journey of 25 years, it has created an atmosphere of hope and confidence in the countrymen. For a healthy society, and for lofty democratic values I feel that, it is a very hope inspiring event. Today, with NHRC operating at the national level, 26 State Human Rights Commissions have also been constituted. As a society, we need to understand the importance of human rights and inculcate them into practice - this is the very basis of Sab ka Saath–Sab ka Vikas'.

My dear countrymen, the month of October heralds, Jai Prakash Narayan ji's birth anniversary, the beginning of the birth centenary of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindiaji. These luminaries have been infusing inspiration in all of us and we offer our heartfelt tributes to them. 31 October happens to be the birth anniversary of Sardar sahib, I shall dwell upon his birth anniversary in detail in the next episode of Mann Ki Baat but today I want to mention that for the past few years, the occasion of Sardar Sahib’s birth anniversary on October 31 is marked in every small town and district by organizing the 'Run for Unity' race.

Even this year, we should try to organize 'Run for Unity' in our village, town, city or metropolis. This is the best way to remember Sardar Saheb, because he worked for the unity of our nation throughout his lifetime. I urge you all that on October 31, through 'Run for Unity', to strengthen our efforts and bind every section of the society as a unified unit. This will be a great tribute to Sardar Sahib.

My dear countrymen, be it Navratri, Durgapuja or Vijayadashmi, I offer all my heartfelt greetings to all of you on account of these holy festivals. Thank you

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Today, the entire country is celebrating Rakshabandhan. Heartiest greetings to all fellow citizens on this auspicious occasion. The festival of Rakshabandhan symbolizes the bond of love & trust between a brother & a sister. For centuries, this festival has proved to be a shining example of social harmony. In the nation’s history, there are innumerable accounts of this sacred thread, binding together people of distant lands, different religions, around a spindle of trust. In a few days from now, we shall celebrate the festive occasion of Janmashtami. The whole atmosphere will reverberate to the sonorous chants & calls of ‘Hathi, Ghoda, Palki’, ‘Jai Kanhaiya Lal ki’ and ‘Govinda-Govinda’. It is indeed an extremely joyous experience to imbue the essence of Bhagwan Krishna & revel blissfully. In other parts of the country, especially Maharashtra, our young friends must be busy with preparations of the ‘Dahi-Handi’…. the festive ritual of the human pyramid breaking the curd filled earthen pot. Heartiest greetings to all countrymen on the festive occasions of Rakshabandhan and Janmashtami.

Bhagini Chinmayee, भवती संस्कृत – प्रश्न पृष्टवत्ती | Sister Chinmayee has asked a question in Sanskrit. Excellent, extraordinary. My salutations to you. On the occasion of Sanskrit week, I extend my best wishes to all countrymen.
I am extremely thankful to young Chinmayee for touching upon this subject. Friends, apart from Rakshabandhan, Shravan Poornima is also celebrated as Sanskrit Day.

I congratulate all those actively involved in preserving & conserving this glorious heritage, helping it to reach out to the masses. Every language has its own significance, sanctity. India takes great pride in the fact that Tamil is the most ancient of world languages. We Indians also feel proud that from Vedic times to the modern day, Sanskrit language has played a stellar role in the universal spread of knowledge.

Sanskrit language & literature encompasses a storehouse of knowledge pertaining to every facet of life. Science & technology, agriculture & health, Mathematics & Management, economy & environment, the entire spectrum has been touched upon. It is said that our Vedas have detailed reference on Mantras, on ways & means to counter the challenges of global warming. You will be pleased to know that even today, residents of village Mattur in Shivamoga district of Karnataka use Sanskrit as their lingua franca.

You will be astonished to know that Sanskrit is a language that possesses the capacity for infinite word formation with two thousand verb roots, 200 suffixes & 22 prefixes; coupled with compounds, the possibility of word-creation is limitless. And that is why the minutest nuance of an expression or subject can be accurately described. This has been the core speciality of Sanskrit. Today, at times, in order to communicate more assertively, we tend to make use of English Quotations or even sher-o-shayari-urdu poetry. But those who are well acquainted with Sanskrit Subhashitas – epigrammatic verses, know very well that it is possible to make a crisp, precise statement, using very few words through the usage of subhashitas. And since there is a sense of geographical & cultural belonging, they are easy to understand & assimilate.

For example, in order to illustrate the significance of the Guru in one’s life, it has been said
एकमपि अक्षरमस्तु गुरु: शिष्यं प्रबोधयेr~ |
प्रथिव्यां नास्ति तद- दृव्यं, यद – दत्त्वा ह्यu`.kh Hkosr~ ||

Thereby meaning, when a guru imparts even an iota of knowledge to the student, there is no material or wealth on the entire earth that the student can make use of, to repay the guru. We must abide by the same essence, the same spirit as we celebrate Teachers’ Day. Knowledge & the guru are incomparable, invaluable, priceless, On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, we remember the great philosopher, former President of India Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan ji. His birth anniversary is celebrated as Teacher’ Day across the country. I felicitate all the teachers in the country on this occasion. I also salute your sense of commitment towards science, education and students.

My dear countrymen, the monsoon comes along, bringing a new ray of hope to our toiling farmers. It provided much needed succor to the scorched trees & shrubs, and to parched water bodies; on the other hand excessive rainfall causes devastating floods. It’s a vagary of Nature that some places have received higher rainfall compared to other places. We just saw how the terrible floods in Kerala have affected human lives. In today’s pressing, hard times, the entire Nation is with Kerala. Our sympathies are with those families who lost their loved ones. Loss of lives cannot be compensated, but I assure the grief-stricken families that in this moment of suffering & misery, a hundred & twenty five crore Indians stand by them, shoulder to shoulder. I earnestly pray for those injured in this natural disaster to get well soon. I firmly believe that the sheer grit and courage of the people of the state will see Kerala rise again.

Disasters, unfortunately leave behind a trail of destruction. But one gets to witness facets of humanity, humaneness during disasters. From Kutch to Kamrup, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, everyone is endeavoring to contribute in some way or the other so that wherever a disaster strikes, be it Kerala or any other part of India, human life returns to normalcy. Irrespective of age group or area of work, people are contributing. Everyone is trying to ensure speedy mitigation of the sufferings people in Kerala are going through, in fact sharing their pain. We know that jawans of our armed forces are the vanguards of rescue & relief operations in Kerala. They have left no stone unturned as saviors of those trapped in the floods. The Air Force, Navy, Army, BSF, CISF, RAF, every agency has played an exemplary role in the rescue & relief operations. I would like to specially mention the arduous endeavors of the NDRF daredevils. At this moment of hardship & agony, their service stands out as a shining example. The capability, commitment & controlling situation through rapid decisions of the NDRF have made them a cynosure of every Indian’s eye, worthy of respect & admiration. Yesterday was the festival of Onam. We pray for Onam to provide strength to the country, especially Kerala so that it returns to normalcy on a newer journey of development. Once again on behalf of all Indians, I would like to re assure each & everyone in Kerala and other affected places that at this moment of calamity, the entire country stands by them.

My dear countrymen ! I was looking into the suggestions received for “Mann Ki Baat”. The subject about which most of the people from across the country have written is “Our revered Atal Behari Vajpayee”. Kirti from Ghaziabad, Swati Vats from Sonepat, brother Praveen from Kerala, Dr. Swapan Banerjee from West Bengal, Akhilesh Pandey from Katihar, Bihar and numerous others have written on Narendra Modi Mobile App and MyGov asking me to speak on various aspects of Atalji’s life. As soon as the people in our country and abroad heard of the demise of Atalji on 16th August, everyone drowned in sadness. He was a leader who gave up his position as Prime Minister fourteen years ago. In a way, he was cut-off from active politics for the last 10 years. He was neither seen in the news nor in public life.

Ten years is a huge gap but on 16th August our country and the whole world witnessed that there was not a gap of even a single moment in the common man’s heart. The wave of love and faith that spread across the nation is an indicator of his great personality. During these last days, many great aspects of Atalji came up to the fore. People remembered him as the best member of Parliament, sensitive writer, best orator and most popular Prime Minister and will continue to remember him. The country will ever remain grateful to Atalji for bringing good governance in the main stream. But, I just want to touch upon one more facet of Atalji’s legendary personality and that is the political culture which Atalji gave to India, his efforts in the direction of bringing about the changes in our political culture, his efforts to mould it into an organized framework and which proved very beneficial for India and a bigger benefit will accrue in days to come. This is certain. India will remain ever grateful to Atalji for bringing the 91st Amendment Act, 2003. This change brought about two important changes in India’s politics.

First one is that the size of the cabinet in states was restricted to 15% of the total seats in the state Assembly.
And the second one is that the limit under the Anti Defection Law was enhanced from one-thirds to two-thirds. Besides, clear guidelines were defined to disqualify the defector.

For many years in India, the political culture of forming a very large cabinet was being misused to constitute jumbo cabinets not only to create a divide but also to appease political leaders. Atalji changed it. This effort of his resulted in saving of money as well as of resources. This also helped in improving efficiency. It could only be a visionary like Atalji who brought in this transformation and as a result of this, healthy traditions blossomed in our polity.

Atalji was a true patriot. It was during his tenure that the timing of presenting the budget was changed. Earlier, as was the British tradition, the Budget used to be presented at 5 pm because in London, Parliament used to start working at that time. In the year 2001, Atalji changed the time of presenting the budget from 5 pm to 11 am. One more freedom- the Indian Flag Code was framed in Atalji’s tenure and it came into effect in 2002. A number of such rules have been included in this code which made it possible to unfurl the tricolor in public places. This provided a chance to more and more of our countrymen to unfurl our national flag. Thus, he brought our beloved tricolor closer to the common man. You must have noticed how Atalji took bold steps to bring about fundamental reforms, whether in our election process or about the shortcomings concerning the people’s representatives. Similarly, you can see that presently efforts are afoot and discussions are being held about simultaneously holding the elections for Lok Sabha and for state assemblies. The Government and the opposition – both are putting forth their view points. This is a good development and a healthy sign for our democracy. I must say that developing healthy traditions for a sound democracy, making constant efforts to strengthen democracy, encouraging open-minded debates would also be a appropriate tribute to Atalji. Reiterating our resolve to fulfill his dream of a prosperous and developed India, I along with all of you pay tributes to Atalji.

My dear countrymen ! whenever a discussion about Parliament is there nowadays, it is about hold-ups, noisy scenes and stalling the proceedings but when something good happens, it is not given much importance. The monsoon session of Parliament ended just a few days back. You will be glad to know that the productivity of Lok Sabha remained 118 percent and that of Rajya Sabha was 74 percent. All the members rose above party interests to make the Monsoon session most productive and this is why Lok Sabha passed 21 bills and in Rajya Sabha fourteen bills were passed. This Monsoon session of Parliament will always be remembered as a session for social justice and youth welfare. A number of important bills beneficial to the youth and the backward classes were passed during this session. As you know, a demand to constitute an OBC Commission similar to SC/ST commission was long pending for decades. The country fulfilled its resolve this time to make an OBC Commission and also granted it Constitutional powers. This step will prove to be the one to move forward our march towards achieving the goal of social justice. An amendment bill to secure the rights of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes also were passed in this session. This Act will give more security to the interests of SC and ST communities. This will also forbid criminals from indulging in atrocities and will instill confidence among the dalit communities.

No civil society can tolerate any kind of injustice towards the woman-power of the country. The nation will not tolerate those committing rapes. With this point in view Parliament has made a provision of strictest punishment by passing the Criminal Act Amendment Bill. Those guilty of rape will get a minimum sentence of ten years and those found guilty of raping girls below the age of 12 years will be awarded the death sentence. Recently, you might have read in newspapers, that a court in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, after a brief hearing of two months, pronounced the death sentence on two criminals found guilty of raping a minor girl. Earlier, a court in Katni in Madhya Pradesh awarded the death sentence to the guilty after a hearing of just five days. Courts in Rajasthan have also taken similar quick decisions. This Act will play an effective role in curbing crimes against women and girls. Economic growth will be incomplete without a social transformation. The Triple Talaq Bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha although it could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha, I assure the Muslim women that the whole country stands by them to provide them social justice. When we move ahead in the national interest, a change in the lives of the poor, the backward, the exploited and the deprived ones can also be brought about. In the Monsoon session, this time, everyone jointly presented an ideal approach. Today, I publicly express my heartfelt gratitude to all MP’s.

My dear countrymen! The attention of crores of Indians is focused on the Asian Games being held in Jakarta. Every morning, first of all, people look for newspapers, Television, News and Social Media to check Indian players winning medals. The Asian Games are going on. I wish to congratulate all players who have won medals for the country. I extend my best wishes to those players who are yet to compete. Indian players are performing exceedingly well in shooting and wrestling but our players are winning medals in those competitions too, in which our performance has not been so good earlier-like WUSHU and ROWING. These are not just medals but an evidence of the sky high spirits of the Indian players.

Among those winning medals for our country are a large number of our daughters which is a very positive sign; so much so, that youngsters of only 15-16 years of age have brought honour to our country by winning medals. This too is a very positive indication that most of the medal-winners hail from small towns and villages and these players have achieved this success by putting in sheer hard work.
We shall celebrate National Sports Day on 29th August and I extend my best wishes to all sport lovers and also pay my tributes to the legendary hockey wizard Shri Dhyanchandji.

I request every citizen to make it a point to play and take care of their fitness because only a healthy India will build a developed and prosperous India. When India will be fit, only then India’s future will be bright. Once again, I congratulate the medal winners at the Asian Games and also wish the remaining players perform well. Many good wishes to you all on the National Sports Day.

Namaste Bhawnaji, I respect your sentiments. All of us have seen houses and buildings being constructed of bricks and stones but can you imagine that about twelve hundred years ago, a giant mountain which was a single stone mountain was give the shape of an elegant, huge and a unique –temple –this may be difficult to imagine, but this happened and that temple is Kailash Nath Mandir in Ellora, Mahrashtra. Would you believe if someone tells you that about a thousand years ago, an over sixty metres tall pillar of granite was built and another granite rock weighing about 80 tonnes was placed over its top. But, Brihdeshwar temple of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu is the place where this unbelievable combination of Engineering and Architecture can be seen. Anybody will feel overawed on seeing Rani Ki Vaav of the 11th Century in Patan in Gujarat. Our land has been an engineering laboratory. There have been several engineers in India who made the unimaginable possible and presented such marvels of engineering before the world. In this lineage of great engineers, we were blessed with a diamond whose work is still a source of wonder for all. He was Bharat Ratna Dr. M. Visvesvaraya. Lakhs of farmers and common people continue to benefit from the Krishna Raj Sagar Dam built by him. He is greatly revered in that part of our country and the whole nation remembers him with great respect and regard. In his memory, 15th September is observed as Engineers Day. Following his footsteps, our engineers have created their own identity in the world.

When I talk of wonders in the Engineering world, I am reminded of an incident of 2001 when a devastating earth quake hit Kutch in Gujarat. I used to work as a volunteer there during those days, I got a chance to go to a village and had a chance to meet a lady of more than a hundred years of age. And she was looking at me and mockingly, saying, “Look at my house. It is called Bhoonga in Kutch. This house has faced three earthquakes. I myself have seen three in this house itself. But, you did not find any damage anywhere. These houses were built by our ancestors in sync with nature and surroundings of this place”. And she was saying all this with such a feeling of pride that it made me think that engineers in that era had constructed such structures according to the local situations which kept the common man safe and secured. While observing Engineers Day, we should think of the future as well. Workshops should be held at different places. What are the things we need to learn in the changing times? What do we need to teach? What do we need to connect to? Nowadays, disaster management has assumed immense significance. The world is facing natural calamities. What then should be the new form of structural engineering? What courses should be designed to that end? What should be taught to the students? How do we keep construction eco friendly? How can we enhance the quality of construction by making value addition through local materials? How do we make zero waste our priority? All such points need to be pondered upon when we observe Engineers Day.

My dear countrymen! There is a mood of festivity and with this the preparations for Diwali also begin. We will keep meeting through Mann Ki Baat, and will keep sharing matters close to our hearts. We will join hands in taking our country forward with heartfelt vigor. With these feelings, I extend my best wishes to you all. Thanks. We shall meet.

نئیدہلی۔29جولائی  2018؛ میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں، نمسکار۔ ان دنوں بہت سے مقامات پر اچھی بارش ہو رہی ہے۔ کہیں کہیں پر زیادہ بارش ہونے کی وجہ سے تشویش کی خبریں بھی سننے کو مل رہی ہیں اور کچھ مقامات پر ابھی بھی لوگ بارش کا انتظار کر رہے ہیں۔ ہندوستان کی وسعت، تنوع، کبھی کبھی بارش بھی پسند – ناپسند یدگی  کے طور پر دکھائی دیتی ہے، لیکن ہم بارش کو کیا الزام دیں، انسان ہی ہے جس نے ماحولیات سے جدوجہد کا راستہ منتخب کر لیا اور اسی کا نتیجہ ہے کہ کبھی کبھی فطرت ہم سے خفا ہو جاتی ہے۔ اور اسلیے ہم سب کی ذمہ داری بنتی ہے – ہم ماحولیات سے پیار کریں، ہم ماحولیات کا تحفظ کریں، ہم ماحولیات کے محافظ بنیں، تو فطرت میں جو چیزیں ہیں ان میں توازن اپنے آپ بنا رہتا ہے۔

گزشتہ دنوں ویسے ہی ایک قدرتی آفت نے پوری دنیا کی توجہ اپنے جانب مبذول کی، انسانی دماغ کو جھنجھوڑ دیا۔ آپ سب لوگوں نے ٹی وی پر دیکھا ہوگا، تھائی لینڈ میں 12 نوجوان فٹبال کھلاڑیوں کی ٹیم اور ان کے کوچ گھومنے کے لیے ایک غار میں گئے۔ وہاں عام طور پر غار میں جانے اور اس سے باہر نکلنے، ان سب میں کچھ گھنٹوں کا وقت لگتا ہے۔ لیکن اس دن قسمت کو کچھ اور ہی منظور تھا۔ جب وہ غار کے اندر کافی اندر تک چلے گئے – اچانک بھاری بارش کی وجہ سے غار کا دروازے کے پاس کافی پانی جمع ہو گیا۔ ان کے باہر نکلنے کا راستہ بند ہو گیا۔ کوئی راستہ نہ ملنے کی وجہ سے غار کے اندر کے ایک چھوٹے سے ٹیلے پر رکے رہے۔ اور وہ بھی ایک دو دن نہیں 18 دنوں تک۔ آپ تصور کر سکتے ہیں نوجوان کی دنیا میں جب سامنے موت دکھتی ہو اور لمحہ لمحہ گزارنی پڑتی ہے تو وہ لمحہ کیسا ہوگا۔ ایک جانب وہ مصیبت میں مبتلا تھے، تو دوسری جانب پوری دنیا میں انسانیت متحد ہوکر کے خدا داد انسانی خصوصیات کو ظاہر کر رہی تھی۔ دنیا بھر میں لوگ ان بچوں کو محفوظ باہر نکالنے کےلیے دعائیں کر رہے تھے۔ یہ معلوم کرنے کے لیے ہر ممکن کوشش  کی گئی کہ بچیں ہیں کہاں، کس حالت میں ہیں۔ انہیں کیسے باہر نکالا جا سکتا ہے۔ اگر راحت رسانی کا کام مناسب وقت پر نہیں ہوتا تو مانسون کے سیزن میں انہیں کچھ مہینوں تک نکالنا آسان نہیں ہوتا۔ خیر جب اچھی خبر آئی تو دنیا بھر کو سکون ملا، لیکن اس پورے عمل کو ایک اور نظریے سے بھی دیکھنے کا میرا من کرتا ہے کہ پوری کارروائی کیسے چلی۔ ہر سطح پر ذمہ داری کا جو احساس ہوا وہ حیرت انگیز تھا۔ سبھی نے چاہا ، چاہے حکومت ہو، ان بچوں کے والدین ہوں، ان کے خاندان کے لوگ ہوں، میڈیا ہو، ملک کے عوام ہوں – ہر کسی نے امن اور صبر کا حیرت انگیز نظارہ پیش کیا۔ سب کے سب لوگ ایک ٹیم کی شکل میں اپنے مشن میں لگے ہوئے تھے۔  ہر کسی کا یکساں سلوک – میں سمجھتا ہوں کہ سیکھنے جیسا موضوع ہے، سمجھنے جیسا ہے۔ ایسا نہیں کہ ماں باپ  پریشان نہیں ہوئے ہوں گے، ایسا نہیں کہ ماں کی آنکھ سے آنسو نہیں نکلے ہوں گے، لیکن صبر و ضبط، پورے سماج کا امن سے بھرپور سلوک – یہ اپنے آپ میں ہم سب کے لیے سیکھنے جیسا ہے۔ اس پورے عمل میں تھائی لینڈ کی بحریہ کے ایک جوان کو اپنی جان بھی گنوانی پڑی۔ پوری دنیا اس بات پر حیران ہے کہ اتنی مشکل حالات کے باوجود پانی سے بھرے ایک اندھیرے غار میں اتنی بہادری اور صبر کے ساتھ انہوں نے اپنی امید نہیں چھوڑی۔ یہ ظاہر کرتا ہے کہ جب انسانیت ایک ساتھ آتی ہے، حیرت انگیز چیزیں رونما ہوتی ہیں۔ بس ضرورت ہوتی ہے ہم پرسکون من سے اپنے ہدف پر توجہ دیں، اس کے لیے کام کرتے رہیں۔

گزشتہ دنوں ہمارے ملک کے مشہور شاعر نیرج جی ہمیں چھوڑ کر چلے گئے۔ نیرج جی کی ایک خاصیت رہی تھی – امید، ایمان، عزم، خود پر اعتماد۔ ہم ہندوستانیوں کو بھی نیرج جی کی ہر بات بہت قوت دے سکتی ہے، ترغیب دے سکتی ہے – انہوں نے لکھا تھا –

’اندھیار ڈھل کر  ہی رہے گا،

آندھیاں چاہے اُٹھاؤ،

بجلیاں چاہے گراؤ،

جل گیا ہے دیپ تو اندھیار ڈھل کر ہی رہے گا۔‘

نیرج جی کو احترام کے ساتھ خراج عقیدت پیش کرتا ہوں۔

’’نمستے وزیراعظم جی میران نام ستیم ہے۔ میں نے اس سال دہلی یونیورسٹی میں فرسٹ ایئر میں داخلہ لیا ہے۔ ہمارے اسکول کے بورڈ امتحان کے وقت آپ نے ہم سے ایگزام اسٹریس اور ایجوکیشن کی بات کی تھی۔ میرے جیسے طالب علم کے لیے اب آپ کا کیا پیغام ہے۔‘‘

ویسے تو جولائی اور اگست کا مہینہ کسانوں کے لیے اور سبھی نوجوانوں کے لیے بہت اہمیت کا حامل ہے۔ کیونکہ یہی وقت ہوتا ہے جب کالج کا پیک سیزن ہوتا ہے۔ ’ستیم‘ جیسے لاکھوں نوجوان اسکول سے نکل کر کے کالجز میں جاتے ہیں۔ اگر فروری اور مارچ ایگزام، پیپرس، جوابات میں جاتے ہیں تو اپریل اور مئی چھٹیوں میں مستی کرنے کے ساتھ ساتھ ریزلٹ ، زندگی میں مستقبل کی سمت طے کرنے، کیریئر کو منتخب کرنے میں ضائع ہو جاتا ہے۔ جولائی وہ مہینہ ہے جب نوجوان اپنی زندگی کے اس نئے مرحلے میں قدم رکھتے ہیں جب سوالات کے مرکوزیت سے ہٹ کر کٹ آف پر چلا جاتا ہے۔ طالب علموں کی توجہ گھر سے ہوسٹل پر چلی جاتی ہے۔ طالب علم والدین کی زیر نگرانی سے پروفیسر کی نگرانی میں آ جاتے ہیں۔ مجھے مکمل یقین ہے کہ میرا نوجوان دوست کالج کی زندگی کی شروعات سے کافی پرجوش اور خوش ہوں گے۔ پہلی بار گھر سے باہر جانا، گاؤں سے باہر جانا، ایک حفاظتی ماحول سے باہر نکل کر خود کو ہی اپنا سارتھی بننا ہوتا ہے۔ اتنے سارے نوجوان پہلی بار اپنے گھروں کو چھوڑ کر، اپنی زندگی کو ایک نئی سمت دینے لیے نکل آتے ہیں۔ کئی طالب علموں نے ابھی تک اپنے اپنے کالج جوائن کر لیے ہوں گے، کچھ جوائن کرنے والے ہوں گے۔ آپ لوگوں سے میں یہی کہوں گا ، پرسکون رہیے، زندگی سے لطف لیجیے، زندگی سے بھرپور زندگی کا لطف اٹھائیں۔ کتابوں کے بغیر کوئی راستہ تو نہیں ہے، پڑھائی تو کرنی پڑتی ہے، لیکن نئی نئی چیزوں کو تلاشنے کی فطرت ہونی چاہیے۔ پرانے دوستوں کی قدر ہے۔ بچپن کے دوست بیش قیمتی ہوتے ہیں، لیکن نئے دوست کا انتخاب، بنانا اور بنائے رکھنا، یہ اپنے آپ میں ایک بہت بڑی سمجھداری کا کام ہوتا ہے۔ کچھ نیا سیکھیں، جیسے نئے نئے ہنر، نئی نئی زبان سیکھیں۔ جو نوجوان اپنے گھر چھوڑ کر باہر کسی اورمقامات پر پڑھنے گئے ہیں ان جگہوں کو ڈسکور کریں، وہاں  کے بارے میں جانیں، وہاں کے لوگوں کو ، زبان کو، ثقافت کو جانیں، وہاں کے سیاحتی مقامات ہوں گے – وہاں جائیں، ان کے بارے میں جانیں۔ نئی زندگی کی شروعات کر رہے ہیں سبھی نوجوانوں کو میری مبارکباد۔ ابھی جب کالج سیزن کی بات ہو رہی ہے تو میں نیوز میں دیکھ رہا تھا کہ کیسے مدھیہ پردیش کے ایک بیحد غریب خاندان  سے جڑے ایک طالب علم آشارام چودھری نے زندگی کے مشکل چیلنجوں کو پار کرتے ہوئے کامیابی حاصل کی ہے۔ انہوں نے جودھ پور ایمس کےایم بی بی ایس کے امتحان مین اپنی پہلے ہی کوشش میں کامیابی حاصل کی۔ ان کے والد کچڑا چُن کر اپنے خاندان کی پرورش کرتے ہیں۔ میں ان کی اس کامیابی کے باوجود اپنی محنت اور لگن سے انہوں نے کچھ ایسا کر دکھایا ہے، جو ہم سب کو ترغیب دیتا ہے۔ چاہے وہ دلی کے پرنس کمار ہوں، جن کے والد ڈی ٹی سی میں بس ڈرائیور ہیں یا پھر کولکتہ کے ابھئے گپتا جنہوں نے فُت پاتھ پر اسٹریٹ لائٹ کے نیچے اپنی پڑھائی کی ۔ احمد آباد کی بیٹی آفرین شیخ ہو، جن کے والد آٹو رکشا چلاتے ہیں۔ ناگپور کی بیٹی خوشی ہو، جن کے والد بھی اسکول بس میں ڈرائیور ہیں یا ہریانہ کے کارتک ، جن کے والد چوکیدار ہیں یا جھارکھنڈ کے رمیش ساہو جن کے والد اینٹ بھٹا میں مزدوری کرتے ہیں۔ خود رمیش بھی میلے میں کھلونا بیچا کرتے تھے یا پھر گڑگاؤں کی معزور بیٹی انوشکا پانڈا، جو جنم سے ہی اسپائنل مسکیولر اٹروپھی نام کے ایک پیدائشی بیماری میں مبتلا ہیں، ان سب نے اپنے  عزم مصمم اور حوصلے سے  مشکلات کو پار کر – دنیا دیکھے ایسی کامیابی حاصل کی۔ ہم اپنے آس پاس دیکھیں تو ہم کو ایسے کئی مثال مل جائیں گی۔

ملک کے کسی بھی کونے میں کوئی بھی اچھا واقعہ میرے من کو توانائی دیتا ہے، ترغیب دیتی ہے اور جب ان نوجوانوں کی کہانی آپ کو کہہ رہا ہوں تو اس کے ساتھ مجھے نیرج جی کی بھی وہ بات یاد آتی ہے اور زندگی کا وہی تو مقصد ہوتا ہے۔ نیرج جی نے کہا ہے –

’گیت آکاش کو دھرتی کا سنانا ہے مجھے،

ہر اندھیرے کو اجالے میں بُلانا ہے مجھے،

پھول کی گندھ سے تلوار کو سر کرنا ہے،

اور گا-گا کے پہاڑوں کو جگانا ہے مجھے‘

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں، کچھ دن پہلے میری نظر ایک خبر پر گئی، لکھا تھا – ’دو نوجوانوں نے کیا مودی کا سپنا ساکار‘ ۔ جب اندر خبر پڑھی تو معلوم ہوا کہ کیسے آج ہمارے نوجوان ٹیکنالوجی کا اسمارٹ اور کریٹیو یوز کر کے عام آدمی کی زندگی میں تبدیلی کی کوشش کرتے ہیں۔ واقعہ یہ تھا کہ ایک بار امریکہ کے سین جونس شہر، جسے ٹکنالوجی ہب کے طور پر جانا جاتا ہے۔ وہاں میں ہندوستانی نوجوانوں کے ساتھ تبادلۂ خیال کر رہا تھا۔ میں نے ان سے اپیل کی تھی۔ وہ ہندوستان کے لیے اپنے ٹیلینٹ کو کیسے استعمال کر سکتے ہیں، یہ سوچیں اور وقت نکال کر کے کچھ کریں۔ میں نے برین – ڈرین کو برین – گین میں تبدل کرنے کی اپیل کی تھی۔ رائے بریلی کے دو آئی ٹی پروفیشنلس، یوگیش ساہو جی اور رجنیش واجپئی جی نے میرے اس چیلنج کو قبول کرتے ہوئے ایک کوشش کی۔ اپنے پروفیشنل اسکلس کا استعمال کرتے ہوئے یوگیش جی اور رجنیش جی نے مل کر ایک اسمارٹ گاؤں ایپ تیار کیا ہے۔ یہ ایپ نہ صرف گاؤں کے لوگوں کو پوری دنیا سے جوڑ رہا ہے بلکہ اب وہ کوئی بھی جانکاری اور خبر خود کے موبائل پر ہی حاصل کر سکتے ہیں۔ رائے بریلی کے اس گاؤں تودھک پور کے شہریوں، گرام – پردھان، ڈسٹرکٹ مجسٹریٹ، سی ڈی او، سبھی لوگوں نے اس ایپ کے استعمال کے لیے لوگوں کو بیدار کیا۔ یہ ایپ گاؤں میں ایک طرح سے ڈیجیتل تحریک لانے کا کام کر رہا ہے۔ گاؤں میں جو ترقی کے کام ہوتے ہیں، اسے اس ایپ کے ذریعے ریکارڈ کرنا، ٹریک کرنا، مانیٹر کرنا آسان ہو گیا ہے۔ اس ایپ میں گاؤں کی فون ڈائریکٹری، نیوز سیکشن ایوینٹ لسٹ، ہیلتھ سینٹر اور انفارمیشن سینٹر موجود ہے۔ یہ ایپ کسانوں کے لیے بھی کافی فائدہ مند ہے ۔ ایپ کا گرامر فیچر ، کسانوں کے درمیان فیکٹ ریٹ، ایک طرح سے ان کی پیداواریت کے لیے ایک مارکیٹ پیلیس کی طرح کام کرتا ہے۔ اس واقعہ کو اگر آپ باریکی سے دیکھیں گے تو ایک بات ذہن میں آئے گی وہ نوجوان امریکہ میں، وہاں کے رہن سہن، سوچ وچار اس کے درمیان زندگی جی رہا ہے۔ کئی سالوں پہلے ہندوستان چھوڑا ہوگا لیکن پھر بھی اپنے گاؤں کی باریکیوں کو جانتا ہے، چیلنجوں کو سمجھتا ہے اور گاؤں سے جذباتی طور پر جڑا ہوا ہے۔ اس وجہ سے، وہ شاید گاؤں کو جو چاہیے ٹھیک اس کے مطابق کچھ بنا پائے۔ اپنے گاؤں، اپنی جڑوں سے وہ جڑاؤ اور وطن کےلیے کچھ کر دکھانے کا جذبہ ہر ہندوستانی کے اندر فطری طور پر ہوتا ہے۔ لیکن کبھی کبھی وقت کی وجہ سے، کبھی دوریوں کی وجہ سے ، کبھی حالات کی وجہ سے، اس پر ایک ہلی سی راکھ جم جاتی ہے، لیکن اگر کوئی ایک چھوٹی سی چنگاری بھی، اس کو چھو لے تو ساری باتیں پھر ایک بار ابھر کر کے آ جاتی ہیں اور وہ اپنے گزرے ہوئے دنوں کی طرف کھینچ کر لے آتی ہیں۔ ہم بھی ذرا تحقیق  کر لیں کہیں ہمارے کیس میں بھی تو ایسا نہیں ہوا ہے، حالات، دوریوں نے کہیں ہمیں الگ تو نہیں کر دیا ہے، کہیں راکھ تو نہیں جم گئی ہے۔ ضرور سوچیے۔

’’معزز وزیراعظم جی نمسکار، میں سنتوش کاکڑے کولہاپور، مہاراشٹر سے بات کر رہا ہوں۔ پنڈھر پور کی واری یہ مہاراشٹر کی پرانی روایت ہے۔ ہر سال یہ بڑے جوش و خروش سے منایا جاتا ہے۔ تقریباً 7-8 لاکھ ورکری اس میں شامل ہوتے ہیں۔ اس عجیب پروگرام کے بارے میں ملک کے باقی عوام بھی بیدار ہوں، اس لیے آپ واری کے بارے میں جانکاری دیجیے۔‘‘

سنتوش جی آپ کے فون کال کے لیے بہت بہت شکریہ۔

صحیح معنی میں پنڈھر پور واری اپنے آپ میں ایک اہم سفر ہے۔ ساتھیوں اشاڈھی ایکادشی جو اس بار 23 جولائی، کو تھی اس دن کو پنڈھرپور واری کی عالیشان پارینیتی کے طور پر بھی منایا جاتا ہے۔ پنڈھر پور مہاراشٹر کے سولاپور ضلعے کا ایک مقدس شہر ہے۔ آشاڑھی ایکادشی کے تقریباً 20-15دن پہلے  سے ہی وارکرنی یعنی ترتھ یاتری پالکیوں کے ساتھ پنڈھر پور کے سفر کے لیے پیدل نکلتے ہیں۔ اس سفر، جسے واری کہتے ہیں، میں لاکھوں کی تعداد میں وارکری شامل ہوتے ہیں۔  سنت گیانیشور اور سنگ تکارام جیسے مہان سنتوں کی پادوکا، پالکی میں رکھ کر وٹھل وٹھل گاتے، ناچتے ، بجاتے پیدل پنڈھرپور کی جانب چل پڑتے ہیں۔ یہ واری تعلیم، سنسکار اور شردھا کی تروینی ہے۔ ترتھ یاتری بھگوان وٹھل ، جنہیں وٹھوا یا پانڈورنگ بھی کہا جاتا ہے ان کے درشن کے لیے وہاں پہنچتے ہیں۔ بھگوان وٹھل غریبوں، پسماندوں، متاثروں کے مفاد کی حفاظت کرتے ہیں۔ مہاراشٹر، کرناٹک، گوا، آندھرا پردیش، تلنگانہ وہاں کے لوگوں میں کافی یقین ہے، بھگتی ہے۔ پنڈھرپور میں ویٹھوا مندر جانا اور وہاں کی خاصیت، خوبصورتی اور روحانی خوشی کا اپنا ایک الگ ہی تجربہ ہے۔  ’من کی بات‘ سننے والوں سے میری درخواست ہے کہ موقع ملے تو ایک بار ضرور پنڈھر پور واری کا تجربہ کریں۔ گیانیشور، نام دیو، ایک ناتھ، رام داس، تکارام – لاتعداد سنت مہاراشٹر میں آج بھی لوگوں کو تعلیم دے رہے ہیں۔ اندھ وشواس  کے خلاف لڑنےکی قوت دے رہے ہیں اور ہندوستان کے ہر کونے میں یہ سنت رواج ترغیب دیتا رہا ہے۔  چاہے وہ ان کے بھاروڈ ہو یا ابھنگ ہو ہمیں ان سے ہم آہنگی ، محبت اور بھائی چارے کا اہم پیغام ملتا ہے۔ اندھ شردھا کے خلاف شردھا کے ساتھ سماج لڑ سکے اس  کی تعلیم ملتی ہے۔ یہ وہ لوگ تھے جنہوں نے وقت وقت پر سماج کو روکا، ٹوکا اور آئینہ بھی دکھایا اور یہ یقینی بنایا کہ پرانے رواج ہمارے سماج سے ختم ہوں اور لوگوں میں  محبت، مساوات اور انصاف کے عادت آئیں۔ ہماری یہ ہندوستانی سرزمیں بیش قیمتی سرزمیں ہے جیسے سنتوں کی ایک عظیم روایت ہمارے ملک میں رہی، اسی طرح سے  مضبوط ماں بھارتی کو  وقف شدہ عظیم شخصیات نے، اس سرزمین کو اپنی زندگی وقف کر دی۔ ایک اسے ہی عظیم شخصیت ہیں لوک مانیہ تلک جنہوں نے کئی ہندوستانیوں کے من میں اپنی گہری چھاپ چھوڑی ہے۔ ہم 23 جولائی کو تلک جی کی یوم پیدائش اور 01 اگست کو ان کی برسی میں ان کو یاد کرتے ہیں۔ لوک مانیہ تلک بہادری اور  اعتماد سے لبریز تھے۔ ان میں برطانوی حکومتوں کو ان کی غلطیوں کا آئینہ دکھانے کی قوت تھی۔ انگریز لوک مانیہ تلک سے اتنا زیادہ ڈرے ہوئے تھے کہ انہوں نے 20 سالوں میں ان پر تین بار غداری کا الزام لگانے کی کوشش کی، اور یہ کوئی چھوٹی بات نہیں ہے۔ میں، لوک مانیہ تلک اور احمد آباد میں ان کے ایک مجسمہ کے ساتھ جڑی ہوئی ایک حیرت انگیز واقعہ آج ہم وطنوں کے سامنے پیش کرنا چاہتا ہوں۔ اکتوبر 1916 میں لوک مانیہ تلک جی احمد آباد جب آئے، اس زمانے میں آج سے تقریباً سو سال پہلے 40000 سے زیادہ لوگوں نے ان کا احمد آباد میں استقبال کیا تھا اور یہیں سفر کے دوران سردار ولبھ بھائی پٹیل کو ان سے بات چیت کرنے کا موقع ملا تھا اور سردار ولبھ بھائی پٹیل لوک مانیہ تلک جی سے بہت زیادہ متاثر تھے اور جب 01 اگست ، 1920 کو لوک مانیہ تلک جی کا انتقال ہوا اسی وقت انہوں نے فیصلہ کیا کہ وہ احمد آباد میں ان کا مجسمہ بنائیں گے۔ سردار ولبھ بھائی پٹیل احمد آباد نگر نیگم کے میئر منتخب ہوئے اور فوراً ہی انہوں نے لوک مانیہ تلک کے مجسمے کے لیے وکٹوریا گارڈن کو چنا اور یہ وکٹوریا گاڑدن جو برطانیہ کی مہارانی کے نام پر تھا۔ ظاہر طور پر برطانوی حکومت اس سے ناخوش تھے اور کلکٹر اس کے لیے منظوری دینے سے مسلسل منع کرتا رہا لیکن سردار صاحب، سردار صاحب تھے۔ وہ اٹل تھے اور انہوں نے کہا تھا کہ چاہے انہیں اپنے عہدے سے استعفیٰ دینا پڑے، لیکن لوک مانیہ تلک جی کا مجسمہ بن کر رہے گا۔ آخر کار مجسمہ بن کر تیار ہو گیا اور سردار صاحب نے کسی اور سے نہیں بلکہ 28 فروری 1929 – اس کا افتتاح مہاتما گاندھی سے کرایا اور سب سے بڑے مزے کی بات ہے اس افتتاحی اجلاس میں، اس تقریر میں پوجیہ باپو نے کہا کہ سردار پٹیل کے آنے کے بعد احمد آباد نگر نگم کو نہ صرف ایک آدمی ملا ہے بلکہ اسے وہ ہمت بھی ملی ہے جس کی وجہ سے تلک جی کے مجسمہ کی تعمیر ممکن ہو پائی ہے۔ اور میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں، اس مجسمہ کی خاصیت یہ ہے کہ تلک کی ایسی انمول مورتی ہے جس میں وہ ایک کرسی پر بیٹھے ہوئے ہیں، اس میں تلک کے ٹھیک نیچے لکھا ہے ’سوراج ہمارا جنم سدھ ادھیکار ہے’ اور یہ سب انگریزوں کے اس دور کی بات تو سنا رہا ہوں۔ لوک مانیہ تلک جی کی کوششوں سے ہی گنیش اتسو کی روایت شروع ہوئی۔ عوامی گنیش اتسو روایتی شردھا اور جشن کے ساتھ ساتھ سماجی بیداری، جمعیت، لوگوں میں یکسانیت کے جذبہ کو آگے بڑھانے کی ایک متاثر کن ذریعہ بن گیا تھا۔ ویسے وہ ایک وقت تھا جب ضرورت تھی کہ ملک انگریزوں کےخلاف لڑائی کے لیے ایک جٹ ہو، ان تہواروں نے ذات پات کے بندھنوں کو توڑتے ہوئے سبھی کو ایک جٹ کرنے کا کام کیا۔ وقت کے ساتھ ان تہواروں کی مقبولیت بڑھتی گئی۔ اسی سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ ہمارے قدیمی وراثت اور تاریخ کے ہمارے بہادر ہیروؤں کے تئیں آج بھی ہماری نوجوان نسل میں کریز ہے۔ آج کئی شہروں میں تو ایسا ہوتا ہے کہ آپ کو تقریباً ہر گلی میں گنیش پنڈال دیکھنے کو ملتا ہے۔ گلی کے سبھی کنبے ساتھ مل کر کے اسے منعقد کرتے ہیں۔ ایک ٹیم کے طور پر کام کرتے ہیں۔ یہ ہمارے نوجوانوں کے لیے بھی ایک بہترین موقع ہے، جہاں وہ لیڈرشپ اور آرگنائزیشن جیسے ہنر سیکھ سکتے ہیں، انہیں خود کے اندر  پیدا کر سکتے ہیں۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! میں نے پہلے بھی یہ درخواست کی تھی اور جب لوک مانیہ تلک جی کو یاد کر رہا ہوں تب پھر سے ایک بار آپ سے درخواست کرونگا کہ اس بار بھی ہم گنیش اتسو منائیں، دھوم دھام سے منائیں، جی جان سے منائیں لیکن ایکو فرینڈلی گنیش اتسو منانے کی کوشش کریں۔ گنیش جی کی مورتی سے لے کر سجانے کا سامان سب کچھ ایکو فرینڈلی ہو اور میں تو چاہوں گا ہر شہر  میں ایکو فرینڈلی گنیش اتسوکے الگ مقابلہ ہوں،  ان کو انعام دئے جائیں اور میں تو چاہوں گا کہ مائی گوو پر بھی اور نریندر مودی ایپ پر بھی ایکو فرینڈلی گنیش اتسو کی چیزیں وسیع پرچار کے لیے رکھی جائیں۔ میں ضرور آپکی بات لوگوں تک پہنچاؤنگا۔ لوک مانیہ تلک نے ہم وطنوں میں خود  اعتمادی بیدار کر کے انہوں نے نعرہ دیا تھا – ’سوراج ہمارا جنم سدھ ادھیکار ہے اور ہم لے کر رہیں گے‘۔ آج یہ کہنے کا وقت ہے سوراج ہمارا جنم سدھ ادھیکار ہے اور ہم اسے لے کر رہیں گے۔ ہم ہندوستانی کی پہنچ بہتر حکمرانی اور ترقی کے اچھے نتائج تک ہونی چاہیے۔ یہی وہ بات ہے جو ایک نئے ہندوستان کی تعمیر کرے گی۔ تلک کے جنم کے 50 سالوں بعد ٹھیک اسی دن یعنی 23 جولائی کو بھارت ماں کے ایک اور سپوت کا جنم ہوا، جنہوں نے اپنی زندگی اس لیے قربان کر دی تاکہ ہم وطن آزادی کی ہوا میں سانس لے سکے۔ میں بات کر رہا ہوں چندر شیکھر آزاد کی۔ ہندوستان میں کون سا ایسا نوجوان ہوگا جو ان لائنوں کو سن کر ترغیب حاصل نہیں کرے گا –

’سرفروشی کی تمنا اب ہمارے دل میں ہے،

دیکھنا ہے زور کتنا بازوئے قاتل میں ہے‘

ان جملوں نے اشفاق اللہ خاں، بھگت سنگھ، چندر شیکھر آزاد جیسے مختلف نوجوانوں کو ترغیب دی۔ چندر شیکر آزاد کی بہادری اور آزادی کے لیے ان کا جنون، اس نے کئی نوجوانوں کو ترغیب دی۔ آزاد نے اپنی زندگی کو داؤں پر لگا دیا، لیکن غیر ملکی حکومت کے سامنے وہ کبھی نہیں جھکے۔ یہ میری خوش قسمتی رہی کہ مجھے مدھیہ پردیش میں چندر شیکھر آزاد کے گاؤں علی راج پور جانے کا موقع بھی حاصل ہوا۔ الہ آباد کے چندر شیکھر آزاد پارک میں بھی گلہائے عقیدت پیش کرنے کا موقع ملا اور چندر شیکھر آزاد جی وہ بہادر شخص تھے جو غیرملکیوں کی گولی سے مرنا نہیں چاہتے تھے –جیئیں گے تو لڑتے لڑتے اور مریں گے تو بھی آزاد بنے رہ کر کے مریں گے یہی تو خاصیت تھی ان کی۔ ایک بار پھر سے بھارت ماتا کے دو عظیم سپوتوں – لوک مانیہ تلک جی اور چندر شیکھر آزاد جی کو  شردھا کے ساتھ نمسکار کرتا ہوں۔

ابھی کچھ ہی دن پہلے فن لینڈ میں چل رہی جونیئر انڈر -20 عالمی ایتھلیٹکس چمپئن شپ میں 400 میٹر کی دوڑ، اس مقابلہ میں ہندوستان کی بہادر بیٹی اور کسان کی بیتی ہیما داس نے گولڈ میڈل جیت کر تاریخ  رچ دی ہے۔ ملک کی ایک اور بیٹی ایکتا بھیان نے میرے خط کے جواب میں انڈونیشیا سے مجھے ای میل کیا ابھی وہ وہاں ایشئن گیمز کی تیاری کر رہی ہیں۔ ای میل میں ایکتا لکھتی ہیں – ’کسی بھی ایتھلیٹ کی زندگی میں سب سے اہم لمحہ وہ ہوتا ہے جب وہ ترنگا پکڑتا ہے اور مجھے فخر ہے کہ میں نے وہ کر دکھایا۔‘ ایکتا ہم سب کو بھی آپ پر فخر ہے۔ آپ نے ملک کا نام روشن کیا ہے۔ ٹیونیشیا میں عالمی پیرا ایتھلیٹکس گرانڈ پرکس  2018 میں ایکتا نے گولڈ اور کانسے کے تمغہ جیتے ہیں۔ ان کی یہ حصولیابی خاص اس لیے ہے کہ انہوں نے اپنے چیلنج کو ہی اپنی کامیابی کا ذریعہ بنا دیا۔ بیٹی ایکتا بھیان 2003 میں ، روڈ ایکسیڈینٹ کی وجہ سے اس کے جسم کا آدھا حصہ نیچے کا حصہ ناکام ہو گیا، لیکن اس بیٹی نے ہمت نہیں ہاری اور خود کو مضبوط بناتے ہوئے یہ مقام حاصل کیا۔ ایک اور ویویانگ یوگیش کٹھونیا جی نے، انہوں نے برلن میں پیرا ایتھلیٹکس گرانڈ پرکس میں ڈسکس تھرو میں گولڈ میڈل جیت کر عالمی ریکارڈ بنایا ہے۔ ان کے ساتھ سندر سنگھ گرجر نے بھی جیولین میں گولڈ میڈل جیتا ہے۔ میں ایکتا بھیان جی، یوگیش کٹھونیا جی اور سندر سنگھ جی آپ سبھی کے حوصلے اور جذبے کو سلام کرتا ہوں، مبارکباد دیتا ہوں۔ آپ اور آگے بڑھیں، کھیلتے رہیں، کھلتے رہیں۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں، اگست مہینہ تاریخ کے مختلف واقعات، تہواروں کی گہما گہمی سے بھرا رہتا ہے، لیکن موسم کی وجہ سے کبھی کبھی بیماری بھی گھر میں گھس آتی ہے۔ میں آپ سب  کو بہتر صحت کے لیے ، حب وطنی کی ترغیب جگانے والے، اس اگست مہینے کے لیے اور صدیوں سے چلے آ رہے مختلف تہواروں کے لیے، بہت بہت مبارکباد دیتا ہوں۔ پھر ایک بار من کی بات کے لیے ضرور ملیں گے۔

بہت بہت  شکریہ۔

نمسکار! میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں آج پھر ایک بار ’من کی بات‘ کے اس پروگرام میں آپ سب کے ساتھ روبہ رو ہونے کا موقع ملا ہے۔ ابھی کچھ دن پہلے بینگلورو میں ایک تاریخی کرکٹ میچ ہوا۔ آپ لوگ اچھی طرح سمجھ گئے ہوں کہ میں ہندوستان اور افغانستان کے ٹیسٹ میچ کی بات کر رہا ہوں۔ یہ افغانستان کا پہلا بین الاقوامی میچ تھا اور یہ ہندوستان کے لیے فخر کی بات ہے کہ افغانستان کا یہ تاریخی میچ ہندوستان کے ساتھ تھا۔ اس میچ میں دونوں ہی ٹیموں نے بہترین مظاہرہ کیا اور دوسرے افغانستان کے ہی ایک بالر راشد خان نے تو اس سال آئی پی ایل میں بھی کافی اچھا مظاہر کیا تھا اور مجھے یاد ہے کہ افغانستان کے صدر جناب اشرف غنی نے مجھے ٹیگ کر اپنے ٹوئیٹر پر لکھا تھا –’’ افغانستان کے لوگوں کو اپنے ہیرو راشد خان پر بہت فخر ہے‘‘ میں اپنے ہندوستانی دوستوں کا بھی شکرگزار ہوں، جنہوں نے ہمارے کھلاڑیوں کو اپنا ہنر دکھانے کے لیے ایک پلیٹ فارم مہیا کیا ہے۔ افغانستان میں جو افضل ہے راشد خان اس کی نمائندگی کرتا ہے۔ وہ کرکٹ کی دنیا کا ایسٹ ہے اور اس کے ساتھ ساتھ انہوں نے تھوڑا مزاحیہ انداز میں یہ بھی لکھا ’’نہیں ہم اسے کسی کو دینے والے نہیں ہیں۔‘‘ یہ میچ ہم سبھی کے لیے ایک یادگار رہے گا۔ خیر یہ پہلا میچ تھا اس لیے یاد رہنا تو بہت قدرتی بات ہے لیکن مجھے یہ میچ کسی ایک خاص وجہ سے یاد رہے گا۔ ہندوستانی ٹیم نے کچھ ایسا کیا، جو پوری دنیا کے لیے ایک مثال ہے۔ ہندوستانی ٹیم نے ٹرافی لیتے وقت ایک فاتح ٹیم کیا کر سکتی ہے – انہوں نے کیا کیا! ہندوستانی ٹیم نے ٹرافی لیتے وقت ، افغانستان کی ٹیم جو کہ پہلی بار بین الاقوامی میچ کھیل رہی تھی، افغانستان کی ٹیم کو بلایا دیا اور دونوں ٹیموں نے ساتھ میں فوٹو لی۔ اسپورٹس مین اسپریٹ کیا ہوتی ہے، اسپورٹس مین شپ کیا ہوتی ہے – اس ایک واقعہ سے ہم محسوس کر سکتے ہیں۔ کھیل سماج کو ایک جٹ کرنے اور ہمارے نوجوانوں کا جو ہنر ہے، ان میں جو ہنرمندی ہے، اسے ڈھونڈھ نکالنے کا ایک بہترین طریقہ ہے۔ ہندوستان اور افغانستان دونوں ٹیموں کو میری مبارکباد ۔ مجھے امید ہے ہم آگے بھی اسی طرح ایک دوسرے کے ساتھ پورے اسپورٹس مین اسپریٹ کے ساتھ کھیلیں گے بھی، کھلیں بھی۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! اس 21 جون کو چوتھے ’یوگا دیوس‘ پر ایک الگ ہی نظارہ تھا۔ پوری دنیا ایک جٹ نظر آئی۔ دنیا بھر میں لوگوں نے پورے جوش و خروش کے ساتھ یوگ ابھیاس کیا۔ بروسیلز میں یوروپین پارلیمنٹ ہو، نیو یارک میں واقع اقوام متحدہ کا ہیڈ کوارٹر ہو، جاپانی بحری فوج کے لڑاکو جہاز ہوں، سبھی جگہ لوگ یوگ کرتے نظر آئے۔ سعودی عرب میں پہلی بار یوگ کا تاریخی پروگرام ہوا اور مجھے بتایا گیا ہے کہ بہت سارے آسنوں کا ڈیمونسٹریشن تو عورتوں نے کیا۔ لداخ کی اونچی برفیلی چوٹیوں پر ہندوستان اور چین کے فوجیوں نے ایک ساتھ مل کر یوگاابھیاس کیا۔ یوگ سبھی سرحدوں کو توڑ کر ، جوڑنے کا کام کرتا ہے۔ سینکڑوں ممالک کے ہزاروں پرجوش لوگوں نے ذات، دھرم، حلقہ، رنگ یا جنس ہر طرح کے تفریق سے باہر جاکر اس موقعے کو ایک بہت بڑا تہوار بنا دیا۔ اگر دنیا بھر کے لوگ اتنے پرجوش ہوکر ’یوگ دوس‘ کے پروگراموں میں حصہ لے رہے تھے تو ہندوستان میں اس کی خوشی کئی گنا کیوں نہیں ہوگی۔

ملک کو فخر ہوتا ہے، جب سوا سو کروڑ لوگ دیکھتے ہیں کہ ہمارے ملک کے حفاظتی دستوں کے جوانوں نے، بری – بحری اور فضائیہ تینوں جگہ یوگ ابھیاس کیا۔ کچھ بہادر فوجیوں نے جہاں آبدوز میں یوگ کیا، وہیں کچھ فوجیوں نے سیاچین کے برفیلے پہاڑوں پر یوگ ابھیاس کیا۔ فضائیہ کے ہمارے لڑاکوں نے تو آساھن میں زمین سے 15 ہزار فٹ کی اونچائی پر یوگاسن کر کے سب کو حیرت میں ڈال دیا۔ دیکھنے والا نظارہ یہ تھا کہ انہوں نے ہوا میں تیرتے ہوئے کیا، نہ کی ہوائی جہاز میں بیٹھ کر کے۔ اسکول ہو، کالج ہو، دفتر ہو، پارک ہو، اونچی عمارت ہو یا کھیل کا میدان ہو، سبھی جگہ یوگ کا مشق ہوا۔ احمد آباد کا ایک منظر تو دل کو چھو لینے والا تھا۔ وہاں پر تقریباً 750 معذور بھائی – بہنوں نے ایک جگہ پر، ایک ساتھ جمع ہوکر یوگ ابھیاس کر کے عالمی ریکارڈ بنا ڈالا۔ یوگ نے ذات، پنتھ اور جغرافیہ سے پرے جاکر دنیا بھر کے لوگوں کو جمع کرنے کا کام کیا ہے۔ ’واسودھیو کُٹمبکم‘ کے جس تاثر کو ہم صدیوں سے جیتے آئے ہیں۔ ہمارے رشی، منی، سنت جس پر ہمیشہ زور دیتے ہیں، یوگ نے اسے صحیح معنی میں ثابت کر کے دکھایا ہے۔ میں مانتا ہوں کہ آج یوگ ایک ویلنیس، انقلاب کا کام کر رہا ہے۔ میں امید کرتا ہوں کہ یوگ سے ویل نیس کی جو ایک مہم چلی ہے، وہ آگے بڑھے گی۔ زیادہ سے زیادہ لوگ اسے اپنی زندگی کا حصہ بنائیں گے۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں ! مائی گوو اور نریندر مودی ایپ پر کئی لوگوں نے مجھے لکھا کہ میں اس بار کی ’من کی بات‘ میں ایک جولائی کو آنے والے ڈاکٹرس ڈے کے بارے میں بات کرو ں۔ صحیح بات ہے۔ ہم مصیبت کے وقت ہی ڈاکٹر کو یاد کرتے ہیں لیکن یہ ایک ایسا دن ہے، جب ملک ہمارے ڈاکٹرس کی حصولیابیوں کو سیلیبریٹ کرتا ہے اور سماج کے تئیں ان کی خدمات اور عہد بندی کے لیے انہیں بہت بہت مبارکباد دیتا ہوں۔ ہم وہ لوگ ہیں، جو فطری طور پر ماں کو بھگوان کے طور ر پوجتے ہیں، بھگوان کے برابر مانتے ہیں کیونکہ ماں ہمیں زندگی دیتی ہے، ماں ہمیں جنم دیتی ہے، تو کئی بار ڈاکٹر ہمیں دوبارہ زندگی دیتا ہے۔ ڈاکٹر کا رول صرف بیماریوں کا علاج کرنے تک ہی محدود نہیں ہے۔ اکثر ڈاکٹر خاندان کے دوست کی طرح ہوتے ہیں۔ ہمارے لائف اسٹائل گائڈس ہیں۔ ’’دے ناٹ اونلی کیور بٹ السو ہیل‘‘۔ آج ڈاکٹر کے پاس میڈیکل ایکسپرٹیز تو ہوتی ہی ہے، ساتھ ہی ان کے پاس جنرل لائف اسٹائل ٹرینڈس کے بارے میں، اس کا ہمارے صحت پر کیا اثر پڑتا ہے، ان سب کے بارے میں گہرا تجربہ ہوتا ہے۔ ہندوستانی ڈاکٹروں نے اپنی قابلیت اور مہارت سے پوری دنیا میں اپنی پہچان بنائی ہے۔ میڈیکل پروفیشن میں مہارت، سخت محنت کے ساتھ ساتھ ہمارے ڈاکٹر کمپلیکس میڈیکل پروبلیمس کو سالو کرنے کے لیے جانے جاتے ہیں۔ ’من کی بات‘ کے ذریعے سے میں سبھی ہم وطنوں کی جانب سے ہمارے سبھی ڈاکٹر ساتھیوں کو آئندہ 1 جولائی کو آنے والے ڈاکٹرس ڈے کی بہت بہت مبارکباد دیتا ہوں۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! ہم ایسے قسمت والے لوگ ہیں جو کا اس ہندوستان کی سرزمین پر پیدا ہوئے ہیں۔ ہندوستان کی ایک ایسی وسیع تاریخ رہی ہے، جب کوئی ایسا مہینہ نہیں ہے، کوئی ایسا دن نہیں ہے، جس میں کوئی نہ کوئی تاریخی واقعہ نہ ہوا ہو۔ دیکھیں تو ہندوستان میں ہر جگہ کی اپنی ایک وراثت ہے۔ وہاں سے جڑا کوئی سنت ہے، کوئی مہاپرش ہے، کوئی مشہور آدمی ہے، سبھی کا اپنا اپنا تعاون ہے، اپنی قابلیت ہے۔

آ پ کے فون کال کے لیے بہت بہت شکریہ۔ یہ صحیح ہے کہ میں 28 تاریخ کو مگہر آ رہا ہوں اور ویسے بھی جب میں گجرات میں تھا، گجرات کا کبیروڈ تو آپ اچھی طرح جانتے ہیں۔ جب میں وہاں کام کرتا تھا تو میں نے ایک سنت کبیر کی روایت سے جڑے لوگوں کا ایک بڑا، ایک قومی اجلاس بھی کیا تھا۔ آپ لوگ جانتے ہیں، کبیر داس جی مگہر کیوں گئے تھے؟ اس وقت ایک کہاوت تھی کہ مگہر میں جس کی موت ہوتی ہے، وہ سورگ نہیں جاتا۔ اس کے الٹ کاشی میں جس کی موت ہوتی ہے وہ سورگ جاتا ہے۔ مگہر کو ناپاک مانا جاتا تھا لیکن سنت کبیرداس اس پر یقین نہیں کرتے تھے۔ اپنے وقت کی ایسی ہی غلط رواج کو انہوں نے توڑنے کا کام کیا اور اس لیے وہ مگہر گئے اور وہیں ان کی موت ہوئی۔ سنت کبیرداس جی نے اپنی ساکھیوں اور دوہوں کے ذریعے سے سماجی یکسانیت، امن اور بھائی چارے پر زور دیا۔ یہی ان کے نظریات تھے۔ ان کی تخلیقات میں ہمیں یہی نظریات دیکھنے کو ملتے ہیں اور آج کے دور میں بھی وہ اتنے ہی تحریک دینے والے ہیں۔ ان کا ایک دوہا ہے:

کبیر سوئی پیر ہے،  جو جانے پر پیر۔ |

جو پر پیر نہ جان ہی ،   سو کا پیر میں پیر۔ ||

مطلب سچا پیر سنت وہی ہے جو دوسروں کے دکھ کو جانتا اور سمجھتا ہے، جو دوسرے کے دکھ کو نہیں جانتے وہ بے درد ہے۔ کبیر داس جی نے سماجی یکسانیت پر خاص توجہ دی تھی۔ وہ اپنے وقت سے بہت آگے سوچتے تھے۔ اس وقت جب دنیا میں گراوٹ اور جدوجہد کا دور چل رہا تھا انہوں نے امن اور بھائی چارے کا پیغام دیا اور لوگوں کو ایک ساتھ کر کے من مٹاؤں کو دور کرنے کا کام کیا۔

“’’جگ میں بیری کوئی نہیں، جو من شیتل ہوئے۔

یہ آپا تو ڈال دے،  دیا کرے سب کوئے۔‘‘”

There will be no enmity in the world if the inner being is at peace.

Compassion should be the universal way of life.

ایک دوسرے دوہے میں کبیر لکھتے ہیں –

’’جہاں دیا تہم دھرم ہے،  جہاں لوبھ تہاں پاپ۔

جہاں کرودھ تہاں کال ہے، جہاں چھما تہاں آپ۔‘‘

Compassion leads to righteousness,

Greed leads to sin.

Anger is sure to devour you,

Forgiveness is a great virtue.

انہوں نے کہا :

’’ذات نہ پوچھو سادھو کی،  پوچھ لیجیے گیان۔

Never ask a saint his caste or creed;

Ask him about his repository of knowledge.

اور لوگوں سے اپیل کی کہ وہ ذات پات سے اوپر اٹھ کر لوگوں کو علم کے طور پر مانیں، ان کی عزت کریں، ان کی باتیں صدیوں بعد بھی اتنی ہی اثردار ہے۔ ابھی جب ہم سنت کبیرداس جی کے بارے میں بات کر رہے ہیں تو مجھے ان کا ایک دوہا یاد آتا ہے۔ جس میں وہ کہتے ہیں :

“’’گرو گووند دو او کھڑے ، کاکے لاگو پا ئے|

بلیہاری گرو آپ نے، , گووند دیو بتائے۔‘‘“||

ایسی ہوتی ہے گرو کی مہانتا اور ایسے ہی ایک گرو ہیں، جگت گرو – گرو نانک دیو۔ جنہوں نے کوٹی کوٹی لوگوں کو سچا راستہ دکھایا، صدیوں سے ترغیب دیتے رہے۔ گرو نانک دیو نے سماج میں ذات پات کے تفریق کو ختم کرنے اور بنی نوع انسان کو ایک مانتے ہوئے انہیں گلے لگانے کی تعلیم دی۔

ایسی ہوتی ہے گرو کی مہانتا اور ایسے ہی ایک گرو ہیں، جگت گرو – گرو نانک دیو۔ جنہوں نے کوٹی کوٹی لوگوں کو سچا راستہ دکھایا، صدیوں سے ترغیب دیتے رہے۔ گرو نانک دیو نے سماج میں ذات پات کے تفریق کو ختم کرنے اور بنی نوع انسان کو ایک مانتے ہوئے انہیں گلے لگانے کی تعلیم دی۔ گرو نانک دیو کہتے تھے غریبوں اور ضرورتمنوں کی خدمت ہی بھگوان کی خدمت ہے۔ وہ جہاں بھی گئے انہوں نے سماج کی بھلائی کے لیے کئی پہل کی۔ سماجی تفریق سے پاک رسوئی کا انتظام جہاں ہر ذات، مذہب یا کمیونٹی کا فرد آکر کھانا کھا سکتا تھا۔ گرو نانک دیو نے ہی تو اس لنگر نظام کی شروعات کی۔ 2019 میں گرو نانک دیو جی کا 550واں پرکاش پرو منایا جائے گا۔ میں چاہتا ہوں ہم سب لوگ جوش کے ساتھ اس سے جڑیں۔ آپ لوگوں سے بھی میری درخواست ہے گرو نانک دیو جی کے 550ویں پرکاش پرو پر پورے سماج میں اور دنیا بھر میں اسے کیسے منایا جائے، نئے نئے آئیڈیا کیا ہوں، نئے نئے مشورہ کیا ہوں، نئے نئے خیالات کیا ہوں، اس پر ہم سوچیں، تیاریاں کریں اور فخر کے ساتھ اس کو ہم سب، اس  پرکاش پرو  کو  پریرنا پرو  بھی بنائیں۔ .

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! ہندوستان کی آزادی کی جدوجہد بہت لمبی ہے، بہت وسیع ہے، بہت گہری ہے، بے حساب شہادتوں سے بھری پڑی ہے۔ پنجاب سے جڑی ایک اور تاریخ ہے۔ 2019 میں جلیاں والا باغ کی اس خوفناک واقعہ کے بھی 100 سال پورے ہو رہے ہیں جس نے پورے بنی نوع کو شرم سار کر دیا تھا۔ 13 اپریل ، 1919 کا وہ کالا دن کون بھول سکتا ہے جب طاقت کا غلط استعمال کر کے بے رحمی کی ساری حدیں پار کر کے بے گناہ اور معصوم لوگوں پر گولیاں چلائی گئی تھیں۔ اس واقعہ کے 100 سال پورے ہونے والے ہیں۔ اسے ہم کیسے یاد کریں، ہم سب اس پر سوچ سکتے ہیں، لیکن اس واقعہ نے جو امر پیغام دیا، اسے ہم ہمیشہ یار رکھیں۔ یہ تشدد اور ظلم سے کبھی کسی مسئلہ کا حل نہیں کیا جا سکتا۔ جیت ہمیشہ امن اور عدم تشدد کی ہوتی ہے، قربانی کی ہوتی ہے۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! دلی کے روہنی کے جناب رمن کمار نے نریندر مودی موبائل ایپ پر لکھا ہے کہ آنے والی 6 جولائی کو ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کا یوم پیدائش ہے اور وہ چاہتے ہیں کہ اس پروگرام میں ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کے بارے میں ہم وطنوں سے بات کروں۔ رمن جی سب سے پہلے تو آپ کا بہت بہت شکریہ۔ ہندوستان کی تاریخ میں آپ کی دلچسپی دیکھ کر کافی اچھا لگا۔ آپ جانتے ہیں، کل ہی ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کی سالگرہ تھی 23 جون کو۔ ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کئی شعبوں سے جڑے رہے لیکن جو شعبہ ان کے سب سے قریب رہے وہ تھے تعلیم، انتظامیہ اور پارلیمنٹری افیئرس ، بہت کم لوگوں کو پتہ ہوگا کہ وہ کولکتہ یونیورسٹی کے سب سے کم عمر کے وائس چانسلر تھے۔ جب وہ وائس چانسلر بنے تھے تب ان کی عمر صرف 33 سال تھی۔

بہت کم لوگ جانتے ہوں گے کہ 1937 میں ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کی دعوت پر جناب گرو دیو رویندر ناتھ ٹیگور نے کولکتہ یونیورسٹی میں کونووکیشن کو بنگلہ زبان میں خطاب کیا تھا۔ یہ پہلا موقع تھا، جب انگریزوں کی سلطنت تھی اور کولکتہ میں کسی نے بنگلہ زبان میں کونووکیشن کو خطاب کیا تھا۔ 1947 سے 1950 تک ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی ہندوستان کے پہلے صنعت کے وزیر رہے اور ایک معنی میں کہیں تو انہوں نے ہندوستان کی صنعتی ترقی کی مضبوط بنیاد رکھی تھی ، ایک مضبوط پلیٹ فارم تیار کیا تھا۔ 1948 میں آئی آزاد ہندوستان کی پہلی صنعتی پالیسی ان کے آئڈیاز اور ویژن کی چھاپ لے کر کے آئی تھی۔ ڈاکٹر مکھرجی کا خواب تھا کہ ہندوستان ہر شعبے میں صنعتی طور سے خود مختار ہو، ہنرمند اور وسیع ہو۔

وہ چاہتے تھے کہ ہندوستان بڑی صنعتوں کو ڈیولپ کریں اور ساتھ ہی ایم ایس ایم ای ، ہتھ کرگھا، کپڑا اور چھوٹی صنعت پر بھی پوری توجہ دیں۔ کٹیر اور چھوٹی صنعتوں کی پوری ترقی کے لیے انہیں فنانس اور آرگنائزیشن سیٹ اپ ملے، اس کے لیے 1948 سے 1950 کے درمیان آل انڈیا ہینڈی کرافٹس بورڈ، آل انڈیا ہینڈلوم بورڈ اور کھادی اینڈ ویلیج انڈسٹریز بورڈ قائم کیے گئے تھے۔ ڈاکٹر مکھرجی کا ہندوستان کے دفاعی پروڈکشن کے سودیشی کرن پر بھی خاص زور تھا۔ چترنجن لوکوموٹیو ورکس فیکٹری، ہندوستان ایئرکرافٹ فیکٹری، سندری کا کھاد کارخانہ اور دامودر گھاٹی نگم، یہ چار سب سے کامیاب اور بڑے پروجیکٹس اور دوسرے ریور ویلی پروجیکٹس کے قیام میں ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کا بہت بڑا تعاون تھا۔ مغربی بنگال کی ترقی کو لے کر وہ کافی جذباتی تھے۔ ان کی سمجھ، دانش مندی اور سرگرمی کا ہی نتیجہ ہے کہ بنگلہ کا ایک حصہ بچایا جا سکا اور وہ آج بھی ہندوستان کا حصہ ہے۔

ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کے لیے، جو سب سے اہم بات تھی، وہ تھی ہندوستان کی صداقت اور اتحاد – اور اسی کے لیے 52 سال کی کم عمر میں ہی انہیں اپنی جان گنوانی پڑی۔ آیئے۔ ہم ہمیشہ ڈاکٹر شیاما پرساد مکھرجی کے یکجہتی کے پیغام کو یاد رکھیں، یکجہتی اور بھائی چارے کی سوچ کے ساتھ ، ہندوستان کی ترقی کے لیے جی جان سے جڑے رہیں۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! گزشتہ کچھ ہفتوں میں مجھے ویڈیو کال کے ذریعے سے حکومت کی مختلف منصوبوں کے استفادہ کنندگان سے بات کرنے کا موقع ملا۔ فائلوں سے باہر جاکر لوگوں کی زندگی میں جو تبدیلی آ رہی ہے، ان کے بارے میں براہ راست انہیں سے جاننے کا موقع ملا۔ لوگوں نے اپنے عزم، اپنے سکھ دکھ ، اپنی حصولیابیوں کے بارے میں بتایا۔ میں مانتا ہوں کہ میرے لیے یہ محض ایک سرکاری پروگرام نہیں تھا بلکہ یہ ایک الگ طرح کا لرننگ تجربہ تھا اور اس دوران لوگوں کے چہرے پر جو خوشیاں دیکھنے کو ملیں، اس سے بڑا سکون کا لمحہ کسی کی بھی زندگی میں کیا ہو سکتا ہے؟ جب ایک عام انسان کی کہانیاں سنتا تھا۔ ان کے بھولے بھالے جملے اپنے تجربے کی کہانی وہ جو کہہ رہے تھے، دل کو چھو جاتی تھی۔

دور دراز کے گاؤوں میں بیٹیاں کامن سروس سینٹر کے ذریعے سے گاؤوں کے بزرگوں کی پنشن سے لے کر پاسپورٹ بنوانے تک کے خدمات دستیاب کروا رہی ہیں۔ جب چھتیس گڑھ کی کوئی بہن سیتاپھل کو جما کر اس کی آئس کریم بنا کر روزگار کرتی ہے۔ جھارکھنڈ میں انجن پرکاش کی طرح ملک کے لاکھوں نوجوان ادویاتی مرکز چلانے کے ساتھ ساتھ آس پاس کے گاؤوں میں جاکر سستی دوائیاں دستیاب کروا رہے ہوں۔ وہیں مغربی بنگال کا کوئی نوجوان دو تین سال پہلے نوکری ڈھونڈھ رہا ہو اور اب وہ صرف اپنا کامیاب روزگار کر رہا ہے؛ اتنا ہی نہیں، دس پندرہ لوگوں کو اور نوکری بھی دے رہا ہے۔ ادھر تمل ناڈو، پنجاب، گوا کے اسکول کے طالب علم اپنی چھوٹی عمر میں اسکول کی ٹنکرنگ لیب میں ویسٹ مینجمنٹ جیسے اہم موضوع پر کام کر رہے ہوں۔ نہ جانے کتنی کتنی کہانیاں تھیں۔ ملک کا کوئی کونا ایسا نہیں ہوگا جہاں لوگوں کو اپنی کامیابی کی بات کہنی نہ ہو۔ مجھے خوشی اس بات کی ہے ان تمام پروگرام میں حکومت کی کامیابی سے زیادہ عام انسان کی کامیابی کی باتیں ملک کی قوت، نئے ہندوستان کے خوابوں کی طاقت، نئے ہندوستان کے عزم کی قوت – اسے میں محسوس کر رہا تھا۔

سماج میں کچھ لوگ ہوتے ہیں۔ وہ جب تک مایوسی کی باتیں نہ کریں، غیریقینی پیدا کرنے کی کوشش نہ کریں، جوڑنے کے بجائے توڑنے کے راستے نہ کھوجیں، تب تک ان کو سکون نہیں ہوتا ہے۔ ایسے ماحول میں عام انسان جب نئی امید، نئے جوش اور اپنی زندگی میں ہونے والے واقعات کی بات لے کر کے آتا ہے تو وہ سرکار کا کریڈٹ نہیں ہوتا۔ دور دراز ایک چھوٹے سے گاؤں کی چھوٹی سی بچی کا واقعہ بھی سوا سو کروڑ ہم وطنوں کے لیے ترغیب بن جاتا ہے۔ میرے لیے ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے، ویڈیو بریج کے ذریعے سے استفادہ کنندگان کے ساتھ وقت گزارنے کا ایک لمحہ بہت ہی سکون دینے والا ، بہت ہی ترغیب دینے والا رہا اور اس سے کام کرنے کا سکون تو ملتا ہی ہے لیکن اور زیادہ کام کرنے کا جذبہ بھی ملتا ہے۔ غریب سے غریب شخص کے لیے زندگی گزارنے کا ایک اور نیا خوشی، ایک اور نئی جوش اور نئی ترغیبات حاصل ہوتی ہیں۔

میں ہم وطنوں کا بہت شکر گزار ہوں۔ 40-40، 50-50 لاکھ لوگ اس ویڈیو بریج کے پروگرام میں جڑے اور مجھے نئی قوت دینے کا کام آپ نے کیا۔ میں پھر ایک بار آپ سب کا شکریہ ادا کرنا چاہتا ہوں۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! میں ہمیشہ محسوس کرتا ہوں، اگر ہم اپنے آس پاس دیکھیں تو کہیں نہ کہیں کچھ نہ کچھ اچھا ہوتا ہے۔ اچھا کرنے والے لوگ ہوتے ہیں۔ اچھائی کی خوشبو ہم بھی محسوس کر سکتے ہیں۔ گزشتہ دنوں ایک بات میرے ذہن میں آئی اور یہ بڑا منفرد مجموعہ ہے۔ اس میں ایک جانب جہاں پروفیشنلز اور انجینئرس ہیں وہیں دوسری جانب کھیت میں کام کرنے والے ، کھیتی سے جڑے ہمارے کسان بھائی بہن ہیں۔ اب آپ سوچ رہے ہوں گے کہ یہ تو دو بالکل الگ الگ صنعت ہیں – ان کا کیا تعلق؟ لیکن ایسا ہے، بینگلورو میں کارپوریٹ پروفیشنلس، آئی ٹی انجینئرس ساتھ آئے۔ انہوں نے مل کر ایک آسان ’سمردھی ٹرسٹ‘ بنایا ہے اور انہوں نے کسانوں کی آمدنی دوگنی ہو، اس کے لیے اس ٹرسٹ کو ایکٹیویٹ کیا۔ کسانوں سے جڑتے گئے، منصوبے بناتے گئے اور کسانوں کی آمدنی بڑھانے کے لیے کامیاب کوشش کرتے رہے۔ کھیتی کی نئی تکنیک سکھانے کے ساتھ ساتھ حیاتیاتی کھیتی کیسے کی جائے؟ کھیتوں میں ایک فصل کے ساتھ ساتھ اور بھی فصل کیسے اگائی جائے؟ یہ ٹرسٹ کے ذریعے ان پروفیشنلز ، انجینئر، ٹیکنوکریٹ کے ذریعے کسانوں کو ٹریننگ دی جانے لگی۔ پہلے جو کسان اپنے کھیتوں میں ایک ہی فصل پر منحصر ہوا کرتے تھے۔ اپج بھی اچھی نہیں ہوتی تھی اور منافع بھی زیادہ نہیں ہوتا تھا۔ آج وہ نہ صرف سبزیاں اگا رہے ہیں اور بلکہ اپنی سبزیوں کی مارکیٹنگ بھی ٹرسٹ کے ذریعے سے کر کے، اچھی قیمت حاصل کر رہے ہیں۔ اناج پیدا کرنے والے کسان بھی اس سے جڑے ہوئے ہیں۔

ایک طرف فصل کی پیداوار سے لے کر مارکیٹنگ تک پوری چین میں کسانوں کا ایک اہم رول ہے تو دوسری جانب منافع میں کسانوں کی حصہ داری کو یقینی بنانا ان کے حق کو یقینی بنانے کی کوشش ہے۔ فصل اچھی ہو، اس کے لیے اچھی نسل کے بیج ہوں۔ اس کے لیے الگ سیڈ بینک بنایا گیا ہے۔ خواتین اس سیڈ بینک کا کام دیکھتی ہیں۔ خواتین کو بھی جوڑا گیا ہے۔ میں ان نوجوانوں کو اس اہم تجربہ کے لیے بہت بہت مبارکباد دیتا ہوں اور مجھے خوشی ہے کہ پروفیشنلس، ٹیکنوکریٹ، انجینئرنگ کی دنیا سے جڑے ان نوجوانوں نے اپنے دائرے سے باہر نکل کر کے کسان کے ساتھ جڑنا، گاؤں کے ساتھ جڑنا، کھیت کے ساتھ جڑنے کا جو راستہ اپنایا ہے۔ میں پھر ایک بار اپنے ملک کی نوجوان نسل کو ان کے ان اہم تجربوں، کو کچھ جو شاید میں نے جانا ہوگا، کچھ نہیں جانا ہوگا، کچھ لوگوں کو پتہ ہوگا، کچھ پتہ نہیں ہوگا لیکن مسلسل لوگ کچھ نہ کچھ اچھا کر رہے ہیں، ان سب کو میری طرف سے بہت بہت مبارکباد ۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں ! جی ایس ٹی کو ایک سال پورا ہونے والا ہے۔ ’ون نیشن، ون ٹیکس‘ ملک کے لوگوں کا خواب تھا، وہ آج حقیقت میں بدل چکا ہے۔ ون نیشن ون تیکس ریفارم، اس کے لیے اگر مجھے سب سے زیادہ کسی کو کریڈٹ دینا ہے تو میں ریاستوں کو کریڈٹ دیتا ہوں۔ جی ایس ٹی کوآپریٹیو فیڈرالزم کی ایک بہترین مثال ہے، جہاں سبھی ریاستوں نے مل کر ملک کے حق میں فیصلہ لیا اور تب جاکر ملک میں اتنا بڑا ٹیکس ریفارم نافذ ہو سکا۔ اب تک جی ایس ٹی کونسل کی 27 میٹنگ ہوئی ہیں اور ہم سب فخر کر سکتے ہیں کہ مختلف سیاسی سوچ والے لوگ وہاں بیٹھتے ہیں، مختلف ریاستوں کے لوگ بیٹھتے ہیں، الگ الگ پرائیوریٹی والے ریاست ہوتے ہیں لیکن اس کے باوجود بھی جی ایس ٹی کونسل میں اب تک جتنے بھی فیصلہ کیے گئے ہیں، وہ سارے سب کی مرضی سے کیے گئے ہیں۔ جی ایس ٹی سے پہلے ملک میں 17 الگ الگ طرح کے ٹیکس ہوا کرتے تھے لیکن اس نظام میں اب صرف ایک ہی ٹیکس پورے ملک میں نافذ ہے۔ جی ایس ٹی ایمانداری کی جیت ہے اور ایمانداری کا ایک تہوار بھی ہے۔ پہلے ملک میں کافی بار ٹیکس کے معاملے میں انسپکٹر راج کی شکایتیں آتی رہتی تھیں۔

جی ایس ٹی میں انسپکٹر کی جگہ آئی ٹی نے انفارمیشن ٹیکنالوجی نے لے لی ہے۔ ریٹرن سے لے کر ریفنڈ تک سب کچھ آن لائن انفارمیشن ٹیکنالوجی کے ذریعے ہوتا ہے۔ جی ایس ٹی کے آنے سے چیک پوسٹ ختم ہو گئی اور مال سامانوں کی آمد و رفت تیز ہو گئی، جس سے نہ صرف وقت بچ رہا ہے بلکہ لاجسٹکس کے شعبے میں بھی اس کا کافی فائدہ مل رہا ہے۔ جی ایس ٹی شاید دنیا کا سب سے بڑا ٹیکس ریفارم ہوگا۔ ہندوستان میں اتنا بڑا ٹیکس ریفارم کامیاب اس لیے ہو پایا کیونکہ ملک کے عوام نے اسے اپنایا اور اتنا بڑا ریفارم ، اتنا بڑا ملک، اتنی بڑی آبادی اس کو پوری طرح سے مستحکم ہونے میں 5 سے 7 سال کا وقت لگتا ہے لیکن ملک کے ایماندار لوگوں کا جوش ، ملک کی ایمانداری کا تہوار لوگوں کی حصہ داری کا نتیجہ ہے کہ ایک سال کے اندر اندر یہ نیا ٹیکس نظام اپنی جگہ بنا چکا ہے، استحکام حاصل کر چکا ہے اور ضرورت کے مطابق اپنی ان بلٹ نظام کے ذریعے وہ اصلاح بھی کرتا رہتا ہے۔ یہ اپنے آپ میں ایک بہت بڑی کامیابی سوا سو کروڑ ہم وطنوں نے حاصل کی ہے۔

میرے پیارے ہم وطنوں! پھر ایک بار ’من کی بات‘ کو ختم کرتے ہوئے اگلے من کی بات کا انتظار کر رہا ہوں، آپ سے ملنے کا، آپ سے باتیں کرنے کا۔ آپ کو بہت بہت مبارکباد۔

بہت بہت شکریہ۔

Namaskar. Through ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I once again have been blessed with the opportunity to be face-to-face with you. I am sure you distinctly remember that for the last many months, a naval team comprising six women Commanders was on a voyage. I want to tell you something about the ‘Naavika Saagar Parikrama’. These six illustrious daughters of India circumnavigated the globe for over more than 250 days on board the INSV Tarini, returning home on the 21st of May. The entire country welcomed them with open arms, with high spirits. They traversed a multitude of oceans, many a sea, over a distance of almost twenty two thousand nautical miles. This was a first of its kind event in the entire world. Last Wednesday, I got an opportunity to meet these daughters and listen to their experiences. Once again, I congratulate these daughters and their spirit of adventure for bringing laurels to the country, for raising the glory of the Navy and significantly so, for conveying to the world that India’s daughters are no less. Who does not know of the sense of adventure? If you view the journey of human evolution, you will notice that breakthroughs in progress have taken birth in the womb of some adventure or the other. There is an umbilical link between development and adventure; the resolve to achieve something, the burning desire to do something unparalleled, the sentiment proclaiming “I too can do it”. The number of such people may be miniscule, but they turn out to be sources of inspiration for millions of others, spanning an array of eras. Recently, you must have come across quite a few notable happenings pertaining to mountaineers attempting to scale Mount Everest. For centuries, Everest has been throwing the gauntlet at humankind. And for long, brave hearts have been responding to the challenge.

On the 16th of May, a team comprising five tribal students of an Ashram School in Chandrapur, Maharashtra- Maneesha Dhurve, Pramesh Ale, Umakant Madhavi, Kavidas Katmode and Vikas Soyam- scaled the world’s highest peak. These Ashram School students began training in August, 2017, covering Wardha, Hyderabad, Darjeeling and Leh-Ladakh. These young boys & girls had been selected under ‘Mission Shaurya’. True to its name, they brought glory to the country with their brave deed of conquering the Everest. I congratulate these young friends and members of the school in Chandrapur, from the core of my heart. Just a while ago, 16 year old Shivangi Pathak became the youngest Indian woman to scale Everest from the Nepal side. Heartiest congratulations, Beti Shivangi.

Ajit Bajaj and his daughter became the first ever father-daughter duo to ascend Everest. And it’s not that only the young are climbing Everest. On the 19th of May, Sangeeta Bahal, aged more than 50, scaled the Everest. There are some mountaineers who have shown that apart from possessing skills, they are sensitive too.

A few days ago, under the ‘Clean Ganga Campaign’, a group from the BSF Scaled the Everest and while returning, removed loads of trash littered there and brought it down. This deed is commendable indeed; it also displays their commitment towards cleanliness and the environment. People have been ascending the Everest for years & many have managed to reach the peak successfully. I congratulate these daredevils, especially the daughters from the core of my heart.

My dear countrymen, especially my young friends, just a couple of months ago, when I mentioned ‘Fit India’, I did not think it would draw such a good response; that a large number of people would come forward to support it. When I say ‘Fit India’, I believe that the more we play, the more we will inspire the country to come out & play. People are sharing videos of Fitness Challenge on social media; they are tagging each other to spread the challenge. Everybody is now getting connected with this Fit India Campaign. People from the film fraternity, from the world of Sports, common citizens of the country, members of the armed forces, school teachers or even those toiling in fields and farms, their rising notes are building up a crescendo ‘Hum Fit toh India Fit’… ‘If we are fit, India is fit’. For me, it’s heartwarming that the captain of the Indian Cricket team Virat Kohli ji has included me in his challenge… and I too have accepted his challenge. I believe this is gainful and this kind of a challenge will inspire us to be fit along with others, as well.

My dear countrymen, many a time in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, you must have heard me mention a thing or two about sports & sportspersons. And in the last episode, our heroes of the Commonwealth Games shared with us their ‘Mann Ki Baat’, matters close to their hearts through this programme.

Chhavi Yadav ji, thank you very much for your phone call. It is true that sports & games that were once a part & parcel of every child’s life, in every lane in the neighbourhood, are fading into oblivion. These games used to be a special feature of summer holidays. Sometimes in scorching afternoons; at times after dinner, children used to play with exuberant abandon for hours together, leaving all worries behind. Some games saw the participation of the whole family. Aiming the ball at the crooked column of stone slats- Pitthoo, playing marbles, testing one’s agility in Kho kho, spinning the top, Lattoo, or applying skills in swiftly flicking the tapered- edged wooden peg and hitting it aloft-Gilli-Danda, innumerable games were an inseparable part of each & every child’s life from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Kamrup. Of course, those games were known by different names, depending on the place. Pitthoo is one such game. Some called it Lagori, at other places it was Satoriya, Saat Pathar, Dikori, Satodiya… one game with many names! Traditional sports and games comprise both varieties… outdoor and indoor as well. The unity, intrinsic to our country’s diversity can be witnessed in these games. A single game is known by distinct names at different places. I am from Gujarat. I known of a game played in Gujarat called Chomal Isto. It is played with cowries or tamarind seeds or dice on an eight by eight square board. It used to be played in almost every state. Known as Chowkabara in Karnataka, Attoo in Madhya Pradesh, Pakidakaali in Kerala, Champal in Maharashtra, Daayaam and Thaayaam in Tamilnadu, Changaa Po in Rajasthan, it had innumerable names. One realizes after playing, despite not knowing the language of a particular state, “Oh! We used to play this game in our state as well!” Who amongst us would not have enjoyed playing Gilli-Danda in our childhood? This is a game that is played across villages and cities. It is also known by different names. In Andhra Pradesh it is called Gotibilla or Karrabilla. In Odisha it’s called Gulibadi and in Maharashtra, Vittidaaloo. Some games are seasonal. There is a season for flying kites. While flying a kite or playing a game, one freely expresses one’s inherent unique qualities. You must have seen many a child, shy by nature, leap up with zest, the moment a game begins. Even children with a seemingly serious countenance start expressing themselves; while playing, the innate child within them comes to the fore. Traditional sports and games are structured in such a manner that along with physical ability, they enhance our logical thinking, concentration, alertness and energy levels. Games are not just games; they teach us values in life, such as, setting targets, building up determination, developing team spirit and fostering mutual co-operation. I recently noticed in a training programme in Business Management, our traditional sports and games being used for improving overall personality development and interpersonal skills. These games are proving to be handy in overall development. And then, there is no prescribed age limit for participating in them. From tiny tots to Grandfather-Grandmother, when we all play these games together then the term ‘Generation Gap’ disappears on its own. At the same time, we also come to know about our culture and traditions. Many games also make us aware about our society, environment and other spheres.

It is a matter of concern, whether these sports & games will fade away to the point of extinction. It will not just be a loss of a game; it will be the loss of the spirit of childhood, something that will exist only in the verses of poetry.
Ye daulat bhi le lo
Ye shohrat bhi le lo
Bhale chheen lo mujhse meri jawani
Magar mujhko lauta do bachpan ka sawan
Wo kagaz ki kashti, wo baarish ka paani

Take away all my riches
Bereave me of all this fame
Snuff out my youth if you so wish
But do return the monsoon that drenched me as a child
The puddles & my paper boats, the magic of my rains.

And we will be forever reduced to listening to this song, hence we must keep our traditional sports alive. It is crucial that today schools, neighbourhoods and youth congregations should come forward and promote these games. Through crowd sourcing we can create a very large archive of our traditional games. The Videos of these games can be shot, outlining the way to play these games along with the mandatory rules and regulations. Animation films can also be made so that our young generations for whom these games played in our streets are something to marvel about, can see, play for themselves and thus bloom.
My dear countrymen, on the 5th of June, our nation, India will officially host the World Environment Day Celebrations. This is a very important achievement for India and it is also an acknowledgement as well as recognition of India's growing leadership in the direction of tackling climate change.

This time the theme is 'Beat Plastic Pollution'. I appeal to all of you, that while trying to understand the importance of this theme, we should all ensure that we do not use low grade polythene and low grade plastics and try to curb the negative impact of plastic pollution on our environment, on our wild life and our health. Let us all visit the World Environment Day website ‘wed-india 2018’ and try to imbibe and inculcate the many interesting suggestions given there into our everyday life.
Whenever we face a torrid summer, or floods, incessant rains or unbearable cold, everybody becomes an expert, analyzing global warming and climate change. But does empty talk bring about any solutions? Being sensitive towards nature, protecting nature, should come naturally to us; these virtues should be embedded in our sanskar.

In the past few weeks, we all witnessed that there were dust storms in the different regions of the country, along with heavy winds and unseasonal heavy rains. There was also loss of life and property. These calamities are basically the result of the change in weather patterns. Our culture, our traditions have never taught us to be at loggerheads with nature.
We have to live in harmony and in synchronicity with nature, we have to stay in touch with nature. Mahatma Gandhi had advocated this wisdom at every step of his life. Today when India speaks of climate justice or plays a major role in the Cop21 and Paris agreements or when we unite the whole world through the medium of International Solar Alliance, they all are rooted in fulfilling that very dream of Mahatma Gandhi.
On this environment day, let all of us give it a good thought as to what can we do to make our planet cleaner and greener? How can we progress in this direction? What innovative things can we do? The rainy season is fast approaching; we can set a target of achieving record plantation of trees this time and not only plant trees but also nurture and maintain the saplings till they grow.

My dear countrymen and especially my young friends, you do remember the 21st of June now; not only you and I, June 21st remains a part of the entire world’s collective consciousness. The 21st of June has been mandated and is celebrated as the International Yoga Day in the entire world and people start preparing for it months in advance. The news being received these days is that there are preparations afoot in the whole world to celebrate 21st June as International Yoga Day.
Yoga for unity and a harmonious society conveys a message that has permeated the world over. Centuries ago, the great Sanskrit Poet Bhartahari had written in his ‘Shataktrayam’.

धैर्यं यस्य पिता क्षमा च जननी शान्तिश्चिरं गेहिनी
सत्यं सूनुरयं दया च भगिनी भ्राता मनः संयमः।
शय्या भूमितलं दिशोSपि वसनं ज्ञानामृतं भोजनं
एते यस्य कुटिम्बिनः वद सखे कस्माद् भयं योगिनः।।

[A man whose father is patience, mother is forgiveness and peace as consort, Truth as his friend, compassion as his sister and restraint for brother as family members and whose bed is the great earth, is clothed by the great sky and whose food is only knowledge. Is indeed a Yogi who won't know any fear.]

This observation expressed centuries ago, straightaway implies that practicing yogic exercises on a regular basis leads to imbibing benefic attributes which stand by our side like relatives and friends. The practice of yoga leads to building up of courage, which always protects us like a father. The practice of yoga leads to germination of a sense of forgiveness in the same manner as a mother has for her children and mental peace becomes our permanent friend. Bhartahari has said that with regular yogic exercise, truth becomes our child, mercy becomes our sister, self restraint our brother, earth turns in to our bed and knowledge satiates our hunger. When so many attributes become one's partner, then that yogi conquers all forms of fear. Once again, I appeal to all the citizens to adopt their legacy of yoga and create a healthy, happy and harmonious nation.

My dear countrymen, today is the 27th of May, the death anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji. I render my pranam to Pandit ji. Memories of this month are also linked with Veer Savarkar. This was the very month, the month of May 1857, when Indians had displayed their strength against the British. In many parts of the country, our youth and farmers demonstrated their bravery whilst standing up against the injustice. It is indeed sad that we kept on calling the events of 1857 only as a rebellion or a soldiers’ mutiny for a very long time.
In fact, May 1857 was not only evaluated as a minor historical incident but was also an attempt to dent our self-respect. It was Veer Savarkar who boldly expostulated by writing that whatever happened in 1857 was not a revolt but was indeed the First War of Independence. Savarkar along with his band of brave hearts celebrated the 50th anniversary of the First War of Independence with great fanfare at India house in London. It is also an amazing coincidence that the month which witnessed the First Struggle for Independence was the month in which Veer Savarkar ji was born. Savarkar ji’s personality was full of special qualities; he was a worshipper of both weapons or shashtra and Knowledge or shaashtras.

Generally Veer Savarkar is renowned for his bravery and his struggle against the British Raj. But besides these sterling qualities, he was also a striking poet and a social reformer who always emphasized on goodwill and unity. A wonderful account about Savarkarji has been given by our dear honorable Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji. Atal ji had said - Savarkar means brilliance, Savarkar means sacrifice, Savarkar means penance, Savarkar means substance, Savarkar means logic, Savarkar means youth, Savarkar means an arrow, and Savarkar means a Sword! Behold! What an accurate depiction of Savarkar by Atal ji! Savarkar marched along with both poetry and revolution. Besides being a sensitive poet, he was also a courageous revolutionary.

My dear brothers and sisters, I was watching a story on TV about our underprivileged daughters of certain slums in Sikar, Rajasthan. Our daughters, who were forced to sift through garbage and beg from home to home in order to earn a living - today they are learning sewing and stitching clothes to cover the impoverished. This is an example where the daughters are stitching ordinary to good quality clothes for themselves and other families. Along with this, they are undergoing a training course in skill development.

These daughters have become self-reliant today and are living their lives with respect and have become a strong support to their families. I wish all these daughters, brimming with hope and trust, a very bright future. They have demonstrated that if you have the desire to do something and if you are determined towards that goal then success can be achieved despite all odds! And this is not only about Sikar, but in every corner of India, you will witness something akin to this. If you observe in your neighbourhood, then you will witness for yourselves how people overcome the difficulties in their lives!

You must have realized that whenever we go to a tea shop, and enjoy tea there, a discussion with some of the customers automatically ensues. These discussions are also political and social in nature, can be about movies, sports and sportspersons or can focus even on the problems of the country – any problem with probable solutions are discussed at length – but often the problems and their solutions remain limited to such animated discussions only.

But there are some people who go ahead with their work, to bring about a change through their hard work and dedication; they make it a reality. Such is the story of D. Prakash Rao, living in the slums of Cuttack, Orissa, who gave up everything of his in order to adopt and realize the dreams of others! Just yesterday I’ve had the good fortune of meeting D. Prakash Rao.

Shriman D. Prakash Rao has been a tea vendor in the city of Cuttack for the past five decades. A meagre tea vendor; today you will be surprised to know that the lives of more than 70 children are being illuminated through education due to his efforts. He has opened a school named 'Asha Ashvaasan', spending 50% of his income for children living in slums and hutments. He ensures education, health and meals for all the children coming to this school. I congratulate D. Prakash Rao for his hard work, his persistence and for providing a new direction to the lives of those poor children attending his school. He has banished the darkness from their lives. Who amongst us does not know the Vedic shloka 'Tamso Ma Jyotirgamaya'! However, it has been put into practice by D. Prakash Rao. His life is an inspiration to us, our society and the whole country. Your surroundings too must be full of such inspiring happenings. There must be innumerable incidents. Come, let us take positivity forward.

The month of June is so hot that people anxiously wait for the rains, gazing towards the sky for the clouds to appear. People will wait for the moon in a few days from now onwards. Witnessing the moon means that the festival of Eid can be celebrated. After an entire month of fasting during Ramzan, the festival of Eid is a harbinger of celebrations.

I hope and believe that everyone will celebrate Eid with gaiety and fervor and on this occasion children will specially get a grand ‘Eidi’. I hope that the festival of Eid will further strengthen the bonds of harmony in our society. Heartiest felicitations to all of you. My dear countrymen, many thanks to you all. We shall meet once again in another episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ next month.
Namaskar

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Just a while ago, from the 4th of April to the 15th of April, the 21st Commonwealth Games were held in Australia. 71 countries, including India, participated therein. With an event of such scale & magnitude, which saw the participation of thousands of sportspersons from myriad corners of the world, can you imagine the mood that must have pervaded the atmosphere there? An air of excitement, zeal, enthusiasm, hope, aspirations, the determination to achieve – who would want to stay away from an atmosphere like that? These were the times when people all over the country pondered eagerly everyday on the line-up of sportspersons, scheduled for their respective performances. How will India’s performance be, what will our medal tally look like? These questions were but natural. Our sportspersons too lived up to the countrymen’s expectations and displayed stellar performances, winning one medal after another. Shooting or Wrestling, Table Tennis or Badminton, it was a record performance for India. 26 Gold, 20 Silver, 20 Bronze, India bagged a tally of around 66 medals. This success makes every Indian swell with pride. Of course, winning medals is a moment of joy & glory for a sportsperson; it is equally so as a festival of laurels for the country & her countrymen. After the conclusion of a match, representing India, when the athletes draped in the tricolor rise, displaying their medals, the notes of the National Anthem being played evoke a sense of joy and fulfillment, glory and honour. This is very, very special in itself. It is a touching moment that fills one’s heart with thrill; it is a moment full of zest & warmth. It is a wave of emotions that engulfs all of us simultaneously. Perhaps, to express those sentiments I’ll run short of words. But I want to share with you what I heard from these heroes. I feel immensely proud; you too will feel so.

India’s performance in the Commonwealth Games was par excellence. At the same time, it was special. Special in the sense that this time there were many pathbreaking ‘firsts’. Are you aware that out of the wrestlers who represented India, each one of them returned with a medal? Manika Batra won a medal in each of the events that she competed in. She is the first Indian woman to win a gold in the individual table tennis category too. India clinched the maximum number of medals in shooting. Deepak Lather of Haryana became the youngest Indian Weight-Lifter to win a medal at Commonwealth games. 15 year old Indian shooter Anish Bhanwala became the youngest sportsperson to win a gold for India. Sachin Chowdhary is the sole Indian Para Power Lifter to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.

This edition of the games was special on one more count- a majority of the medalists was women athletes. In squash, boxing, weightlifting and shooting – the performance of women turned out to be par excellence. The final contest in Badminton took place between two Indian Shuttlers, Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu. Everyone was thrilled for the fact that despite there being competition, the ultimate medal winner had to be India. The whole country watched it with abated breath. I too enjoyed watching the match. This year, India fared well in Athletics too. Indian sprinters Mohammad Anas & Hema Das missed a medal narrowly, but their record performance has brought glory to the nation. I congratulate them too… my best wishes to them. Athletes who participated in these games hail from various parts of the country, even from smaller towns. They have reached this pinnacle, crossing a great deal of hurdles and hardships. Today, the positions they have secured for themselves, the targets they have achieved, owes a lot to the efforts & contribution of their parents, guardians, coaches, support staff, schools, teachers, the atmosphere provided by their Schools, during this journey in their lives. Even their friends have contributed by boosting their morale under all circumstances. I also congratulate them along with the sportspersons, my good wishes to them. I feel all these athletes have brought laurels to the country with their stellar performances; the fact is, their performances are not mere displays… they are sources of encouragement for upcoming Sportspersons and the young generation of the country alike.

Last month during ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I had urged our countrymen, especially the youth to espouse ‘Fit India’. I had invited everyone to join ‘Fit India’, lead ‘Fit India’. I was overjoyed to see people getting connected to it with a lot of enthusiasm. Expressing support for this, many people have written to me, sent me letters, shared ‘fitness mantra- Fit India’ stories on social media.
A gentleman Shriman Shashikant Bhonsale, sharing his photo by the swimming pool, has written, ‘My weapon is my body, my element is water, my world is swimming’.
Rooma Devnath writes, “I truly feel happy & healthy through my Morning Walks. She further adds,” For me, fitness comes with a smile and we should smile, when we are happy.
Devnathji, indeed, happiness is fitness, and there’s no doubt about it.
Dhawal Prajapati, sharing a photograph of himself trekking, has written; ‘For me, travelling & trekking is ‘Fit India’.

It was heartening to see many eminent personalities encouraging our youth in interesting ways for Fit India. Cine artiste Akshay Kumar has shared a video on Twitter. Even I have gone through it, you too should view it- it shows him exercising with wooden beads. He has mentioned that this exercise benefits muscles of the back and the stomach, to a great extent. Another video of his has gained popularity; in this he’s trying his hand on the volleyball with others. Many other young people have shared their experiences, having joined the ‘Fit India’ efforts. I feel movements like these are beneficial for all of us, for the entire country. I would additionally like to mention, that the movement of ‘Fit India’, without any expense, is called ‘YOG’. Yog has a special significance in the ‘Fit India’ campaign. You too must be busy with preparations… the significance, the merit of 21st June, International Yog Day has been accepted & welcomed globally. Do begin preparing for the Day rightaway. And not just yourself- your city, village, neighbourhood, school, college, men, women, everyone should make an attempt to connect with yog. Nowadays, the benefits of yog in one’s holistic physical & mental development does not need to be told… neither in India nor elsewhere in the world. You must have viewed an animated video depicting me, that has been widely circulated. I congratulate those from the field of animation for highlighting nuances, just the way a teacher does. You too will benefit from it.

My young friends, you now must be out of the tread mill of exams, exams & more exams; you must be wondering about spending your holidays. You must be contemplating on ways to enjoy your vacations and places to travel to! I would like to talk to you today, to invite you on a new task. I’ve seen a lot of young people these days, spending time in learning new things. The significance of Summer Internship is soaring; as it is, an altogether new experience in itself. One gets an opportunity to experience life anew, away from closeted walls, away from paper & pen and computers. Dear young friends, today I urge you to undergo a special internship. Three Ministries of the Government of India; maybe four- Sports, HRD, Department of Drinking water have come together to launch a ‘Swachch Bharat Summer Internship 2018’. College students, young people from the NCC and Nehru Yuva Kendra, whoever want to do something substantial & learn something for the sake of society, & the country, those who want to get connected with transforming the country and be a reason for it, those who want to do something or the other for society with a positive energy- for them, there is a great opportunity! Even the cause of the cleanliness campaign will get a boost, and when we celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we’ll surely attain a sense of fulfillment. And let me tell you, the best out of the best interns who have strived in schools & colleges with excellent work will be rewarded with recognition at the national level. Not just that, those interns who accomplish their tasks well, will be awarded two credit points each, by the UGC. Once again, I invite students & young people, boys & girls to avail of the benefits of the internship. You can register yourselves for the ‘Swachch Bharat Summer Internship’ on Mygov. I hope our youth will lend a hand in taking this movement of cleanliness forward. I too am eager to know more about your efforts. Do send in your learning experience, do post your stories, photos and videos. Come. Let us turn this vacation into a learning opportunity, for a totally new experience.

My dear countrymen! I try to watch “Good News India” programme on Doordarshan whenever I get a chance and I would appeal to my countrymen that we all should also watch this “Good News India” programme wherein we get to know as to how many people in various parts of our country are doing many good things and that such good things are happening.

Recently, I saw that they were presenting the story of some youth from Delhi who are selflessly working in a dedicated manner to help in educating the poor children. This group of youngsters has started a big campaign in Delhi for providing education to the street children and slum dwellers. Initially, shocked to see the condition of children begging around or doing some menial jobs that this group of youngsters got dedicatedly, selflessly involved into this creative mission. Starting with just 15 children from the slums near Geeta Colony in New Delhi it is now being run at 12 places and two thousand children have been brought under its fold. Young teachers associated with this campaign find out a free time of two hours from their busy schedule and contribute in this stupendous mission of bringing out a social transformation.

Dear brothers and sisters, in this very way, some farmers from hilly areas of Uttarakhand have become a source of inspiration for the farmers across the country. With their collective efforts, they have not only changed their own fortunes but have changed fortunes of the whole region. In Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, main crops sown are Mandwa, Chaulai, Corn or Barley. This being a hilly area, the farmers did not get a fair price of their produce. But, the farmers in Kapkot tehsil decided to come out of this situation and adopted a value- addition process and changed the loss incurring equation into a profit-earning one. What they did was that they started production of biscuits from their agricultural produce and sold those biscuits directly in the market. Consequently, Chaulai which the farmers were forced to sell at Rs. 25 per Kg was now selling at Rs. 50 per Kg as biscuits.
Besides, there is a strong belief that the land in this area is iron-rich and these iron rich biscuits are very good for pregnant women as they overcome the deficiency of iron. These farmers have formed a cooperative society in Munar village and set-up a biscuit factory there. Impressed by the bold initiative of these farmers, the administration has also linked this to the National Livelihood Mission. These biscuits are now being supplied upto Almora and Kousani besides being sold to about fifty Aanganwadi kendras in Bagheshwar district. With the hard work of these farmers, the annual turnover of the society has gone up from 10 to 15 lakh rupees and with more than 900 families getting employment here, people have stopped migrating to other places.

My dear countrymen, we often hear that in, times to come, the world will face a war because of water. Everyone talks about this but do we not have any responsibility towards conservation of water? Do we not feel that water conservation must be a social responsibility? This must be a collective responsibility. How can we conserve each single drop of rain water? And, we all know this. And, water conservation is not a new topic for us; it is neither a part of the academic curriculum nor a part of our languages. Our forefathers have lived this as a way of life for centuries together. They gave due priority and importance to each single drop of water. They found out newer methods in order to conserve every single drop of water. Those of you who might be getting a chance to visit Tamilnadu might have noticed that in some temples in the state, there are carvings on stone depicting irrigation system, water conservation methods and drought management. There are vast stone inscriptions in these temples and devotees get a chance to read these educative messages. May it be Mannarkovil, Chiran Mahadevi, Kovilpatti or Pudukottai – you will get to see massive stone inscriptions to this effect. Several baodis (stepwells) are famous as tourist spots but please do not forget that these are the living symbols of the water conservation campaigns which our forefathers had accomplished.

Adalaj and Patan Ki Raniki Vaav (Baodi) in Gujarat is a UNESCO World Heritage site and its grandeur is to be seen to be believed. Baodis are water temples in a way. If you happen to go to Rajasthan, you must visit Chand Baodi. This is one of the biggest and the most beautiful baodis of India and the point to be noted is that this is situated in a water-scarce area. April, May, June and July is the most suitable time when rain water harvesting can be done and if we make preparations in advance, we can reap a rich harvest. Budget under MNREGA is also utilized for this water conservation activity. During the last three years, everyone in his or her own way has contributed towards water conservation and water management. An average of 32,000 crore rupees have been spent besides the MNREGA budget each year on water conservation and water management. If we talk of 2017-18, 55 percent of the total outlay of Rupees 64 thousand crores, which comes to around rupees 35 thousand crores, has been spent on works like water conservation. In last three years, nearly 150 lakh hectares of land got more benefit through water conservation and water management measures. Some people have really benefitted very well from MNREGA budget provisions made by the Government of India for water conservation and water management works. A project of reviving the rivers which had dried out was undertaken in Kerala. Seven thousand workers under MNREGA worked very hard for seventy days and finally succeeded in reviving Kuttumperoor river there. The Ganges and the Yamuna have plentiful of water but there are many other places in Uttar Pradesh like Fatehpur district where two small rivers namely Sasur-Khaderi got dried out. After receiving the reports of Remote Sensing Imagery and Inter Department Coordination, the district administration took up the responsibility of soil and water conservation on a massive scale. They succeeded in reviving the dried out Sasur Khaderi river with the help and cooperation of people from 40-45 villages of the area. This grand achievement is a big boon for animals, birds, farmers, crops and villages. I emphasis that once again April, May, June and July are before us and we must also take up some responsibility for water harvesting and water conservation, we should also chalk out some schemes, we should also do and show something.
My dear countrymen! When “Mann Ki Baat” approaches I receive messages, letters and phone calls from all sides. Aayan Kumar Banerjee from Devi Tola village of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal in his comment on My Gov has written – “We celebrate Rabindra Jayanti every year but many people are not aware of the Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath’s philosophy of living peacefully, aesthetically and with integrity. Kindly discuss this point in “Mann Ki Baat” programme so that more and more people may get to know about this.”

I thank Aayanji for drawing the attention of all listeners of “Mann Ki Baat” towards this point. Gurudev Tagore was a personality full of knowledge and intellect whose writings left an indelible mark on everyone. Rabindra Nath was a personality full of talent, a multi – directional personna but a teacher in his inner self can always be felt. He has written in Gitanjali – “ He, who has the knowledge has the responsibility to impart it to the students.”
I do not know Bangla but had the habit of rising early since my childhood and in Eastern India, radio broadcasts start early while in Western India these start a bit late. I have a faint memory that probably around 5:30 in the morning, Rabindra Sangeet used to be broadcast on radio and I had developed a habit to listen to Rabindra Sangeet on radio. And, whenever I got a chance to listen to poems like Anandloke and Aaguner, Poroshmoni, I used to feel as if my mind was being energised. You must also have been impressed by Rabindra Sangeet and his poems. I pay my respectful homage to Rabindra Nath Tagore.

My dear countrymen! Within a few days from now the holy month of Ramazan will dawn upon us. The month of Ramazan is celebrated with full reverence and respect throughout the world. The sociological and collective aspect of fasting is that when a person experiences hunger himself, he comes to realize the hunger of others. When he is thirsty, he realizes the thirst of others. This is an opportunity to remember the teachings of Prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him- and his message. It is our responsibility to follow the path of equality and brotherhood as morals from his life. Once a person asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Which is the best thing in Islam?" The Prophet Saab said, "feeding a poor and needy and meeting everyone cordially, whether you know him or not!"

Prophet Mohammad Sahib (peace be upon him) believed in twin principles of knowledge and compassion. He did not possess an iota of ego regarding himself. He preached that knowledge alone defeats ego. Prophet Mohammad Sahib(peace be upon him) believed that if you possessed anything more than your requirement, then donate it to the needy, thus donation or giving alms is important during Ramzan. People donate generously to the needy during this holy month. Prophet Muhammad Sahib believed that a person is rich because of his inherent spirituality, and not materialistic wealth. I wish all the citizens an auspicious month of Ramazan and I hope this opportunity will inspire people to follow the Prophet’s message of peace and goodwill.
My dear countrymen! Buddha Purnima is a special day for every Indian. We must be proud of the fact that India is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the very synonym of power of compassion, service and sacrifice, who guided millions of people around the world. This Buddha Purnima reminds us of all of our obligation to emulate Lord Buddha’s teaching as well as, pledge ourselves to follow his footsteps. Lord Buddha was the fountainhead of egalitarianism, peace, harmony and brotherhood. These are human values, which are most desired in the world today. Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar stressed that Lord Buddha has been a great inspiration in his social philosophy. Baba Saheb had said –“My Social philosophy may be said to be enshrined in three words; liberty, equality and fraternity. My Philosophy has roots in religion and not in political science. I have derived them from the teaching of my master, The Buddha.”

Baba Saheb strengthened the oppressed, exploited, deprived and crores of people standing on the brink of marginalization via the Constitution of India. There cannot be a bigger example of compassion than this. This form of compassion was one of the greatest qualities of Lord Buddha for the alleviation of suffering of the people. The Buddhist monks used to travel to different countries carrying with them the rich ideals of Lord Buddha and this has been occurring throughout the ages. We have inherited the wisdom of Lord Buddha throughout Asia as part of our legacy.
It forges a link between us and many Asian countries like China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar where Buddhist traditions and his preaching are a part of their origins. And this is the very reason that we are developing Infrastructure for Buddhist Tourism, which is going to connect Southeast Asia with the important Buddhist sites of India. I am also very pleased that the Government of India is a partner in the restoration of many Buddhist temples which also includes the centuries old magnificent Anand Temple in Bagan in Myanmar. Today, when there is confrontation and human suffering prevalent everywhere in the world, Lord Buddha's teachings show the way to rid hatred from the world with compassion. I wish people spread all over the world who revere Lord Buddha and believe in the principles of compassion- I wish all of them an auspicious Buddha Purnima.

I seek benediction from Lord Buddha for the entire world, so that we can fulfill our responsibility in building a peaceful and compassionate world based on his teachings. Today, as we remember Lord Buddha, you must have heard about the idols of laughing Buddha, it is said that laughing Buddha brings one good fortune, but very few people know that smiling Buddha is also associated with an important event in India's defense history. Now you will be wondering what is the connection between smiling Buddha and India's military might?
You must remember, 20 years ago today, on 11th May 1998, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said while addressing the nation and his words filled the whole country with pride, courage and elation. The Indian diaspora was infused with new confidence. That day also was the day of Buddha Purnima. On May 11, 1998, at India’s western end a nuclear test was conducted in Pokhran, Rajasthan. It has been 20 years since Pokhranand this test was done on Buddha Purnima with the blessings of Lord Buddha. India's test was not only successful but in a way, India had demonstrated its might in the field of science and technology. We can also say 11 May 1988 is engraved in the history of India as a demonstration of her military power.

Lord Buddha has shown the world- that the power of inner strength or that of the soul is necessary for peace. Similarly, when you are sturdy as a nation, you can be at peace with others. The month of May, 1998 is not just important for the country from the aspect that nuclear tests were conducted this very month, but the manner in which they were carried out is also important. It has revealed to the entire world that India is the land of great scientists and with a strong leadership, India can reach loftier destinations and earn new laurels. On that day, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji had given the mantra - "Jai-Jawan Jai-Kisan, Jai-Vigyan.’

Now that when we are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Pokhran test conducted on May 11, 1998, I ask the younger generations of our nation to imbibe the mantra of 'Jai-Vigyan' given by Atalji for enhancing the might and the power of India, to build a modern India, a powerful India and a self-reliant India. Synergize your energy with the strength of India. Witnessing the journey that Atal ji started, we while continuing onwards on that very path with a renewed joy will derive great satisfaction in getting ahead.
My dear countrymen, looking forward to our conversation when we will meet for another episode of Mann Ki Baat. Thank you very much.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Today is the holy day of Ram Navami. My heartiest greetings to countrymen on this pious, festive occasion. We have seen how closely the power of ‘Ram Naam’, the chant of Lord Ram’s name, permeated every moment of revered Bapu’s life. A while ago, when distinguished dignitaries of all ASEAN Countries were here on the 26^th of January, they were accompanied by cultural troupes from their respective countries. And it’s a matter of immense pride that a majority of these countries presented the Ramayan in front of us. This signifies that Ram & Ramayan continues to inspire and have a positive impact, not just in India, but in that part of the world too. Once again, my best wishes to all of you on the occasion of Ramnavami.

My dear countrymen, just like every time earlier, I have received a rather large number of letters, e mails, phone calls and comments from you. I read a post written on MyGov by Komal Thakkar ji, where she has referred to starting on-line courses for Sanskrit. Alongwith being IT professional, your love for Sanskrit has gladdened me. I have instructed the concerned department to convey to you efforts being made in this direction. I shall also request listeners of Mann Ki Baat who are engaged in the field of Sanskrit, to ponder over ways & means to take Komalji’s suggestion forward.

Shriman Ghanshyam Kumar ji of Village Baraakar, District Nalanda, Bihar – I read your comments written on the Narendra Modi App. The concerns you have raised on the depleting ground water levels is indeed of great importance.

Shriman Sakal Shastriji, you mentioned ‘Karnataka’… you beautifully maintained a delicate balance between words when you wrote ‘Ayushman Bharat’; ‘Long live India’ will be possible only when we express ‘Ayushman Bhoomi; ‘Long live the land’; and that will be conceivable only when we begin feeling concerned about every living being on this land. You have urged one and all to retain and keep aside some water for birds & animals, during summer time. Sakal ji, I have conveyed your sentiments to our listeners. 

Shriman Yogesh Bhadresha Ji has asked me to speak to the youth concerning their health. He feels that our youth are physically weak, compared to those of other Asian countries. Yogesh ji, I feel I should speak in detail to all of you on ‘Fit India’. In fact, all you young people can come together to launch a movement of Fit India.

Recently, the President of France paid a visit to Kashi, Varanasi based Shriman Prashant Kumar has written that glimpses of that visit were extremely touching, appealing & left a deep impact. And it is his heart felt desire to see all those photos & videos being shared on social media. Prashant ji, the Government of India has already done that on social media and the Narendra Modi App, beginning that very day. You may now like them, re-tweet them, post them to your friends.

Anagha, Jayesh and many other children from Chennai  have written & posted to me their heartfelt thoughts on the gratitude cards, the post script to the book ‘Exam Warriors’. Let me tell Anagha, Jayesh & other children that these letters enliven me up after a hard day’s work. Now, if I start including all those phone calls, comments, whatever I could read or hear, many of which touched my heart; if I exclusively speak about them, perhaps I’ll require a few months to respond to them in some way or the other. 

This time, maximum number of letters are from children who have written about exams. They have shared their vacation plans. They’ve expressed their concern on the availability of water for birds & animals. Our farmer brothers & sisters have written on Kisan Melas, Farmer Carnivals and activities revolving around farming, being held across the country. Quite a few active citizens have sent in suggestions on the subject of water conservation. Ever since we have begun conversing with each other in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ through the medium of radio, I have noticed a pattern that in the sweltering heat of this season, most letters focus around topic pertaining to summer time. Just before examinations, letter pour in, touching on the anxieties of our young student friends who are about to appear. During the festival season, our festivals, our culture, our traditions are focused upon. This means, Mann Ki Batein, matters close to our hearts, alter with the change in season. And it’s equally true that our heartfelt thoughts do bring about a change of season in someone’s life, figuratively speaking. And why should not things change? In utterances of yours, in your experiences, in the examples that you quote, there exists immense inspiration, unfathomable energy, unparalleled warmth; a resolve to bring about something new for the country. In a way, this is endowed with the might to transform the entire season-cycle of the country. When I get to read in your letters how a rickshaw puller from Karimgunj in Assam, Ahmed Ali, has built nine schools for underprivileged children, I witness firsthand the indomitable will-power this country possesses. When I heard the story of Kanpur based Dr. Ajit Mohan Choudhary, of how he visits the underprivileged on footpaths and offers free medicines to them, it gives one an opportunity to feel the sense of brotherhood that prevails in the country. Thirteen years ago, on account of a delay in medical treatment, a Cab driver from Kolkata, Saidul Laskar lost his sister. He vowed to construct a hospital in order to ensure that none of the underprivileged face a similar situation due to lack of medical aid. In this mission of his, Saidul sold off family jewellery and raised funds through charity. His cab passengers too contributed large-heartedly. A young engineer girl donated her first salary for this noble cause. This way, after mobilizing funds for twelve long years, Saidul’s mammoth efforts paid rich dividends. Today, through sheer hard work and a firm resolve, a thirty bedded hospital has finally come up at Punri Village near Kolkata. This is the power of New India. In Uttar Pradesh, when a woman builds 125 toilets after overcoming steep challenges, inspiring women to exercise their due rights, it gives us a glimpse of ‘Matri- Shakti’, the power of maternal love & caring. Innumerable shining examples like these are the hallmark of our country. Today the whole world has changed the way it looks at India. The name ‘India’ now evokes a sense of awe & respect; the reason behind it is the ‘Purusharth’, the resolute yet selfless inner strength of such illustrious sons & daughters of Mother India. Today, the entire country, the youth, women, the marginalized, the underprivileged, the middle class, in fact every section has awakened to a new confidence … YES, we can go forward, the country can take great strides. An atmosphere of positivity built on a self confidence filled with hope has pervaded all over. This self confidence, this very positivity will by a catalyst in realising our resolve of New India, of making our dream come true.

My dear countrymen, the coming months are very crucial for our farming brothers and sisters. That is why a large number of letters on agriculture have been received. This time, I requisitioned and viewed videos of discussions with our farmers on DD Kisan Channel of Doordarshan and I feel that each farmer should get connected to this DD Kisan Channel of Doordarshan, view it and adopt those practices in his/ her own farm. From Mahatma Gandhi to Shastri ji, Lohia ji, Chaudhari Charan Singh ji, Chaudhari Devi Lal ji – they all recognized agriculture and the farmer as vital aspects of the nation’s economy and also for the common man’s life. How attached was Mahatma Gandhi attached to the soil, they farms and the farmer is reflected from this sentence in which he said- “To forget how to dig earth and to tend the soil, is to forget ourselves. Similarly, Lal Bahadur Shastriji generally insisted on conservation of trees, plants and vegetation and also highlighted the importance of an improvised agricultural infrastructure. Dr. Ram Manohar Lal ji had talked of creating a mass awakening on an extensive scale about the necessary measures to ensure a better income for our farmers and provide better irrigation facilities and to increase food and milk production. Chaudhari Charan Singh in his speech in 1979 had urged our farmers to use new technology and to adopt new innovations and underlined their vital significance. I recently visited the Krishi Unnati Mela organized in New Delhi.

It was a pleasant experience for me to talk to our farmer brothers and sisters and scientists and to listen and understand their experiences in farming and getting to know about innovations in the agricultural sector. But one thing that impressed me most was Meghalaya and the hard work of the farmers of the state. This state has a small area but it has attained a grand success. Our farmers in Meghalaya, in the year 2015-16, achieved record production as compared to the last five years. They have showed that if once the targets are set, spirits are high and with a strong resolve, the set targets can most certainly be attained. Today, the farmers have technology to help them while they work hard in their fields. This has provided a big boost to our agro- producers. I have received a number of letters in which a large number of farmers have written about MSP and they wanted that I should talk to them at length over this.

Brothers and sisters, in this year’s budget a big decision has been taken to ensure that farmers get a fair price for their produce. It has been decided that the MSP of notified crops will be fixed at least one and a half times of their cost. If I may elaborate on this, MSP will include labour  cost of other workers employed, expenses incurred on own animals and cost of animals and machinery taken on rent, cost of seeds, cost of each type of fertilizer used, irrigation cost, land revenue paid to the State Government, interest paid on working capital, ground rent in case of leased land and not only this but also the cost of labour of the farmer himself or any other person of his family who contributes his or her labour in agricultural work will also be added to the cost of production. Moreover, an extensive exercise on agricultural reforms is being undertaken across the country in order to ensure that our farmers get a fair price for their crop. Efforts are on to connect local village mandis to wholesale market and then on with the global market. Twenty- two thousand rural haats in the country will be upgraded by creating the necessary infrastructure and these will be integrated with APMC and e-NAM platform- so that the farmers would not have to go to distant places for selling their produce. In other words, such a system is being set up where in farms in any part of the country will have a market-connect. 

My dear countrymen, this year Mahatma Gandhi’s 150^th birth anniversary celebrations will begin. How should the country celebrate it? Swachch Bharat is already our resolve; besides this, how can our 125 crore countrymen pay the best tribute to Gandhiji by working in close harmony? Which newer programmes can be initiated? What new practices or procedures can be adopted? I request you all to share your opinions and suggestions with everyone via MyGov. What should be the logo for ‘Gandhi 150’? What should be the slogan, mantra or a catch-phrase? Send your suggestions on all of these. We all have to pay a memorable tribute to Bapu and have to take the country to newer heights by drawing inspiration from Bapu.        

Thanks, you have rightly said it and I believe that Swachch Bharat and Swasth Bharat are supplementary to each other. In the health sector the nation has now moved ahead from the conventional approach. Earlier, every aspect regarding health used to be a responsibility of the Health Ministry alone. But now, all departments and ministries- be it the Sanitation Ministry or Ayush Ministry or Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Consumer Affairs Ministry or the Women & Child Welfare Ministry or even the State Governments- they are all working together for Swasth Bharat and stress is being laid on affordable health alongside preventive health. Preventive health care is the least costly and the easiest one as well. And, the more we become aware about preventive health care, the more beneficial will it be for the individuals, the family and the society. The first necessity for a healthy life is cleanliness. All of us took up the responsibility and the result is that in the last four years or so, sanitation coverage has almost doubled and risen to around 80 percent. Also, extensive work is going on to set up Health Wellness Centres across the country. Yoga has attained worldwide recognition as a measure of preventive health care. Yoga is a guarantee of both fitness and wellness. It is the result of our concerted efforts and commitment that Yoga has now become a mass movement and reached every house. Less than a hundred days are now left for the International Yoga Day on 21^st June. On the previous three International Yoga Days, people in our country and people all over the world participated with great zeal and enthusiasm. This time too, we need to ensure that we do yoga ourselves and motivate our family, friends and all others from now itself to do yoga. Yoga has to be made popular among the youth, the senior citizens, men and women from all age groups through interesting ways. Usually, the country’s Television and electronic media do a variety of programmes on Yoga the whole year. Can we, beginning now, till the Yoga Day, devise a campaign to spread awareness on Yoga? 

My dear countrymen, I am not a Yoga teacher. But yes, I surely am a Yoga practitioner and yet some people, through their creativity, have made me a Yoga teacher as well and 3-D animated videos of my yoga practice sessions have been prepared. I will share these videos with you so that we may do aasans and pranayam together. Efforts are being extensively undertaken to make health care accessible and affordable, make it easily accessible and affordable for the common man. Presently, more than three thousand Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been opened across the country and more than eight hundred medicines are being made available there at an affordable price. More such centres are being opened. I appeal to the listeners of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ to provide this information about Jan Anshadhi Kendras to the needy ones – it will cut their expense on medicines. This will be a big help to them. The cost of heart stent for heart patients has been reduced to 85%. Knee implants cost has also been regulated and reduced by 50% to 70%. Under ‘Ayushman Bharat Yojana ‘, the Government of India and insurance companies will jointly provide 5 lakh repees for treatment to about 10 crore families or say 50 crore citizens per year. In the present 479 medical colleges, MBBS seats have been increased to about 68 thousand. New AIIMS are being opened in various states with a view to providing better treatment and health facilities to people across the country. One new medical college will be set up for every three districts. A target has been fixed to make the country TB-free by 2025. This is an enormous task. Your cooperation is needed to create public awareness. All of us will need to make united efforts to become TB-free.         

My dear countrymen, April 14 is the birth anniversary of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Years ago, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar spoke of India’s industrialization. According to him the industry was an effective medium by which jobs could be made available to the poorest of the poor and the poorer. Today, the campaign of Make in India is progressing successfully in consonance with Dr. Ambedkarji’s dream of India as an industrial super power-that vision of his has become our inspiration today. 

Today India has emerged as a bright spot in the global economy and today the highest foreign direct investment or FDI in the world, is flowing to India. The whole world is looking at India as a hub for investment innovation and development. That the development of industries could only be possible in the cities, was the kernel of the idea of Dr. Baba Sahib Ambedkar and that was the reason he banked upon urbanization of India. In continuance with his vision, smart city mission and urban mission were kick-started in the country so that all kinds of amenities whether good roads, water supply, health facilities, Education or digital connectivity are available in the big cities and small towns of the country. Baba Saheb had strong faith in self-reliance. He did not want anybody to languish in poverty forever. He also believed that poverty cannot be ameliorated by mere distribution of capital among the impoverished. Today our monetary policy, Start Up India, Stand Up India initiative have become seedbed for our young innovators and young entrepreneurs. In the 30s and 40s when only roads and railways were being talked about in India, Baba Saheb Ambedkar mentioned about ports and waterways. It was Dr. Baba Saheb who envisaged water power as ‘nation power’. He stressed the utilization of water for the development of the nation The genesis of different river valley authorities, different water related commissions - all these were possible due to the vision of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Today there are landmark efforts,  being embarked upon for waterways and ports in our country. New seaports are being constructed on a number of seaways of India and infrastructure is being strengthened at old ports. 

In the era of 40s, while most of the discussions were centred around the Second World War, the looming Cold war and the partition –it was during those times Dr. Ambedkar had laid the foundation of Team India's spirit in a way. He had talked about the importance of federalism, federal system and stressed on Center and states working together for the upliftment of the country. Today, we have adopted in all aspects of governance the mantra of co-operative federalism and going a step further, we have adopted competitive cooperative federalism but most importantly, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar is an inspiration for millions of people like me, who belong to backward classes. 

He showed us that to succeed it is not necessary for the person to be born in an illustrious or rich family, but even those who are born to poor families in India can also dare to dream their dreams and realize those dreams by achieving success. And of course, this is exactly what happened as many people mocked Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, tried to pull him back and made every possible effort to ensure that the son of an impoverished and backward family would not progress in life, be something and succeed in life. But, the picture of New India is altogether different. 

It is an India which is Ambedkar’s India, of the poor and the backward. On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar from April 14 to May 5 ‘Gram-Swaraj Abhiyan,’ is being organized. Under the aegis of this campaign, separate programmes on village development, poverty amelioration and social justice will be held throughout India. I urge you all to be a part of this campaign. 

My dear countrymen, a spectrum of many festivals would dawn upon us in the next few days- Bhagwan Mahavir Jayanti, Hanuman Jayanti, Easter and the Baisakhi. The day of Bhagwan Mahavir's birth anniversary is a day to remember his sacrifice and penance. 

The life and philosophy of Lord Mahavirji, the apostle of non-violence will inspire us all. I extend felicitations to all on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti. The very mention of Easter reminds us of the inspirational preaching of Lord Jesus Christ which has always impressed on mankind the message of peace, harmony, justice, mercy and compassion. Vaisakhi will be celebrated in Punjab and in parts of western India in April; simultaneously, the twin festive connects of Jud -Sheetal and Satuwain in Bihar, and Poila Vaisakh in West Bengal will envelop everyone with joy and delight. All of these festivals are connected in one way or another to our fields and granaries, and through these festivals, we thank nature for the priceless gifts we receive as produce. Once again, my best wishes to you all on the occasion of the festivals coming our way. Many many thanks.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar.

Let us begin today’s Mann Ki Baat with a phone call.]

Phone Call...

Thank you very much for your phone call. My young friends have asked me many questions related to Science; they keep writing on quite a few points. All of us have seen that the sea appears blue, but we know from routine life experiences that water has no colour at all. Have we ever thought why water acquires colour in rivers and seas? The same thought occurred to a young man in the 1920s. The same question gave rise to a great scientist of modern India. When we talk about Science, the first name that strikes us is that of Bharat Ratna Sir C.V.Raman. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his outstanding work on light scattering. One of his discoveries is famous as the Raman Effect.

We celebrate the 28th of February as National Science Day since on this very day, he is said to have discovered the phenomenon of light scattering, for which the Nobel Prize was conferred upon him. This land has given birth to many a great scientist. On the one hand, there has been a tradition of great Mathematicians like Bodhayan, Bhaskar, Brahmagupt and Aryabhatt; on the other, in the field of medicine, Sushrut & Charak have bestowed upon us a place of pride. Right from Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose and Hargobind Khurana to Satyendranath Bose have brought laurels to India. The famous particle BOSON has been named after Satyendranath Bose. Recently I got an opportunity to take part in a programme in Mumbai – the inauguration of the Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence. It was interesting to know about the ongoing miraculous accomplishments in the field of Science. Artificial Intelligence aids in making robots, Bots and other machines meant for specific tasks. Through self learning, machines today can enhance their intelligence to a smarter level. This technology can be harnessed to better the lives of the underprivileged, the marginalized and the needy. In that programme on Artificial Intelligence, I urged the scientific community to deliberate on how Artificial Intelligence could help us make life easier for our divyang brothers & sisters. Can we make better predictions of natural disasters using Artificial Intelligence? Can we use it to provide assistance to farmers on crop yield? Can Artificial Intelligence be used as tool to simplify the outreach of health services and modernize medical treatment?

A few days ago, I got an opportunity to accompany the Prime Minister of Israel to Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the inauguration of ‘I create’. There a young person referred to developing a digital instrument that converts the written word into voice. This is to aid those who are incapable of speech to converse normally like any other person. I feel we can harness Artificial Intelligence in many such fields.

Science and Technology are value neutral. They don’t possess any value in themselves. Any machine will work the way we want it to. It entirely depends on us what task we want it to perform. Here human objectives assume significance; the use of Science for the sole purpose of human welfare, with the endeavour to assist human lives touch the greatest heights.

Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, failed many a time in his experiments. Once, on being asked about it, he quipped, “I have devised ten thousand ways of how NOT to make a light bulb”. What I mean to say is, Edison transformed even his failures into his own strength. Coincidentally, I am fortunate today to be in Auroville, the land, the karmabhoomi of Maharshi Arvind. As a revolutionary, he challenged British rule, fought against them and questioned subjugation. Thus, as a great sage, he questioned every facet of life. Extracting answers, he showed the right path to humanity. The relentless quest to ask questions for knowing the truth is very important. And this is the very essence, the real inspiration behind scientific inventions and discoveries. Never rest till every ‘why’, ‘what’ & ‘how’ are answered. I congratulate our scientists, and all those connected with Science on the occasion of National Science Day. May our young generation be inspired for the quest of truth & knowledge; may they be motivated to serve society through Science. I wish them the best.

Friends, safety in the times of crises, disasters are topics on which many messages keep coming in- people keep writing to me. In a comment posted on Narendra Modi Mobile App, Shriman Ravindra Singh from Pune has referred to occupational safety. He writes that in our country, safety standards at factories and construction sites are not upto the mark. Since the 4th of March is National Safety Day, the Prime Minister should include safety in the Mann Ki Baat programme in order to raise awareness on safety. When we refer to public safety, two aspects are very important- proactiveness and preparedness. Safety is of two kinds – one is safety during disasters and the other is safety in everyday life. If we are not aware of safety in daily life, if we are not able to attain a certain level, it will get extremely difficult during the time of disasters. We often read signboards on streets bearing lines such as – ‘सतर्कता हटी – दुर्घटना घटी’ – ‘Lose alertness – invite mishaps’ or ‘एक भूल करे नुकसान, छीने खुशियां और मुस्कान’ – ‘One mistake can cost you dear- rob you of your joy & smile’ or इतनी जल्दी न दुनिया छोड़ो, सुरक्षा से अब नाता जोड़ो – ‘Don’t be in a hurry to leave this world – embrace the culture of safety’ or सुरक्षा से न करो कोई मस्ती वर्ना जिन्दगी होगी सस्ती – ‘Don’t play around with safety, your life will be treated cheap’. Beyond that, these sentences serve no purpose in our lives. Leave aside natural disasters; most of the mishaps are a consequence of some mistake or the other on our part. If we stay alert, abide by the prescribed rules & regulations, we shall not only be able to save our own lives but we can prevent catastrophes harming society. There are times when we come across many slogans on safety at the work place but none following their letter and spirit. I urge the fire brigade under corporations and municipalities to visit school children once a week or once a month and perform mock drills for them. This will have a dual benefit – the fire brigade will undergo an exercise in readiness and the new generation will get lessons in alertness. And all this at no added cost. In a way it will a natural part of the overall learning curve. India is a land of geographic and climatic diversities. As far as disasters are concerned, this country has borne the brunt of many a natural as well as man made disaster, such as chemical & industrial mishaps. Today, the National Disaster Management Authority, NDMA is the vanguard when it comes to dealing with disasters in the country. During earthquakes, floods, cyclones, landslides, NDMA reaches the area within no time. They have issued guidelines; simultaneously they keep imparting training on a regular basis for capacity building. In Districts prone to floods and cyclones, an initiative names ‘Aapada Mitra’ has been launched for training Volunteers. Training and awareness have a very important role to play. Two- three years ago, thousands of people would lose their lives every year due to heat-wave. After that, NDMA organized workshops on heat wave management as part of a campaign to raise awareness in people. Mass participation led to good results. In 2017, the death toll on account of heat wave remarkably came down to around 220 or so. This proves that if we accord priority to safety, we can actually attain safety. I laud the role played by innumerable individuals, citizens who immediately embark upon rescue and relief operations wherever a disaster strikes. And there are numerous such unnamed, unsung heroes. Our Fire & Rescue services, National Disaster Response Forces Armed Forces, Paramilitary Forces… these brave hearts go beyond the call of duty to help people in distress, often risking their own lives. Organisations like NCC and Scouts are also contributing in this task; they are getting trained too. Recently we have made an attempt to have joint exercise for disaster management between countries on the lines of joint military exercise involving different countries of the world. India has made a pioneering effort – BIMSTEC, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan & Nepal – a joint disaster management exercise involving these countries was undertaken. It was a novel humanitarian experiment on a large scale. We’ll have to turn ourselves into a risk conscious society. In our culture, we often talk of safety of values; we now need to realize the values of safety. We’ll have to make it part of our life, our being. In day to day life, during air travel, we must have frequently come across air hostesses giving out a rather longish speech, safety instructions at the beginning of a flight. We must have heard it hundreds of times. But today if one of us is taken inside an aircraft and asked about the location of equipments, say life jackets, and how to use them, I can say for sure that none of us will be able to give the right answer. So, was there a provision for giving our information? Yes, there was. Was there a scope of direct visibility when the information was given? Of course there was. But we did not respond actively. WHY? Because by nature, we are not conscious. And that is why our ears hear when we sit in the aircraft, but no one realizes that ‘these instructions are for me’. We experience this in all walks of life. Let us not think that safety is only meant for someone else. If all of us become conscious and aware of our own safety, the essence of safety of society will be inbuilt.

My dear countrymen, in the current budget, emphasis has been laid on turning ‘waste to wealth’ and ‘waste to energy’ through Bio gas, under the Swachch Bharat Campaign. An effort was initiated which was named GOBAR-Dhan - Galvanizing Organic Bio Agro Resources. The aim of this GOBAR- DHAN scheme is ensuring cleanliness in villages and generating wealth and energy by converting cattle dung and solid agricultural waste into Compost and Bio Gas. India is home to the highest cattle population in the world, close to 300 million in number, with a daily output of 3 million tonnes of dung. Some European countries and China use animal dung and other Bio-waste to produce energy. But India was lacking full capacity utilization. Under the Swachch Bharat Mission (Rural), we are taking rapid strides in this direction.

A target has been set to use cattle dung, agricultural waste, kitchen waste to produce Bio gas based energy. Under the Gobardhan Scheme our farmer brothers & sisters in rural India will be encouraged to consider dung and other waste not just as a waste but as a source of income. Under the aegis of 'GobarDhanYojana', many benefits will accrue to rural areas. It will be easier to keep the village clean and sanitized, livestock health will improve and farm yields will increase. Biogas generation will increase self-reliance in energy utilized for cooking and lighting. Farmers and cattle herders will be helped in augmenting their income. There will be novel opportunities for newer jobs linked to waste collection, transportation, biogas sales etc. An online trading platform will be created for better implementation of 'Gobar Dhan Yojana', it will connect farmers to buyers so that farmers can get the right price for dung and agricultural waste. I urge entrepreneurs, especially our sisters residing in rural India, to step forward, and through creation of self-help groups and cooperative societies extract full advantage from this opportunity. I invite you to become part of the movement comprising clean energy and green jobs, to become a part of the initiative to convert waste in your village to wealth and by converting dung into ‘Gobar dhan.’

My dear countrymen, till date, we have been hearing about the myriad types of festivals - be it music festivals, food festivals, film festivals and many other kinds of festivals. But in a unique endeavor in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, the state's first 'Trash Mahotsav' was organized. The objective behind this festival sponsored by Raipur Municipal Corporation was to generate awareness about cleanliness and the methods using which city's waste can be creatively used and inculcate awareness about various ways to recycle the garbage. A plethora of activities were organized during this festival, which found full participation of students and adults. Different types of artifacts were made utilizing garbage. Many Workshops were organized to inform people on the entire aspects of waste management. Music performances linked to the theme of hygiene were held and art works were created. Raipur inspired various types of such garbage or trash festivals in other districts too. Many individuals taking initiative on their own behalf shared innovative ideas, held discussions, conducted poetry recitals. A festive atmosphere regarding cleanliness got geared up. The way the school children took part in the entire endeavor was amazing. For the innovative manner in which importance of waste management and cleanliness were displayed in this festival, I congratulate the people of Raipur Municipal Corporation, the entire populace of Chhattisgarh, its government and administration.

Every year on March 8, 'International Women's Day' is celebrated. There are many programs that are held in our country and the world. On this day, women are also felicitated with 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' who have performed exemplary tasks in different sectors in the past. Today the country is moving forward from the path of Women development to women-led development. On this occasion, I remember the words of Swami Vivekananda. He’d said 'The idea of ​​perfect womanhood is perfect independence' - This idea of ​​Swami ji about one hundred and twenty five years ago expresses the contemplation of woman power in Indian culture. Today, it is our duty to ensure the participation of women in every field of life, be it social or economic life, it is our fundamental duty. We are part of a tradition where men were identified due to women-Yashoda-Nandan, Kaushalya-Nandan, Gandhari-Putra, these were identities of a son. Today our woman power has shown inner fortitude and self-confidence, has made herself self-reliant. Not only has she advanced herself but has carried forward the country and society to newer heights.

After all, our dream of 'New India' is the one where women are strong and empowered and are equal partners in the development of the country. A few days ago, a gentleman had given me a very sound proposition. He had suggested that on 8th March myriad events herald 'Women's Day' Why cannot we felicitate mothers and sisters who have completed 100 years in every Indian village or city,? Can a program of paying respect for such centenarians be held and cannot we reflect upon a life lived long? I liked the idea and I’m bouncing it with you will find many examples of what woman power can achieve, If you look around near yourself many such inspiring stories will appear. I just received news from Jharkhand wherein under the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', about 1.5 million women in Jharkhand – and this figure is not a small one organized a hygiene campaign for an entire month! Under the auspices of this campaign starting from January 26, 2018, these women constructed 1 lakh 70 thousand toilets in just 20 days and made a record of sorts. There were about one lakh ‘Sakhi Mandals,’ 14 lakh women, 2 thousand women Panchayat representatives, 29 thousand water carriers, 10 thousand female cleaners and 50 thousand women masons were involved in this campaign. You can imagine what a mammoth undertaking it was! These women of Jharkhand have shown that women power is an integral component of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, which will change the course of the campaign of cleanliness in general life, the effective role of hygiene in the nature of the people ingeneral.

My dear Brothers and sisters, I was just watching the TV news two days ago that electricity has reached three villages of the Elephanta island after 70 years of independence, and this has led to much joy and enthusiasm among the people there. You all know very well, that Elephanta is located 10 kms by the sea from Mumbai. It is a very important tourist destination. The caves of Elephanta are marked as the World Heritage sites by UNESCO and draw tourists from all over the country and abroad. I was surprised to know that despite being such a prominent center of tourism its close proximity from Mumbai, electricity hadn’t reached Elephanta after so many years of independence. For 70 years, the lives of the denizens of three villages of the Elephanta Island, Rajbunder, Morbandar and Centabandar, were engulfed by darkness, which has got dispelled now and there is brightness in their lives. I congratulate the administration and the populace there. I am glad that now the villages of Elephanta and the caves of Elephanta will be lighted due to electrification. This is not just electricity, but a new beginning of a period of development. There is no greater contentment and joy than the fact that the lives of the countrymen be full of shine and there be happiness in their lives.

My dear brothers and sisters, we just celebrated the festival of Shivaratri. And now the month of March beckons us with ripe crops in the fields, playful golden earrings of wheat and the captivating blossom of mango pleasing to the mind are the highlights of this month. But this month is also very special to all of us because of the festival of Holi. On 2nd March the entire country immersed in joy will celebrate the festival of Holi. In The festival of Holi, the importance of colors is as important as the ceremony of 'HolikaDahan' because it is the day when we burn our inherent vices in the fire. Holi makes us forget our rancours and gives us an opportunity to be a part of each other's happiness and glad tidings, and it conveys the message of love, unity and brotherhood. I wish a very joyous festival of Holi to all my countrymen, I further wish you colour laden felicitations. I wish and hope that this festival forever remains a festival of colourful cheer in the lives of all the countrymen- this is my wish. My dear countrymen, thank you very much

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. This is the first episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in the year 2018. Just a couple of days ago, we celebrated our Republic Day festival with gaiety & fervour. This is the very first time in history that heads of 10 Nations attended the ceremony.

My dear countrymen, Shriman Prakash Tripathi has written a rather long letter on the Narendra Modi App, urging me to touch upon the subjects he has referred to. He writes, “The 1^st of February is the death anniversary of astronaut Kalpana Chawla. She left us in the Columbia space shuttle mishap, but not without becoming a source of inspiration for millions of young people the world over”. I am thankful to Bhai Prakash ji for beginning his long letter with the sad departure of Kalpana Chawla. It’s a matter of sorrow for all of us that we lost Kalpana Chawla at that early age, but her life, her work is a message to young women across the world, especially to those in India, that there are no upper limits for Nari Shakti …. the power of women.  If one possesses the will & the determination, a firm resolve to achieve something, nothing is impossible. It’s a matter of joy that women in India are taking rapid strides of advancement in all fields, bringing glory to the Nation.

In our country, respect for women, their status in society and their contribution has proved to be awe inspiring to the entire world, since ancient times. There has been a long tradition of Vidushis… women exponents or women champions. Many Vidushis of India have contributed in composing the verses of the Vedas. Lopamudra, Gargi, Maitreyee…it’s a long list of names. Today, we talk about ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, ‘save the girl child, educate her’. But centuries ago, it has been mentioned in our ancient texts, in the Skand Puran :

दशपुत्र-समाकन्या, दशपुत्रान् प्रवर्धयन्

यत फलम्  लभते मRर्य:, तत् लभ्यम् कन्यकैकया ॥

This means, a daughter is the equivalent of ten sons. The ‘Punya’ that you earn through ten sons amounts to the same earned through just one daughter. This underscores the importance that has been given to women in our society. And that is why, in our society, women have been accorded the status of ‘Shakti’. This woman power binds closely together society as a whole, the family as a whole, on the axis of unity & oneness. Be it the erudition of the Vidushis of the Vedic Period… Lopamudra, Gargi, Maitreyee; be it the learning & devotion of Akka Mahadevi or Meerabai, be it the governance of Ahilyabai Holkar or the valour of Rani Lakshmibai, woman power has always inspired us. They have always brought glory to the Nation.

Shriman Prakash Tripathi has further cited some examples. He writes that the flight of our courageous Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman in a Sukhoi 30 fighter plane is inspirational for him. He also refers to INSV Tarini, with an all women crew on board under the command of Vartika Joshi, which is currently circumnavigating the globe. Three braveheart women Bhavna Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi have become fighter pilots and are undergoing training on the Sukhoi- 30. An Air India Boeing jet with an all woman crew led by Kshamata Vajpayee flew from Delhi to San Francisco, USA and back. These are all women achievers. You are absolutely right. Today women are not just advancing in myriad fields; they are leaders. Today there are many sectors where our woman power is playing a pioneering role, establishing milestones. A few days ago, Hon’ble President took an initiative. He met a group of extraordinary women who have achieved something significanty new in their respective fields. Women achievers of our country… the first female Merchant Navy Captain, the first female passenger train driver, the first female fire fighter, the first female Bus Driver, the first woman to set foot on Antarctica, the first woman to reach Mount Everest… ‘First Ladies’ in every field. Our woman power achieved extraordinary feats, breaking the age old shackles of social mores, creating new records. They proved that through perseverance, grit and a firm resolve, all kinds of obstacles and barriers can be broken & crossed, to chart out an all new path… a path that could act as a beacon of inspiration not just to their contemporaries, but for generations to come. It will infuse a fresh energy, newer enthusiasm into them. A book has been compiled on these women achievers, first ladies, so that, the entire country comes to know about the power of these women and derive inspiration from their life & work. This is also available as an e-book on the Narendra Modi Website.

The country’s woman power has contributed a lot in the positive transformation being witnessed in our country & society these days. Today, as we speak of women empowerment, I would like to refer to a railway station. You must be wondering what a railway station has got to do with women empowerment. Matunga station in Mumbai is the first station in India which is run by an all woman staff. All departments have women performing duties… the commercial department, Railway  Police, Ticket checking, Announcing, Point persons, it’s a staff  comprising over 40 women. This time, after watching the Republic Day Parade, many people wrote on Twitter and other social media that a major highlight of the parade was the BSF biker contingent comprising women participants. Daredevil stunts performed by them was awe inspiring for our foreign guests. Empowerment is another form of self reliance. Today our Nari Shakti is assuming leadership roles. It is becoming self reliant. By the way, this also reminds me of tribal women of Chattisgarh, who have done something extraordinary and set a remarkable example. When we refer to Adivasi women, a stereotypical image comes to our minds, comprising jungles, pathways in the woods and women carrying kindlewood on their heads.But the woman power of Chattisgarh, the tribal women there broke this stereotype & presented an all new picture of themselves. Dantewada in Chattisgarh is a Maoist infested region. Violence, torture, explosives, guns, pistols… the Maoists have created a scary reign of terror. In this dangerous atmosphere, Adivasi women are becoming self reliant by driving e-rickshaws. In a short span of time, a number of women have become part of this phenomenon. This has three benefits- on the one hand self-employment has empowered them; on the other, the Maoist infested region is witnessing a transformation. And simultaneously as a consequence, it is strengthening efforts towards protecting the environment. I laud the efforts of the District Administration which has played a significant role in the successful endeavour of these women by ensuring availability of grants & imparting training to them.

Time and again we keep hearing people utter ‘There is something special that we as a people possess… no threat is big enough to annihilate our existence’. What is that ‘Special Something’? That ‘Something’ is flexibility, the ability of transformation. Leaving out things that are beyond the constraints of time and accepting betterment in things wherever necessary. And this is a salient feature of our society… relentless efforts towards self-improvement, self correction. We have inherited this Indian tradition as a cultural legacy. The benchmark of any living society is its self correcting mechanism. In our country, there have been unending endeavours against social ills and evil practices, both individually & collectively. Just a while ago, Bihar launched an interesting initiative. In order to uproot social ills in the state, the world’s longest human chain spanning over thirteen thousand kilometers was formed.

This campaign made people aware of social maladies such as child-marriage and the dowry system. The entire state thus resolved to fight against these social evils. Children, the elderly, the youth full of energy and enthusiasm, women, girls turned out to participate in this battle. The human chain that commenced formation from Gandhi Maidan in Patna gained momentum, touching the state borders. In order to ensure that the fruits of progress rightly reach all sections of society, it is imperative that our society is freed of these ills. Come, let us pledge to come together to wipe out these evil customs from our social fabric… let us build an empowered, capable New India. I appreciate the people of Bihar, the Chief Minister, the administration, in fact every member of the human chain for this massive, special initiative towards social welfare.

My dear countrymen, Shriman Darshan from Mysore, Karnataka has written on My gov. He was undergoing an expenditure of six thousand rupees a month on medicines alone for the treatment of his father. Earlier, he wasn’t aware of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana. But now that he’s come to know of the Jan Aushadhi Kendra, he has begun purchasing medicines from there and his expenses have been reduced by about 75%. He has expressed his wish that I mention this in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, so that it reaches the maximum number of people and they can benefit from it. Over some time lately, many have written on this subject; many of them have been telling me about it. I too have seen videos put up on social media by beneficiaries of this scheme. It is a matter of joy learning about happenings like these. It gives you inner satisfaction. I felt good to see Shriman Darshan ji think about sharing with others what he gained from it. The motive behind this scheme is making healthcare affordable and encouraging Ease of Living. Medicines available at the Jan Aushadhi Centres are 50% to 90% cheaper than branded drugs available in the market. This is great help for the common man, especially for senior citizens who require medicines on a daily basis and results in a lot of savings. Generic medicines sold under this scheme strictly conform to prescribed standards set by the World Health Organisation. That is why good quality medicines are made available at affordable prices. Today, over three thousand Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been set up across the country. This has led to not only availability of cheaper medicines, but also new employment opportunities for individual entrepreneurs. Affordable medicines are now available at ‘Amrit Stores’ at Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Centres & at hospitals. The sole aim behind this step is ensuring availability of Quality & affordable health service to the poorest of the poor, so that a healthy & prosperous India comes into being.

My dear countrymen, Shri Mangesh from Maharashtra has shared a photo on the Narendra Modi Mobile App. It was such a striking photo that my attention was magnetically drawn towards it. The photo showed that a grandson was participating in the 'Clean Morna River' along with his grandfather. I came to know that the citizens of Akola had organized a cleanliness campaign to clean the Morna river under the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. The Morna river was a perennial river flowing throughout the twelve months of the year but now it has become seasonal. The second painful fact was that the river was completely filled with wild grass and hyacinth. A lot of garbage was being dumped into the river and along its banks. An action plan was chalked out and on January 13^th a day before Makar-Sankranti, in the first phase of 'Mission Clean Morna' sanitation of the two sides of the bank of the Morna river at fourteen places spread over an area of ​​four kilometers, was carried out.

This noble and grand task named 'Mission Clean Morna', involved more than six thousand denizens of Akola, more than 100 NGOs, Colleges, Students, children, the elderly, mothers, sisters, almost everybody participated in this task. On January 20^th, 2018, this Sanitation Campaign continued in the same vein and I’ve been told that this campaign will continue every Saturday morning till the Morna river is completely cleaned. 'Mission Clean Morna' shows that if a person is determined to do something, then nothing is impossible. Huge social reforms can be brought about through mass movements. I congratulate the people of Akola, the district and the municipal corporation’s administration, all the citizens who were associated with this mass movement, I laud your efforts which are not only very much appreciated but this will inspire the other citizens of the country.

        My dear countrymen, these days you must be hearing a lot about the Padma Awards. These awards also attract attention in newspapers and television also. But if you scrutinize, then you will be proud of the fact that there many loftier personalities amidst us and you will naturally be proud of the very fact that today the common man is being cited for Padma awards without any recommendations. There was a certain methodology of awarding Padma Awards every year, but this entire process has been changed for the past three years. Now any citizen can nominate any person in our country. Transparency has been brought about in the entire process by making it operable online. In a way, the selection of these awards has been transformed completely. You may have noticed that many ordinary people not visible in big cities, in newspapers or on TV are being awarded with Padma citations. Now the identity of the awardee is not the deciding factor of the award, rather the importance of his work is increasing. You must have heard the name of Arvind Gupta ji. It will gladden your heart to know, that Arvind ji, a student of IIT Kanpur, spent all his life creating toys for children. He has been making toys from garbage for over four decades so that children can increase their curiosity towards science.

He has been trying to get children inspired to conduct scientific experiments using waste; towards this end he has been encouraging children by showing them films made in 18 languages in three thousand schools across the country. What a wonderful life, what a dedicated mission! A similar story is that of Sitavaa Jodatti from Karnataka. She has not been hailed as 'Goddess of women empowerment' just for nothing! For the past three decades, in Belagavi, she has made a great contribution towards changing the lives of countless women. At the age of seven she had dedicated herself as a Devadasi but in a turnaround, for the welfare of the Devdasis, she has spent her entire life. Not only this, she has done unprecedented work for the welfare of Dalit women too. You must have heard the name of Bhajju Shyam of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Bhajju Shyam was born in a very poor tribal family. He was employed in a small job for eking out his living, but he was also fond of painting in the traditional tribal art form. Today, due to this hobby, he garnered respect not only in India but the entire world. He has exhibited his paintings in many countries like Netherlands, Germany, England and Italy. The talent of Bhajju Shyam ji, who made India proud in many nations abroad, was also recognized and he was awarded the Padma Shri.

You will be pleasantly surprised listening to the story of Kerala's tribal lady Lakshmikutti. Laxmikutty is a teacher in Kallar and still resides in a hut made of palm leaves in a tribal tract amidst dense forests. She has created five hundred herbal medicines relying solely on her memory. She has mastery in synthesizing medicines used for treatment of snake bites. Lakshmi Ji is continuously serving society with her knowledge of herbal medicines. Identifying her anonymous persona, she has been honoured with the Padma Shri for her contribution to society. I would like to mention another name today, that of 75 year old Subhasini Mistri, hailing from West Bengal, who was selected for the award. Subhasini Mistri is a woman who, in order to construct a hospital, cleaned utensils in the homes of others and also sold vegetables. At the age of 23 she lost her husband due to lack of proper treatment, and this incident inspired her to build a hospital for the poor. Today, thousands of poor people are treated free of cost in this hospital that has come up through hard-work. I am convinced that there are many men and women in our land filled with gems, Bahuratna-Vasundhara, many gifted women and men who remain faceless or unknown. The failure to identify such people is also a loss to the society, the Padma awards are only a medium of acknowledgement, but I would also like to tell the countrymen that people serving the society around us, people giving up all that they have got for the sake of society, millions of people who have worked for a life time for us bestowed with one or the other useful attribute should be acknowledged in our midst. They do not labour for any honor, but their work inspires us. These people should be invited to schools and colleges to share their experiences. Beyond awards, there should be some more efforts from our society in acknowledging their contribution.

    My dear countrymen, we celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9^th every year. It was on the 9^th of January, when our revered Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. On this day, we celebrate the unbreakable bond that exists between Indians in India and Indians living around the globe. This year we organized a program on Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, where all MPs and Mayors of Indian origin were invited. You will be pleased to know that in this programme, Malaysia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Portugal, Mauritius, Fiji, Tanzania, Kenya, Canada, Britain, Surinam, South Africa and America, and many other countries wherever our Mayors or MPs of Indian Origin exist, all of them participated. I am happy that the people of Indian origin who live in different countries continue to serve those countries and at the same time they have maintained their strong relationship with India as well

This time, the European Union, has sent me a calendar, in which they have displayed the contributions by Indians in various fields of life living in different countries of Europe; whether working in the field of cyber security, or dedicated to Ayurveda, entertaining the society through music, or through poetry; someone researching on climate change or working on ancient Indian texts, someone driving a truck for livelihood, who went on to construct a Gurudwara or has built a mosque – wherever our people are, they have in their own way embellished or adorned the land of their adoption. I would thus like to thank the European Union, for recognizing the people of Indian origin and through them in making people in India and people the world over aware of their exemplary work.

The 30^th of January is the death anniversary of our revered Bapu, who showed us a new path. On that day we also observe 'martyrs day' in solemn memory of the great martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the defense of the country and pay our homage at 11 in the morning. The path of peace and non-violence, is the path of Bapu and this is applicable not only for India or the world, but also for a person or a family or a society. The ideals which Bapu practiced in his life, things that he imparted are relevant even today. They were not just mere theories. At present we witness at every step how accurate Bapu's words were. What can be a bigger tribute than taking a vow that we shall tread the path of Bapu - and walk, as far as possible?

     My dear countrymen, with my best wishes to all of you for 2018, my speech draws to a close. Thank you very much. Namaskar.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. This is the last edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ this year and it’s a coincidence that this day happens to be the last day of the year of 2017. You and I shared many thoughts and ideas the entire year. Your steady stream of letters to ‘Mann Ki Baat’, your comments, this exchange between minds always infuses new energy in me. A few hours later, the year will change, but this sequence of our conversation will go on, just the way it is. We will renew this exchange of thoughts on newer topics in the year to come, we’ll share new experiences. Heartiest New Year greetings to all of you. Over the last few days, the festival of Christmas was celebrated across the world with gaiety and fervor. People in India too celebrated Christmas with warmth and cheer. The pious occasion of Christmas reminds us of the great teachings of Jesus Christ who laid much emphasis on the spirit of service, ‘Sewa bhaav’. The essence of the spirit of service can be felt in the Bible too.

The Son of Man has come, not to be served

But to serve’

And to give his life, as blessing

To all humankind.

This conveys the immense significance attached to the sanctity of service. Be it any religion, caste or creed, tradition or colour in this world; the spirit of service is an invaluable hallmark of the highest human values. In our country we refer to ‘NishKaam Karma’, selfless deeds, meaning a service done without any expectations. It is mentioned in our land ‘Sewa Parmo Dharmah’… service is the noblest way of life, ‘Jeev Seva hi Shiv Seva’… Service to living beings is service to god. Gurudev Ramkrishna Paramhans used to cite, ‘serve living beings as if worshipping the almighty. The inference is that the world over, these are shared, common human values. Come, let us remember great men & their ideals; let us be reminded of the essence of holy occasions; let us infuse a new awakening, a new drive into our great value system. Let us try & live, abiding by them.

My dear countrymen, this year was also the 350th ‘Prakash Parv’ of Guru Gobind Singh ji. The illustrious life of Guru Gobind Singh ji, full of instances of courage & sacrifice is a source of inspiration to all of us. Guru Gobind Singh ji preached the virtues of sublime human values and at the same time, practiced them in his own life in letter & spirit. A guru, a poet, a philosopher, a great warrior, Guru Gobind Singh ji, in all these roles, performed the great task of inspiring people. He fought against oppression & injustice. His teachings to people focused on breaking the cordons of caste and religion. In this endeavour, he stood to lose a lot on his personal front. But he never let antagonism raise its ugly head in his path. In every moment of his life, the message of love, sacrifice & peace was palpable. His personality was filled to the brim with the greatest of virtues. I’m fortunate that at the beginning of this year, I got an opportunity to participate in the 350th birth anniversary celebration organized at Patna Sahib. Come, let us all resolve to imbibe & abide by lessons from his great teachings & exemplary life and mould our own life in accordance with them.

The 1st of January, 2018, i.e. tomorrow, in my view, is a special day. You’ll be surprised, since the New Year comes every year, the 1st of January arrives every year! But, when I refer to it as special, I really mean it as special. People born in the year 2000 or later; those born in the 21st century will gradually begin to become eligible voters from the 1st of January, 2018. The Indian Democracy welcomes the voters of the 21st century, the ‘New India Voters’. I congratulate our youth & urge them to register themselves as voters. The entire nation is eager to welcome you as voters of the 21st century. As voters of this century, you too must be feeling proud. Your vote will prove to be the bedrock of New India. The power of the vote is the greatest strength of a democracy. The vote is the most effective tool in bringing about a positive change in the lives of millions of people. And it’s not just about you acquiring the right to Vote. It’s about you determining & deciding the course of the nation in the 21st century, your dreams in the India of the 21st century. You too can be the makers of 21st century India and this opportunity comes into being, very specially, on the 1st of January. And today, in this edition of Mann Ki Baat, I wish to speak to our successful young men & women between 18 & 25, all infused with energy and resolve.

I consider them ‘New India Youth’, ‘New India Youth’ stands for aspirations, enthusiasm & energy. I firmly believe that the dream of our ‘New India’ will be realized through the skill & fortitude of these energetic youth.

When we talk of new India then that new India will be free from the poison of casteism, communalism, terrorism and corruption; free from filth and poverty. In the New India everyone will have equal opportunity and aspirations and wishes of everyone will be fulfilled. New India will be a place where peace, unity and amity will be our guiding force. My New India Youth should come forward and deliberate on how this New India would be formed. One should decide one’s own path and also decide a way for connecting along those attached to one and the Caravan should get going. You should move forward and thus should the country move ahead. Right now, while taking to you I got an idea whether we could organize a mock parliament in every district of India? Where the youth between 18 and 25 could sit together and brain storm about new India, find ways and chalk our plans. How could we realize our resolves before 2022? How could we build an India of the dreams of our freedom fighters? Mahatma Gandhi had transformed the freedom movement into a mass movement. My young friends, the need of the hour is that we build up a mass movement for making a magnificent- glorious 21st century India; a mass movement of development, a mass movement to build a capable and strong India.

I propose that a mock Parliament be organized around 15th August in Delhi comprising one young person selected from each district who would participate and deliberate on how a new India could be formed in the next five years. How can resolve be transformed into reality? Today, a lot of new opportunities have been created for the youth. Our youth are coming forward in areas like skill development, innovation and entrepreneurship and are achieving success. I wish that the New India Youth get information and details of all these new opportunities and plans at one place and a system be created so that every young person on turning 18 should automatically get to know all this and benefit from it.

My dear countrymen, I had talked about positivity during the previous episode of Mann Ki Baat. I am being reminded of one Sanskrit Shloka-

Utsaaho balwaanarya, Naastyutsaahaatparam balam |

Sotsaahasya cha lokeshu na kinchidapi durlabham ||

This means that a man full of enthusiasm is very strong since there is nothing more powerful than zest. Nothing is impossible for a man having positivity and zeal. In English too, it is said, ‘Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power’. During the previous episode of Mann Ki Baat, I had appealed to the countrymen to share their positive moments of 2017 and to welcome 2018 in a positive atmosphere.

I am very glad that a large number of people gave positive responses on social media platform, MyGov and the Narendra Modi App and shared their experiences. Lakhs of tweets were posted on Positive India hashtag (#), which reached out to more than nearly 150 crore people. In a way, a wave of positivity which emanated from India spread all over the world. All tweets and responses received were really inspiring. It was indeed a delightful experience. Some countrymen shared those incidents of this year which left a special impact on their minds, a very positive one at that. Some people even shared their personal achievements.

# SOUND BITE #

# My name is Meenu Bhatia. I reside in Mayur Vihar, Pocket-1, Phase- I, Delhi. My daughter wanted to do M.B.A. I needed to take a bank loan which I got very easily and my daughter was able to continue her studies.

# My name is Jyoti Rajendra Waade. I am speaking from Bodal. One rupee per month was being deducted towards insurance premium which my husband had subscribed to.  He died in an accident. Only we know of the situation we faced at that time. Assistance from the government helped us a lot and I could gather the strength to stand myself.

# My name is Santosh Jadhav. A national highway has been constructed in 2017 through our village Bhinnar. As a result of this, our roads have improved a lot and business there will surely get a boost.

# My name is Deepanshu Ahuja. I live in Mohalla Saadatganj, district Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Two actions taken by our Indian soldiers deserve a special mention – one was the Surgical Strike carried out in Pakistan which destroyed launching pads of  terrorists and the second was the unique valour displayed by Indian soldiers in Doklam. These are without parallel.

# My name is Satish Bewani. We had a problem of water scarcity in our area and we used to depend on an army pipeline for the last forty years. Now an Independent pipeline has been constructed. So, this is our achievement in 2017.

There are a large number of such persons who have brought in positive transformation in the lives of many people through endeavour at their own level. In fact, this is the New India which we are all collectively building. Let us enter into the New Year with such little achievements, begin our New Year and take a concrete steps in the journey from ‘Positive India’ to ‘Progressive India’. When we all talk of positivity, I also feel like sharing one experience. Recently, I came to know about the inspiring story of Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak who is a topper in Kashmir Administrative Service Examination. He actually extricated himself from the sting of terrorism and hatred and topped in the Kashmir Administrative Examination. You will be surprised to know that terrorists had set his ancestral home on fire in 1990.

Terrorism and violence were so widespread there that his family had to leave their ancestral land and flee from there. For a young child, such an atmosphere of violence could easily create darkness and bitterness in the heart, but Anjum did not let it be so. He never gave up hope. He chose a different path for himself – a path of serving the people. He overcame the adverse situation and scripted his own success story. Today, he has become a source of inspiration not only in Jammu & Kashmir but for the youth of the whole country. Anjum has proved that however adverse the circumstances be, the clouds of despair and disappointment can easily be cleared by taking positive steps.

Just last week, I had a chance of meeting some daughters of Jammu & Kashmir. I was amazed at the spirit that they had, the enthusiasm that was there in their hearts and the dreams they nurtured. I was listening to them on how they wanted to make progress in various facets of life and, how their lives were filled with hope. I talked to them, there was no sign of despair; there was only enthusiasm, optimism, energy, dreams and a sense of resolve. Whatever little time I spent with these daughters, I got inspired myself. These are the strength of our nation, they are my youth, they are the future of my country.

My dear countrymen, whenever there is a reference to famous religious places, not only of India but of the whole world, it is very natural to mention about the Sabrimala temple of Kerala. Millions of devotees come to this world famous temple, seeking blessings of Lord Ayyappa Swami. It is a huge challenge maintaining cleanliness around such a large religious place where devotees in such huge number come. And especially, since this place is situated in the midst of hills and forests. But, Sabrimala temple in itself is an example to show how this challenge could be converted into a sanskar, a habit and what a tremendous strength public participation has! One police officer P. Vijayan initiated a programme Punyam Poonkavanam and commenced a voluntary campaign of creating awareness on cleanliness. And, he began a tradition that the yatra of devotees will remain incomplete if they do not contribute by performing some physical labour or the other in the cleanliness programme. No one is big or small in this campaign. Every devotee considers doing physical labour in the cleanliness drive as a part of the Lord’s worship. Every morning, there is a uniquely pleasant scene of cleanliness here when all devotees join in the drive. However big a celebrity be, or however rich one might be or however high an official be – each one contributes as an ordinary devotee in this Punyan Poonkavanam programme and becomes a part of this cleanliness drive.

There are many such examples before us. This cleanliness drive in Sabrimala and the contribution of Punyan Poonkavanam in this are so immense that each devotee contributes and participates in it.

Here, a strong resolve of maintaining cleanliness also is as important as the strict discipline observed during worship.

My dear countrymen, all of us made a resolve on Bapu’s birth anniversary on October 2, 2014 to take forward Bapu’s unfinished task of building a ‘Clean India’ and ‘a filth- free India’. Revered Bapu fought for this cause all through his life and made all out efforts. And, all of us took a resolve that on the 150th birth anniversary of revered Bapu, we shall make some contribution in the direction of making Clean India which he had dreamt of. Efforts in the direction of cleanliness are being widely taken across the whole country. A change can now be seen in the form of public participation in rural and urban areas alike. Cleanliness Survey 2018, the largest in the world, will be conducted from the 4th of January to 10th of March, 2018 to evaluate achievements in cleanliness level of our urban areas. This survey will cover a population of more than 40 crores in more than four thousand cities.

During this survey, the matters to be surveyed include freedom from defecation in the open in cities, collection of garbage, transport facilities to lift garbage, processing of garbage using scientific methods, efforts to usher in behavioural changes, innovative steps taken for capacity building to maintain cleanliness and public participation in this campaign. Separate teams will go to cities for inspection. They will talk to the people there and gather their reactions. They will analyse the use of the Cleanliness App and also about bringing reforms and improvements in various kinds of service centres. It will also be observed whether the cities have created a system wherein cleanliness of cities will became public habit, or the city’s habit for that matter. It is not for the government alone to maintain cleanliness. Every citizen and people’s organizations have a big responsibility. And I appeal to every citizen to actively participate in the Cleanliness Survey to be undertaken in the coming days. And take the full onus to ensure that your city should not lag behind and your street or mohalla should not look to be wanting. I am very sure that using blue and green dustbins to collect dry and wet garbage respectively must have become your habit by now.

For waste- collection the principle of reduce, reuse and re-cycle is very effective. Now ranking of cities will be done on the basis of this survey- if your city has a population of more than one lakh, ranking will be done on the national level and if the population of your city is less than one lakh than it will be ranked on regional level. Achieving the highest ranking must be your dream and you should put all out efforts in this direction. Be sure that you do not remain lagging behind in the Cleanliness Survey to be conducted from 4th January to 10th March, 2018. This should become the talking point in every city. And all of you must have a dream – ‘Our city – our efforts’, ‘Our progress – country’s progress’. Let us all, once again remembering revered Bapu and taking a resolve to build a Clean India, put in our best endeavours.

My dear countrymen, there are a few things which appear small but they have a far reaching impact on our image as a society. Today, in this episode of Mann Ki Baat, I want to share one such thing with you. It has come to our notice that if a Muslim woman wants to go on Haj Pilgrimage, she must have a ‘Mehram’ or a male guardian, otherwise she cannot travel.     

When I first heard about it, I wondered how it could be possible! Who would have drafted such rules? Why this discrimination? And when I went into the depth of the matter I was surprised to find that - even after seventy years of our independence, we were the ones who had imposed these restrictions. For decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it. Even in many Islamic countries this practice does not exist. But Muslim women in India did not have this right. And I'm glad that our government paid heed to this matter.

Our Ministry of Minority Affairs issued corrective measures and we ameliorated this restriction by phasing out a tradition that had been in practice for the past seventy years. Today, Muslim women can perform Haj without 'mahram' or male Guardian and I am happy to note that this time about thirteen hundred Muslim women have applied to perform Haj without 'mahram' and women from different parts of the country from Kerala to North India, have expressed their wish to go for the Haj pilgrimage. I have suggested to the Ministry of Minority Affairs that they should ensure that all women who have applied to travel alone be allowed to perform Haj. Usually there is a lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system and they should be given a chance as a special category. I not only reiterate this wholeheartedly but it is my firm belief that the journey of India’s progress has been possible due to women-power and on the basis of their talent and we will continue to march onwards on this path of progress. It should be our constant endeavor that our women also get equal rights and equal opportunities just like men get so that they can proceed simultaneously on the path of progress.

My dear countrymen, 26th January is a historic festival for all of us. But 26th January, 2018, will especially be remembered through the ages. The Republic Day will be celebrated with leaders of all ten ASEAN countries coming to India as Chief Guests.

This time, not one but Ten chief guests would grace the Republic Day. This is unprecedented in India's history. The year 2017 has been special for both ASEAN and India. ASEAN completed its 50 years of formation in 2017 and in 2017 25 years of India's partnership with ASEAN were completed. On 26th January the arrival of great leaders of 10 nations of the world as a unit is a matter of pride for all Indians.

My Dear countrymen, this is the season of festivals, by the way our country is a country of festivals. There is hardly a day which does not have a festival ascribed to it. All of us have just celebrated Christmas and the New Year is on its way. May the New Year bring greater happiness, glad tidings and prosperity for all of you. Let us move forward with all renewed zeal, enthusiasm, fervor and new resolve. The month of January is the period of the northward movement of the Earth on the celestial orbit around sun and in this month Makar-Sankranti is also celebrated. This is a festival linked with nature. Though all of our festivals are associated with nature in one way or the other, but in our country blessed with the bounty of cultural diversity, there are different ways to celebrate this wonderful episode of nature in different forms. Lohdi is celebrated in Punjab and North-India, while UP-Bihar eagerly await for Khichdi and Til-Sankranti. In Rajasthan, it is called Sankrant, Magh-bihu in Assam and Pongal in Tamil Nadu - all these festivals are special in their own right and they have their own importance. All of these festivals are usually celebrated between 13th and 17thJanuary.

These festivals may have different names, but their origins stems from attachment to nature and agriculture. Felicitations to all of you on the occasion of these festivals. And once again, best wishes for the New Year 2018 to all of you.

I Thank you my dear countrymen. We shall converse again in 2018.

Thank you

My dear countrymen, namaskar! A while ago, I had a chance to have an indirect dialogue, with young friends from Karnataka. The Times Group Newspaper “Vijaya Karnataka” started a new initiative urging the children to write a letter to the Prime Minister of the country. And, then they published some selected letters. I read those letters and liked the initiative. Even these little children are conversant with problems confronting the nation; aware of the deliberations going on in the country. Kirti Hegde from North Kannada had appreciated Digital India and Smart City schemes and she put forth a suggestion that we need to transform our education system and said that the present-day children do not like classroom reading, they love to know more and more about nature. And if we impart knowledge about nature to our children then in future they may prove very useful in protecting the environment.

A child Reeda Nadaf from Laxmeshwara has written that she is the daughter of an army man and feels proud of being so. Which Indian would not be proud of our soldiers?  And, you being a soldier’ daughter should naturally take pride in that. Irfana Begum from Kalburgi has written that her school is 5 Kilometres away from her village and she has to start early in the morning and it gets quite late in the evening by the time she returns home. She says that as such she does not find time to spend with her friends and has suggested that there should be a school nearby. But, my countrymen, I liked this initiative taken by a newspaper that helped these letters reach me and I got an opportunity to go through these. This was a very good experience for me.

My dear countrymen, today is 26/11. The 26^th of November is our Constitution Day. The Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on this day in the year nineteen forty-nine. Our constitution was implemented on the 26^th of January, 1950 which we celebrate as our Republic Day. The Constitution of India is the spirit of our democracy. This is the day to remember the members of the Constituent Assembly. They all worked hard for about three years to draft the Constitution. And, whoever reads that debate will feel proud about what actually the vision of a life dedicated to the nation is. Can you imagine how hard their task would have been to frame the Constitution of our country which has such big diversities? They must have shown a great sense of understanding and farsightedness and that too at a juncture when the country was getting rid of the bondage of slavery. Now, this is the responsibility of all of us to make a New India in the light of the thinking of the makers of our Constitution. Our Constitution is all encompassing. There probably is no area, no aspect of nature which remained untouched.

Equality for all and sensitivity towards all is the unique characteristic of our Constitution. It guarantees fundamental rights to each & every citizen, whether underprivileged or oppressed, backward or deprived, a tribal or a woman. It protects their fundamental rights and safeguards their interests. It is our duty that we abide by our Constitution in letter and spirit. Citizens and administrators alike must move ahead in accordance with the spirit of our Constitution. The message that our Constitution conveys is that no one should be harmed in any way. It is but natural to remember Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on the Constitution Day today. Seventeen separate committees were constituted by the Constituent Assembly on various important issues. One of most significant of these was the drafting committee and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was the Chairman of this drafting committee. He was playing a pivotal role in it. The Constitution of India, which we feel so very proud of, bears an indelible stamp of his able leadership. He ensured the welfare of every section of society. We remember him and bow before him on his Mahaparinirvan Diwas on 6^th of December. Babasaheb’s contribution in making the country prosperous and strong can never be forgotten. 15^th of December is the death anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Sardar Patel rose from being a farmer’s son to be known as the Iron Man of the country, undertaking the extraordinary task of uniting India into one nation. Sardar Saheb was also a member of the constituent Assembly. He was also the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on fundamental rights, minorities and tribals.  

26/11 is our Constitution Day but how can the nation forget that on this very day nine years ago, terrorists had launched an attack on Mumbai. The country remembers and bows to those brave citizens, policemen, security men and each one who lost their lives then. This country can never forget their sacrifice. Terrorism has taken an ugly shape and has become a global threat almost as a daily routine. We, in India, are facing to lot for the last 40 years on account of terrorism. Thousands of our innocent people have lost their lives. But, a few years ago, when India used to talk about the severe threats of terrorism many people in the world were not ready to take it seriously, Now that, terrorism is knocking at their doors, every Government in the world, those who believe in humanity, Governments having faith in democracy are seeing this as one of the biggest challenges. Terrorism has threatened humanity across the globe. Terrorism has challenged humanity. It is bent upon destroying the humanitarian forces. So, not only India but all humanitarian forces will have to keep fighting unitedly to defeat the menace of terrorism. Lord Budha, Lord Mahavir, Guru Nanak, Mahatma Gandhi – this is the land which gave the message of love and non-violence to the world.

Terrorism and extremism are trying to weaken and destroy our social fabric. That is why, the need of the hour is that humanitarian forces should become more alert and cautious.

My dear countrymen, we shall observe Navy Day on the 4^th of December. Indian Navy secures and protects our maritime boundaries. I congratulate all those who belong to the Navy. All of you must be knowing that our civilization developed along river banks. Be it the Indus, the Ganges, the Yamuna or the Saraswati – our rivers and seas are both economically and strategically important. These are our gateway to the whole world. This country, our land has an unbreakable bond with oceans. And as we peep into our history, we come to know that about 800 to 900 (eight to nine hundred) years ago, during the rule of the Cholas, the Chola Navy was considered one of the strongest navies. This navy had a big role in the expansion of the Chola-rule and in making it an economic super power. Numerous references of voyages and expeditions of the Chola-Navy are found even today in “Sangam - literature”. Very few people might be aware that most navies of the world allowed women on their warships pretty later. But in the Chola Navy, a large number of women played leading roles and that too about eight to nine hundred years ago; to the extent that women actively took part in battles. The Chola rulers possessed a very rich and sound knowledge of ship building. When we talk of navy, who can ignore Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the capabilities & might of his navy. Konkan coast, where the sea has a significant role, was under Shivaji Maharaj’s realm. Many forts associated with Shivaji Maharaj like Sindhu Durg, Murud Janjira, Swarn Durg, etc were either situated on the sea coast or were encircled by sea. The security of these forts was the responsibility of the Maratha Navy. There was a combination of large ships and small boats in the Maratha Navy. His naval forces were very efficient and skilled in attacking the enemy and in defending their attacks. And how can we refer to the Maratha Navy and not remember Kanhoji Aangre! He took the Maratha Navy to newer heights and established Maratha Naval Bases at a number of places. After Independence, our Indian Navy showed its valour on various occasions; be it the liberation struggle of Goa or the Indo-Pak war. When we talk of the Navy, we see only war but the Indian Navy has come forward in humanitarian ventures as well. In June this year when Cyclone Mora hit Bangladesh and Myanmar, our naval ship INS SUMITRA rendered a big help in rescue operations; many fishermen were rescued from the sea and handed over to Bangladesh.    

In May-June this year when there was a severe flood in Sri Lanka, three ships of our navy reached there immediately and helped the government and the people there. In September, during the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, our naval ship INS GHADIYAL delivered humanitarian assistance there. The Government of Papua New Guinea sent an SOS-message to us in June and our navy rendered help in saving the fishermen of a fishing boat. On 21^st November, during an incident of piracy in a merchant vessel in the Western Gulf, our naval ship INS TRIKAND reached there to help them. Carrying medical services to FIJI, sending urgent relief, or delivering humanitarian aid during crisis to a neighbouring country – our navy has always rendered glorious service. We Indians, always nurture a feeling of pride and respect towards our security forces- be it the army, the navy or the air force and every countryman salutes the courage, bravery, valour, chivalry and sacrifice of our soldiers. They sacrifice their youth for the country so that 125 crore countrymen may live in peace. We observe ARMED FORCES FLAG DAY every year on 7^th December. This is a day to feel proud of and show respect to our country’s armed forces.

I am happy that the Ministry of Defence has decided to run a campaign from December 1 to December 7 during which they will reach out to the people of the country to disseminate information about our ARMED FORCES and to make them aware. Throughout the week every one, old or young, should wear the flag. A movement to instill respect for our forces will come into being in the country. We can distribute ARMED FORCES FLAGS on this occasion. Experiences and acts of valour of those from the armed forces who are our neighbours or acquaintances and related videos and pictures can be posted on hash-tag armed forces flag day (#armedforcesflagday). People from the forces could be invited to schools and colleges to share information about the forces. Our new generation can get a good opportunity to get information about the forces. This is also an occasion to collect funds for the welfare of the jawans of our armed forces. This amount is spent through the Sainik Kalyan Board on the dependents of those who lost their lives and also for those who got injured during wars, for their rehabilitation. More information about sending in monetary contributions can be had on kbs.gov.in. You can also make cashless payment for this. Come, let us do something on this occasion which may raise the morale of our armed forces. We should also contribute towards their welfare.     

My dear countrymen, World Soil Day is on the 5^th of December. I want to tell something to my farmer brothers and sisters. An important component of the Earth is “soil”. Whatever we eat is linked only to this soil. In a way, the complete food chain is connected to soil. Just imagine, what will happen if there is no fertile soil in the world? The very thought is dreadful. There will be no soil, no plants and trees will grow; how will  human life be possible? How will animals and birds survive? This concern was touched upon a long time ago in our culture and that is why we are aware of the significance of soil since ancient times. In our culture, there has been efforts to foster a feeling of devotion and gratitude towards our farms, our soil among the people and at the same time scientific farming methods and techniques have been adopted which provide nutrients to the soil. In the life of the farmer of this country both aspects have been important- reverence to his soil and preserving & nurturing it scientifically. We all feel proud of the fact that the farmers of our country are rooted to traditions and also take interest in modern science, they keep trying and resolve. I had heard about the farmers, of Tohoo village in Bhoranj block of Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh.

Farmers here were earlier using chemical fertilizers indiscriminately which deteriorated the soil-health. Produce reduced which resulted in lower income and gradually the productivity of the soil also was going down. Some enlightened and alert farmers in the village noticed and understood the gravity of the situation, and after that got their soil tested on time and followed the advice about the quantity of fertilizers, micro-nutrients and organic fertilizers to be used. And, you will be surprised to know about the results achieved after the farmers received the information and guidelines about soil health. In the Rabi season of 2016-17, wheat production per acre increased three to four times and their income also increased by four to six thousand rupees per acre. Besides, the soil quality also improved. Cut in fertilizer usage resulted in monetary saving. I am very glad to see that my farmer brothers have come forward to implement the suggestions made in the soil health card and as better results are showing, they are getting more and more inspired. And, now the farmer also realizes that proper soil care is needed if production is to be increased and that if we take care of our soil, it will also care for all of us.

Our farmers across the country have got more than 10 crore soil health cards made so that they may understand their soil better and accordingly sow the crop.  

We worship mother Earth but have we ever thought as to how much damage is caused to the health of our mother- Earth because of the usage of fertilizers like Urea? This has been proved by all scientific methods that a serious damage is caused because of an excessive use of urea. The Farmer is the son of the soil, how can a farmer see the mother Earth falling sick? The need of the hour is to revive the mother-son relationship. Can our farmers, the sons of our soil make a resolve that by the year 2022, when we complete 75 year of our independence, they will cut down the urea usage to half of what is being used presently? If this son of the soil, my farmer brother once make this resolve then we will see the health of mother Earth improve and production will increase. A transformation shall start to usher into the life of the farmer.

All of us are experiencing Global warming, climate change now. There was a time when winter would set in even before Diwali. And now, December is knocking on our doors, yet winter is advancing at a leisurely pace. But the moment winter sets in, we all have experienced that we don’t like coming out of our quilts one bit. Despite such inclement weather there are some extraordinarily aware people who deliver results that are exemplary and inspiring for all of us. You will be amazed to learn that Tushar, an eight year old differently - abled, divyang lad from Madhya Pradesh had taken a firm resolve to make his village Open defecation free. It was a young boy vis-à-vis an enormous task at hand. But his grit and determination were exponentially greater and mightier. The eight year old is speech impaired, but he used a whistle as an armament. He would wake up at 5 in the morning, visit households one by one, awaken them and used gesticulations to wean them away from Open defecation. Covering 30 to 40 homes everyday, spreading the message of cleanliness, this boy transformed the village into Open defecation free. Promoting the virtues of cleanliness, this little lad has done inspiring work. This proves that cleanliness suffers from no barriers of age; there are no boundaries. A child or an elderly person, a woman or a man, everyone needs cleanliness. And everyone should contribute towards the cause of cleanliness. Our Divyang brothers and sisters are firm in their resolve; they are competent, capable, courageous and determined.

We get to learn something or the other every moment. They are performing well in every walk of life. Whether it be the field of sports, any kind of competition or a social initiative, our Divyang brethren are second to none. You must be aware that our Divyang sportspersons won 4 medals in the Rio Olympics through their stellar performances. They also emerged champions in the T-20 Cricket World Cup for the Visually Challenged. Myriad competitions take place all over the country. Recently, the 17^th National Para-Swimming Competition was held in Udaipur. Divyang brothers & sisters from different parts of the country participated & displayed their stellar skills. One of them happens to be 19 year old Jigar Thakkar from Gujarat, whose body suffers from 80% muscle atrophy. 

Just look at his fortitude, resolve & perseverance. Despite his 80% muscle atrophy, the 19 year old Jigar Thakkar won 11 medals in the National Para Swimming Competition. It is on account of this feat that he has been chosen as one of the 32 Para Swimmers for the 20-20 Paralympics by the Sports Authority of India. They will be imparted training at the Centre for excellence at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. I salute the spirit of the young Jigar Thakkar & wish him the best. These days special emphasis is being laid on accessibilities & opportunities for persons with disabilities, our Divyang brethren. Our endeavour is to ensure that each & every person in the country is empowered. Let the essence of ‘Sama’ & ‘Mama’, that is a confluence of collective & the individual, foster a sense of syncretic harmony in our society; let us move forward with each other, together.

A few days from now, the pious occasion of Id-e-milad-un-nabi will be observed. Paighambar Hazrat Mohammad Sahab was born on this day. I extend best wishes to all countrymen. And I hope that this holy occasion of Id gives us new inspiration, fresh energy and the strength to resolve anew, to foster peace & communal amity.

(Phone call)

'Hello Mr. Prime Minister, I am Neerja Singh calling from Kanpur. I request you that out of the entire gamut of your thoughts reflected during the programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ throughout the year, if you could share ten of your best thoughts, so that we all remember these opinions and we get to learn something from them. Thank you

(End of phone call)

You are quite right that 2017 is near completion, and the year 2018 is knocking on the door. And you have given some sound advice. But continuing from your point of view I feel like adding something more to it and modifying it a bit. And as in our villages, our elders, the old people of the village are always reminding us - forget the sorrow but also do not forget the joy. You too forget your sorrow and also do not forget the joy. I think we should propagate this wisdom. We must usher in the auspicious in 2018, enter the New Year with the resolution of the auspicious

We know that in our part of the world, and probably all around the world around the ending of the year we take a stock, contemplate, and draw plans for the next year. In our media many interesting events of the year gone by are broadcast again to reflect on the previous year. The previous year is both a mixture of both positive and negative memories. But don’t you think that we should enter into the year 2018, remembering the positive events, to do some good?

I suggest to all of you that of all the 5-10 positive things that you might have heard, seen or would have had experienced were to be disseminated, so that other people would get to know of them and this would lead to a spirit of benevolence. Can we not contribute in this endeavour? Can’t we share 5 of our positive life experiences of the past year? Whether they be conveyed through photographs, in the form of a small story, or as a small video, I invite all of you to welcome the year 2018 in a benefic atmosphere, with positive memories, with positive thinking and with positive tidings.

Come, let us share our positive experiences with #PositiveIndia (Hashtag Positive India) on the Narendra Modi App or MyGov portal. Remember to recollect the incidents that inspire others. If you remember positive events, then you will be in a mood to do good around you. Positive events provide energy to do good. Positive thoughts beget positive resolve, positive resolve takes you forward towards auspicious results. 

Let all of us together witness the strength of this collective momentum and its impact. And I will definitely share the positive thoughts that arrive on #positiveindia (hashtag positive India) with the rest of our denizens in the next episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat.’ 

My dear countrymen, I will be back amidst you next month, with another episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat.’ We will have another opportunity to talk a lot.  Many - Many thanks!

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. The mega festival of Chatth, celebrated 6 days after Diwali, is one of those festivals which are celebrated in accordance with strict rituals & regimen. In everything associated with it like cuisine or attire, traditional norms are adhered to. The unique festival Chhath Pooja is deeply linked with nature & worshipping nature. Surya & Jal –The Sun & Water are central to the veneration in Chhath, whereas utensils made of bamboo & clay and tubers are an essential part of the Pooja articles. In this mega festival of faith, veneration of the rising sun and worship of the setting sun convey a message that is replete with unparalleled Sanskar. The world respects & venerates those who rise; the Chatth Pooja bestows upon us the sanskaar to respect & revere those whose setting, whose dusk is imminent. The expression of the significance of cleanliness in our lives is intrinsic to this festival. Before the advent of Chatth, people come together to clean up their homes, and along with that cleansing of rivers, lakes, pond banks and pooja locations, that is ghats, with utmost enthusiasm & fervour. Sun worship or Chhath Pooja is a festival of protecting the environment, ushering in wellness and discipline.

Usually, people shy away from borrowing from others. But in Chhath Pooja, it is specially customary to ask for Prasad after the morning Arghya ritual. It is believed that the rationale behind this tradition is that, it destroys his ego that proves to be an impediment in one’s path of progress. It is natural for each one of us to feel proud of this great tradition of India.

My dear countrymen, ‘Mann - Ki - Baat’ has garnered accolades; it has also attracted criticism. But whenever I look at the overall outcome of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, it reinforces my belief, that it is intrinsically, inseparably woven into the warp & weft of our common citizens’ lives, cent per cent. Take the examples of Khadi and handloom. On Gandhi Jayanti I have always advocated the use of handloom and Khadi. What has it led to?  You will be glad to know that on the 17^th of this month on the day of Dhanteras, the Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan store in Delhi witnessed a record sale of Rupees one crore, twenty lakhs. You too must be feeling happy with a sense of satisfaction at this mega sale in just one Khadi & Handloom store. During Diwali, Khadi gift coupon sales recorded an overwhelming 680 per cent rise. Compared to last year, the total sales of Khadi & Handicrafts have risen almost by 90%.  One can clearly see that today, the youth, the elderly, women, in fact every age group is taking to Khadi & handloom.

I can imagine how many weaver families, poor families, and the families working on handlooms must have benefitted from this. Khadi was Khadi foundation earlier and we talked of Khadi fashion but with my recent experience I can say that after Khadi for nation and Khadi for fashion now, it is becoming Khadi for transformation. Khadi and handloom have transformed the lives of the poorest of the poor and are emerging as a powerful means of empowering them. It is playing a very important role for gramodaya.

Shriman Rajan Bhatt has written on NarendramodiApp that he wants to know about my experience of celebrating Diwali with security forces and he also wants to know how the security forces celebrate Diwali. Shriman Tejas Gaikwad has also written on NarendramodiApp whether there could be an arrangement to send our homemade sweets to the security forces. We also remember our brave security forces. We also feel that our homemade sweets must reach our country’s soldiers. All of you must have celebrated Deepawali with traditional fervour. To me, Diwali brought a special experience. Luckily I got another chance to celebrate Deepawali with our courageous and brave heart security personnel. Memories of Diwali celebrations with our security forces in Gurez sector of Jammu & Kashmir will stay long cherished in my heart. On behalf of all our countrymen, I salute every soldier of our security forces who guard the country’s borders with utmost dedication and a spirit of sacrifice, braving all odds. Whenever we get a chance or whenever there is an opportunity we must try to know the experiences of our soldiers and listen to their tales of valour. Many of us may not be aware that the jawans of our security forces play an important role not only on our borders but they play a very vital role in establishing peace the world over. As UN Peacekeepers, they are bringing glory to the nation in the comity of nations. United Nations Day was observed recently all over the world on the 24^th of October.

Everybody recalls the efforts and constructive role of the UN in establishing peace throughout the world. And, we are believers in “Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam” which means the whole world is our family. And with this belief, India has been cooperating very actively in various important initiatives   taken by the UN. You may be aware that the preface of the Indian Constitution and the preface of the UN Charter; both start with the words ‘We the people’. India has always stressed on the importance of equality for women and the UN Declaration of Human Rights is a living example of this.

In its initial phrase, it was proposed as ‘all men are born free and equal’ which was amended and adopted as ‘all human beings are born free and equal’ with the efforts of the Indian representative Hansa Mehta. It appears to be a minor change but it reflects a vision of a healthy thought. India’s most important contribution under the UN umbrella is its role in UN Peacekeeping Operations. India has always been extending active support to UN Peace Missions.

Many of you may be getting to know this for the first time. More than 18 thousand Indian security personnel have lent their services in UN Peacekeeping Operations. Presently, about seven thousand Indian soldiers are associated with UN Peacekeeping initiatives which is the third highest number of soldiers from any country. Till August 2017, Indian soldiers had lent their services in about 50 of the total of 71 Peacekeeping operations undertaken by the UN the world over. These operations have been carried out in Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Congo, Cyprus, Liberia, Lebanon, Sudan and many other parts of the world. In Congo and Southern Sudan more than twenty thousand patients were treated in hospitals of the Indian army and countless lives were saved.

Indian security forces have not only saved people in various countries but also won their hearts with their people friendly operations. Indian women have played a leading role in peace keeping efforts. Very few people may know that India was the first country which sent a female police unit to Liberia for the United Nations Peace Mission. And see how this initiative from India became a big source of motivation for other countries too. Later, all countries started sending their women police units. You will surely feel proud to know that India’s contribution is not limited to just peacekeeping operations but it is also providing training to peacekeepers from about eighty five countries. The brave peacekeepers from this land of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Budha have sent a message of peace and amity around the world. Peacekeeping operation is not an easy task. Jawans from our security forces have to perform duties in difficult and remote areas. They have to live amongst many different people. They need to know and adapt to various situations and different cultures. They have to mould themselves according to the local needs and environment. While remembering our brave UN Peacekeepers today, who can forget the sacrifice of Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria who laid down his life while fighting in Congo in Africa?

Every Indian feels proud while remembering him. He was the only UN peacekeeper, a brave-heart, who was awarded the Param Veer Chakra. Lieutenant General Prem Chand ji is one among those Indian Peacekeepers who carved a special niche for themselves in Cyprus. In 1989, at the age of 72, he was appointed the Force Commander for an operation in Namibia and he gave his services to ensure the Independence of that country. General Thimaiyya, who had been India’s army chief, lead the UN Peacekeeping force in Cyprus and sacrificed everything for those peace efforts. India has always been giving a message of peace, unity and harmony to the world. We believe that everyone must live in peace and harmony and move ahead to carve a better and peaceful tomorrow.

My dear countrymen, our holy land has given great souls who selflessly served humanity. Sister Nivedita, whom we also know as Bhagini Nivedita, was one such extraordinary person. She was born in Ireland as Margret Elizabeth Noble but Swami Vivekanand gave her the name NIVEDITA. And Nivedita means the one who is fully dedicated. She later proved herself true to her name. Yesterday was the 150^th birth anniversary of Sister Nivedita.

She was so impressed by Swami Vivekanand that she renounced her happy- prosperous life and dedicated herself to the service of the poor. Sister Nivedita felt very hurt by the atrocities of the British rule. The Britishers not only made us slaves but they tried to enslave us mentally as well. Constant efforts to belittle our culture and make us feel inferior were on. Bhagini Nivedita ji revived the dignity and pride of Indian culture. She brought the people together by infusing a sense of national-awakening. She travelled to various countries and raised her voice against the mischievous propaganda against Sanatan Dharma and ideology. Renowned nationalist and Tamil poet Subramanya Bharati is well known for his revolutionary poem Pudhumai Penn or New woman and is renowned for his efforts for Women empowerment.

It is said that Bhagini Nivedita was the inspiration. Bhagini Nivedita ji also helped the great scientist Jagdish Chandra Basu. She helped publication of Basu’s research and publicity through her articles and conferences.

This is India’s unique beauty that spirituality and science complement each other in our culture. 

Sister Nivedita and Scientist Jagdish Chandra Basu are a powerful testimony to this. In 1899, plague broke out in Calcutta and hundreds of people lost their lives in no time. Sister Nivedita, without caring for her health, started cleaning drains and roads. She was a woman who could live a luxurious life but she dedicatedly worked for the poor. Getting inspiration from her sacrifice, people came forward and joined her.

Through her work, she spread the message of the importance of cleanliness and service to mankind. And, it is inscribed on her grave – “Here reposes Sister Nivedita who gave her all to India”. Undoubtedly, she did so. There cannot be any other befitting tribute to this great soul than every Indian taking a lesson from her life and emulating her.   

Thank you for your phone call. First of all, many felicitations to all the children on the occasion of Children's Day celebrated on the birthday of our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ji. Children are the emerging heroes in the creation of new India. Your concern is correct that the diseases which surfaced in old age, or emerged around the last lap of life - have started to appear in children nowadays. It is indeed surprising today, when we hear that children are suffering from diabetes.

In earlier times, such diseases were known as 'Raj-Rog' which means diseases that used to afflict only the rich or those who lived a life of luxury. Such diseases were very rare in young people. But our lifestyle has changed. Today these diseases are known as ‘lifestyle disorders.’ One of the main reasons for being afflicted with such diseases at a young age is the lack of physical activity in our lifestyle and the changes in our eating habits.

Society and the family need to pay attention towards this crisis. If you’ll start paying attention to it, you will see that there is no need to do anything extraordinary. You just need to make small regular changes in order to transform your habits, making them a part of your way of life. I would like the family to consciously try to inculcate in children the habit of playing in open grounds. If possible, we can make the elder family members accompany these children to the playground and play with them.

The children can be made to take the stairs instead of taking the lift. After dinner, the entire family can go for a walk with the children. Yoga for Young India. Yoga will be helpful for especially our young friends, in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and protecting them from lifestyle disorders. The practice of Yoga 30 minutes before school can impart much benefit. It can also be practised at home and the specialty of Yoga is that it is easy, simple and accessible to all. I am saying this because a person of any age can easily practise it. It is simple because it can be easily learned and it is accessible, since it can be done anywhere.

No special tools or fields are needed. There are several studies being conducted on how Yoga is effective in curbing diabetes. These studies are being carried out in AIIMS too and the results that have emerged so far are very encouraging. Do not look at Ayurveda and Yoga as a means of medical treatment only; instead of this we should make them a part of our life.

My dear countrymen, especially my young friends, we have been getting glad tidings from the field of sports. In different games, our athletes have made the country proud. In hockey, India has won the Asia Cup hockey title through its dazzling performance. Our players performed magnificently and on the basis of their sterling efforts, India has become the Asia Cup champion after an interval of ten years. India had earlier won the Asia Cup in Hockey in the years 2003 and 2007. I extend felicitations on behalf of the entire nation to the entire team and support staff.

After hockey, good news for India also came in badminton. Badminton star Kidambi Srikanth has filled every Indian’s heart with pride by clinching the Denmark Open title with his excellent performance. After Indonesia Open and Australia Open, this win has completed the triad of the super series premiere title. I congratulate our young friend, Kidambi Srikanth for this feat and enhancing the prestige of India.

Friends, the FIFA Under-17 World Cup was organized this month. Teams from all over the world came to India and all of them exhibited their skills on the football field. I also got an opportunity to go and watch a match. There was a lot of enthusiasm among the players and the spectators. This world cup was a super event where the whole world was watching you. Such a big spectacle, I was astounded to see the energy, enthusiasm, and zeal of all the young players. The world cup was successfully organized and all the teams performed their best.

Regardless of the fact that India could not win the title, the young players of India won the hearts of everyone. The whole world including India enjoyed this mega festival of sports and this whole tournament was both full of interest and entertainment for football lovers. The signs that the future of football is very bright have started to appear. I extend my congratulations and good wishes to all the players, their colleagues, and all the sports lovers once again.

My dear countrymen, a multitude of people write to me about ‘Swachch Bharat’, I feel that if I have to do justice to their feelings then I will have to do the program ‘Mann Ki Baat’ every day and every day ‘Mann Ki Baat’ will be dedicated solely to the subject of cleanliness. Some listeners send photo graphs of the efforts undertaken by children whereas others mention the role of youth in these efforts. Sometimes there is a story of an innovation to bring about cleanliness or winds of change that get ushered due to an official’s zeal.

A few days ago I received a very detailed report highlighting the story of transformation of Chandrapur Fort in Maharashtra. An NGO called Ecological Protection Organization launched a cleanliness campaign in Chandrapur Fort. In this campaign lasting for two hundred days, people performed the task of cleaning the fort, non-stop, without any fatigue and with team-work. Just think Two-hundred-days of continuous labour! They sent me photographs with a caption- ‘Before and After’! I was overwhelmed on seeing these and whoever will see these photographs, no matter how upset he is on witnessing the filth around him, and wondering how the mission of cleanliness will be fulfilled - then I have to tell such people that you can see for yourself the toil, resolve and determination of the members of the Ecological Protection Organization, in these living pictures.

Just on seeing these pictures, your disappointment will transform into hope. This mammoth effort of bringing about cleanliness is a wonderful example of fostering aesthetics, co-operation and continuum. Forts are symbols of our heritage. And it is the duty of all countrymen to keep our historical heritage safe and clean. I congratulate Ecological Protection Organization, their entire team and the people of Chandrapur.

My dear countrymen, we’ll celebrate Guru Nanak Jayanti on the 4^th of November. Guru Nanak Dev ji is not only the first guru of Sikhs; he’s guru to the entire world. He envisioned the welfare of all humanity and considered all castes to be equal. He stressed on women empowerment and respect for women. Guru Nanak Dev ji undertook a 28 thousand kilometre journey on foot and throughout the journey spread the message of true humanity. He entered into a dialogue with people and showed them the path of truth, sacrifice & dedication. He advocated the message of equality in society, not through mere words but through concrete endeavour. He ran a LANGAR which sowed the seeds of the spirit of service amongst fellow beings. Partaking of LANGAR together created a feeling of unity & oneness in people. Guru Nanak Dev ji voiced three messages for a meaningful, fulfilling life- Chant the name of the Almighty, work hard and help the needy. In order to convey his ideals, Guru Nanak Dev ji composed the Gurbani. Come 2019, we are going to celebrate the 550^th PRAKASH VARSH of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Come, let us try & advance on the path of his ideals & teachings.

My dear countrymen, we shall celebrate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, two days from now, on the 31^st of October. All of us know that he was the one who laid the foundation stone of modern, unified India. We can learn a lot from the unparalleled saga of this great son of Mother India. The 31^st of October was also the day on which Smt. Indira Gandhi left this world. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s speciality was that he not only put forth revolutionary ideas; he was immensely capable of devising practical solutions to the most complicated problems in the way. Translating a thought into reality was his forte’. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took on the reins of weaving a unified India. He ensured that millions of Indians were brought under the ambit of one nation & one constitution. His decision making ability infused in him the strength to overcome all obstacles. Wherever respectful coercion was needed, he proceeded gently. Wherever the use of force was imperative, he did not hesitate. He set a definite goal and moved forward on its path with grit & determination. It was only he who could achieve this task of uniting India. He conceived a nation where everyone was equal. One ideal of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will always be inspiring to all of us. He had said “No division of caste or creed should be able to stop us, all are the sons & daughters of India, all of us should love our country and we should carve out our destiny on the foundation of mutual love & harmony.

These lofty ideals of Sardar Sahab are relevant to and inspiring for our vision for a New India, even today. And that is why his birthday is celebrated as National Unity Day. His contribution in giving a unified texture to the nation is without parallel. On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Sahab, Run for Unity will be organized throughout the country, which will see the participation of children, youth, women, in fact people of all age groups. I urge you to participate in Run for Unity, the festival of mutual harmony.

My dear countrymen, you must’ve returned to your respective routines after the Diwali vacation, with a new resolve, with a new determination. May all your dreams come true, my best wishes to you.

Many many Thanks.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar to all of you! It is now a full three years since I started speaking to you over “Mann Ki Baat”. This is the 36th episode today. “Mann Ki Baat” has provided me with a unique opportunity to get connected with various feelings and positive energy of the country; emotions of our people which include their desires, expectations and at times, even grievances, which come to their minds. And I have never said that these are the expressions of my mind; Mann Ki Baat reflects our countrymen’s minds, their expressions, their expectations. And when I say things in Mann Ki Baat, people from across the country send their ideas, experiences and feelings to me. I am probably not able to convey all these to you but still I get a treasure-full of ideas over e-mail, over telephone, over mygov. or over Narendra Modi App. I receive a multitude of such ideas and suggestions. Most of these are inspiring to me.

A large number of these ideas are regarding improvements in the functioning of our government. There are personal grievances and complaints and sometimes attention is drawn to community problems. I just take half an hour of your time in a month but people keep sending suggestions, ideas and other material over Mann Ki Baat during all 30 days of the month. And, the result of this whole exercise is that the government has started realizing the sensitivities and powerful ideas of the people of far off places. And, this is why the three-year journey of Mann Ki Baat is in fact a journey of our countrymen, their emotions and their feelings. I am thankful to our countrymen for having provided me an opportunity to understand the feelings of the common man. In Mann Ki Baat, I have always remembered one sentence of Acharya Vinoba Bhave. He always used to say ‘A- sarkari, Asarkari’, meaning non government is effective. I have also tried to focus on the people of the country in Mann Ki Baat, have kept it away from political hues & tried to remain connected with you with a stable mind rather than being diverted by the heat of the moment or anguish.

I surely believe and feel that now after three years, social scientists, universities, research scholars, media experts would undertake its analysis and highlight its every aspect, positive as well as negative. And I am sure that this brainstorming could be useful for Mann Ki Baat in future and will infuse a new energy into it. And, in one episode of Mann Ki Baat I had said that while having our food, we must also be conscious of consuming only as much as we need and see to it that there is no wastage. But, later, I received letters from all corners of the country. Many social organizations and many youth are already observing this in practice. I come to know about a lot many people who were involved in ensuring that leftover food was best utilized. I derived much satisfaction and joy to learn this.

Once, in Mann Ki Baat, I had mentioned about a retired teacher from Maharashtra Shriman Chandrakant Kulkarni who donated 51 post - dated cheques of Rs. 5,000/- each for the cleanliness drive out of his total monthly pension of Rs. 16,000/-. And then I saw that a lot many people came forward to donate for this cause.

Once, I saw a selfie of a sarpanch with a daughter and referred to the same in Mann Ki Baat. In no time, “Selfie with Daughter” became a big campaign not only in India but across the whole world. This is not only an issue of social media. It became an incident to create a new self-confidence and a feeling of self pride in every daughter. Every parent started feeling that they should take a selfie with their daughter. Every daughter started regaining her own self confidence & self esteem.

I was in a meeting with the Tourism Department recently. I asked people  who were planning to go travelling that where-ever they visit ‘Incredible India’, they must send photographs of those places. Lakhs of photographs from every corner of India were received which actually became a treasure for those working in the tourism sector. I’ve experienced through ‘Mann Ki Baat’ that even a tiny incident can launch a massive campaign. Today I felt like sharing it, since I thought that it has been three years, and events & incidents over those three years ran across my mind. The nation is always ready to move in the right direction. Every citizen of the country wants to do something for the benefit of others, for social good, for the country’s progress. This is what I gathered, learnt and understood from our countrymen during three years of the Mann Ki Baat campaign. This is the most valuable capital and enormous strength for any country. I heartily bow to my countrymen.

In one episode of Mann Ki Baat I had discussed about Khadi and Khadi is not a fabric but an idea, a principle. I have noticed that these days interest in Khadi has increased very much and I had just said that I was not asking people to makeover into wearing Khadi permanently; rather, since there are a number of fabrics then why not Khadi also be one of the fabrics of your choice? May be a bed-sheet in the house, a handkerchief or a curtain, it has been felt that the younger generation has got interested in Khadi. Sale of Khadi has increased and as a result of this, the poor man’s household has directly got connected to employment. Discount is offered on Khadi from 2nd October and people get quite a good rebate. I once again urge that we should try and take forward the Khadi movement. We should follow the spirit of helping the poor to be able to light a Diwali lamp. The poor of our country will derive strength from this and we must do it. The increasing interest in Khadi has infused a new thinking in those working in the Khadi sector as well as those connected, in any way, with Khadi. How do we bring in new technology, how do we increase productivity, how do we introduce looms driven by solar power? How do we rejuvenate our traditional heritage which was lying inactive for 20, 25 or 30 years?

Sewapuri Khadi Ashram at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh was lying closed for 26 years but has got a fresh lease of life now. A number of thoughts were implemented. New employment opportunities were created for a number of people. Khadi Gramodyog revived its training centre at Pampore in Kashmir and in this sector Kashmir has so much to offer. With the reopening of this training centre, the new generation will get a boost in jobs in  manufacturing , in weaving, in creating new things and it feels so good to see that even big corporate Houses have started including Khadi items as Diwali gifts. Even people have started exchanging Khadi items as gifts. We now experience how something grows naturally.

My dear countrymen, we had taken a resolve in last month’s Mann Ki Baat and had decided to observe a 15-day Cleanliness Festival before Gandhi Jayanti. We shall connect people through cleanliness. Our Honourable President inaugurated this programme and the country got connected. The old or the young, men or women, city or village everyone has become a part of this Cleanliness campaign now. And when I say “Sankalp Se Siddhi”, we can see for ourselves as to how a Cleanliness Campagin is advancing towards Sankalp Siddhi, that is Attainment through Reslove.  Everyone accepts this, co-operates in this and makes a contribution in realizing this. I am grateful to our Honourable President. But, every section of society has taken this as its own campaign, everyone has got connected to this. Whether it be people from the sports world, academicians, schools, colleges, universities, farmers, workers, officers, government employees, police, or army jawans – every one has got connected with this. A kind of a  pressure has been created in public places and now people resist if someone tries to spoil or to make a public place dirty in any way and even those spoiling public places are also feeling this pressure. It is a good thing and I am pleased to know that just in the first four days of “Swachhata Hi Sewa Abhiyan” more than 75 lakh people joined these activities with more than 40 thousand initiatives..

I have seen that some people are continuously working and are determined to bring out results. I noticed something else this time – one is that we clean up a place, and the second is that we become aware and do not spread filth; but if we have to inculcate cleanliness as a habit, we must start an idea- based movement also. This time a number of competitions were organized on the theme “Cleanliness is Service”. More than two and a half crore children took part in an Essay Competition on cleanliness. Thousands of children made paintings. They drew pictures based on their own imaginations. Many people wrote poems and these days I post drawings made by our young children on social media and praise their efforts. Whenever there is a reference to cleanliness, I do not forget to express my gratitude to media persons. They have taken this campaign in a religious manner. They have made a big contribution in creating a positive environment and are leading the Cleanliness Campaign in their own ways.

We can see in “Swachhata Hi Sewa” movement as to how the electronic media and the print media in our country can render a big service to the country. Just a few days ago some one drew my attention towards Bilal Dar, a young man of 18 years from Srinagar. And you will be glad to know that Srinagar Municipal Corporation has made him their brand ambassador and when there is a talk of brand ambassador, there is a general feeling that he/she must be a Cine artist or a sports-personality. But not in this case. Bilal Dar got connected to the ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’ or Cleanliness Campaign since the age of 12-13 years and has been working for the last 5 to 6 years. He clears plastic, polythene, used bottles, dry or wet waste – every piece of dirt from Aisa’s biggest lake near Srinagar. He also earns from this activity. His father had died of cancer at a very young age but he connected his livelihood with cleanliness. I congratulate Srinagar Municipal Corporation for taking this initiative towards sanitation and for their imagination to appoint an ambassador for this cause of cleanliness because Srinagar is a tourist destination and every Indian wants to go there; and if such attention is given to Cleanliness it is a very big achievement in itself. And I am glad that they have not only appointed Bilal as their ambassador but also given him a vehicle, and also a uniform and he goes to other areas and educates people about cleanliness and inspires them and keeps tracking them till results are achieved. Bilal is very young age wise but is a source of inspiration for all of us who are interested in cleanliness.

I congratulate Bilal Dar.

My dear countrymen, we will have to accept the fact that history begets history and when there is a reference to history, it is but natural to recall our great men. The month of October is a month to remember so many of our titans. From Mahatma Gandhi to Sardar Patel, there are many great leaders who gave us the direction towards the 20th and 21st century, led us, guided us and faced so many hardships for the country. 2nd October is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, 11th October is the birth anniversary of Jai Prakash Narain and Nanaji Deshmukh and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s birth anniversary falls on 25th September. This is the centenary year of Nanaji and Deen Dayal ji. And, what was the main focus of all these great men? One thing was common and that was to live for the country, do something for the nation; they led the people not by mere sermons but by their actions. Gandhiji, Jai Prakashji, Deen Dayalji were such great personalities who remained far away from the corridors of power but lived every moment for the people, kept fighting all odds following the principle “Sarv Jan Hitay – Sarv Jan Sukhay”, they kept endeavouring tirelessly. Nanaji Deshmukh left politics and joined the Gramodaya Movement and while celebrating his Centenary year, it is but natural to honour his contribution towards Gramodaya.

India’s former President Shriman Abdul Kalamji used to speak of Nanaji’s contribution in rural development while talking to the youth. He used to mention Nanaji’s contribution with great respect and he even went to a village to see Nanaji’s work there.

Like Gandhiji, Deen Dayal Upadhyayji also talked about the last person at the farthest fringes. Deen Dayalji talked about the poorest of the poor the deprived, distressed ones and spoke of how, through education, employment or otherwise his life could be transformed. We are not obliging these great men by remembering them but we remember them so that we may be able to foresee our forays into the future and the direction we choose.

In the next Mann Ki Baat, I will surely mention Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel but on 31st October, Run for Unity - Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat -  will be organized throughout the country. There should be a number of Run for Unity programmes in every city, every town and the weather is also such that one would enjoy running – It is essential for developing a will power of steel, like that of Sardar Saheb. Sardar Saheb unified the country. We also have to run for unity in order to promote the mantra of unity.

The element of Unity in diversity being India’s speciality comes naturally to us. We feel proud of diversity but have you ever tried to feel this diversity? I would like to re-iterate to my countrymen, and specially to my young friends that we are alive & aware beings. We should feel India’s diversity, touch it, feel its fragrance. You may see for yourself, that for your inner development also, these diversities of our country work as a big teaching tool. There are vacations, Diwali is drawing near, all around in our country, there is an inclination to travel to some place or the other; people go as tourists and it is very natural. But, it is a matter of concern when we do not see our own country, we do not know about its diversities nor do we understand them. Impressed by mere superficial glitter we have started enjoying touring foreign countries only. You travel around the world, I have no issues but have a look at your own country too. People of North India may not be knowing what all is there in the South! People of West India may not be knowing what all is there in the East! Our country is full of such myriad diversities.

If you refer to Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak, Swami Vivekanand, our former President Abdul Kalamji then you will notice that when they toured around India, they got to see and understand India and they got inspired to do and die for the country. All these great men travelled widely in India. At the beginning of their endeavour, they tried to know and understand India; tried to live India within themselves. Can we make an effort as a student to learn, understand and try to live as per the traditions, culture, attire, eating habits and beliefs of different states, different societies, different groups of our country?

There will be a value addition in tourism only when we travel not only as a visitor but also like a student and make efforts to assimilate, understand & adapt. This is my personal experience, I had a chance of visiting more than five hundred districts of India. In more than four hundred & fifty districts, I had a night stay too. And now, when I am shouldering this responsibility in India, that travel is coming in very handy and proving to be very useful. That helps me a lot in understanding things. I request you too, to feel the “Unity in Diversity” which is not a mere slogan but is a storehouse of enormous energy. The dream of “Ek Bharat – Shreshtha Bharat” is inherent in this. How many varieties of cuisines there are ! If we eat a new dish every day, we won’t have to repeat any variety throughout our life. This is the power of our tourism. I would request that during these vacations do not go out just for a change but leave with the intention to know, understand –& gain something. Internalize India within yourselves. Internalize the diversities of millions of denizens of India within you. These experiences will enrich your lives. Your vision will expand. And, who can be a better teacher than experience!

Generally, October to March is the suitable time for tourism. People travel. I am sure that even this time if you go, you will lend further fillip to my campaign. Wherever you go, share your experiences, share photographs. You must send photographs on # incredibleindia. If you happen to meet people there, send their photos too. Write not only about architecture or natural beauty but write something about their daily life too. Write good travelogues. Send on Mygov. And on Narendra Modi App. A thought comes to my mind, that in order to promote tourism in India what could be the seven best tourist destinations in your state – every Indian must know about these seven tourist spots of his state. If possible, one must visit these seven places. Can you provide some information about that? Can you post on Narendra Modi App? Can you post on #incredibleindia? You see, if all the people of one state will do this, then I will ask the government to do a scrutiny of it and prepare publicity material based on seven common things received from each state. In other words, how can tourist destination be developed keeping public aspirations in mind? Similarly, whatever you have seen throughout India and whichever seven out of these you liked the best and you wish that someone should see these things, or should go there, should get information about them, then you must send photos and information of seven such tourist spots on Mygov. Or on Narendra Modi App. The Government of India will work on that. The government will accept suggestions about making films, videos or preparing publicity material and about promoting that destination. Come, get connected with me. You can also act as a major catalyst in promoting the tourism of our country by utilizing the time from this October to March. I invite you.

My dear countrymen, being a human being, there are many things that touch me too. They agitate my heart. They leave a deep impression on my heart. After all I am also a human being just like you. You might have noticed one recent incident, a unique example of grit, determination and patriotism that was witnessed by all countrymen. The Indian Army has got two extraordinary brave women officers; they are Lieutenant Swati and Nidhi. Their husbands laid down their lives in the service of mother India. One can imagine  one’s agonizing mental state if her world gets shattered at such a early age! But Swati Mahadik, the wife of martyr colonel Santosh Mahadik – resolved to face the difficult situations and she joined the Indian Army. She received training for 11 months putting in great efforts and she put her life at stake to fulfill her husband’s dreams. Similarly, Nidhi Dubey’s husband Mukesh Dubey was a Naik in the army and attained martyrdom while fighting for his country. His wife Nidhi also took a resolve and joined the army. It is very natural for every countryman to have a deep sense of respect for these two bravehearts, our Matri Shakti. I convey my heartiest congratulations to both of them. They have evoked a new inspiration and a new awakening among millions of our countrymen. Many congratulation to these two sisters.

My dear countrymen, there is a big opportunity for our younger generation between Navratra festivities and Diwali. FIFA under- 17 world cup is being organized in our country. I am sure reverberations of the spirit of football will be heard all around. It will evince more interest in Football in every generation. There should not be a single school-college ground in India where we will not see our youngsters at play. Come on, the whole world is coming to play on Indian soil, let us make sports a part of our lives.

My dear countrymen, Navratras are going on. It is a time for praying to Ma Durga. The whole environment is filled with sacred fragrance. All around there is an atmosphere of spirituality, an air of festivities, an atmosphere of bhakti, of reverence. This is revered as a festival of Shakti Sadhana. This is also known as Sharadiya Navratri, the beginning of autumn. On this pious occasion of Navratri, I convey my best wishes to our countrymen and pray to Ma Shakti to let our country attain newer heights so that the desires and expectations of all our countrymen get fulfilled. May our nation be blessed with the strength to face any challenge.

May the nation move forward and may the year two thousand twenty two- 75 years of India’s Independence be an attempt to realize the dreams of our freedom fighters, the resolve of 125 crore countrymen, with their tremendous hard work, courage and determination to fulfill our resolve and prepare a roadmap for five years. We have moved on; may ma-shakti shower her blessings upon us. My good wishes to all of you. Celebrate festivities, enjoy with enthusiasm.

Many Many thanks.

My dear countrymen, Saadar Namaskar. When on the one hand, a sense of festivity pervades the land, and on the other, news of violence comes in, from one part of the country, it is only natural of be concerned. Ours is the country of Buddha and Gandhi, it is the land of Sardar Patel who gave up his all for the unity of the nation. For centuries, our forefathers have imbibed community values, nonviolence, mutual respect – these are inherent to us. We have been hearing and saying Ahimsa ParmoDharmah from our childhood. In my address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I had said that violence in the name of faith will not be tolerated, whether it is communal belief systems, whether it is subscribing to political ideologies, whether it is allegiance to a person or customs and traditions. No one has the right to take the law into one’s own hands in the name of one’s beliefs. In the Constitution given to us by Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar there is every provision for ensuring justice for each and every person. I want to assure my countrymen that people who take the law into their own handsand are on the path of violent suppression – whether it is a person or a group –neither this country nor any government will tolerate it. Each and every person will have to abide by the law; the law will fix accountability and the guilty will unquestionably be punished.

My dear countrymen,our country is a land of diversities – these diversities are not limited to our cuisine, life style and attire.  We observe diversity in every walk of life. Even our festivals are replete with diversity. Ours is arich cultural heritage, spanning thousands of years – when we look at our cultural traditions, social customs, historical events, there would hardly be a day left in the year which is not connected with a festival. You would have noticed, that all our festivals follow the almanac of nature. There is a direct connect with nature. Many of our festivals are linked straightaway with farmers and fishermen.

Speaking about festivals today, I would first like to wish you all michhamidukkadam. The Jain community celebrated the SamvatsariParva yesterday. In the month of Bhadra, ParyushanParva is celebrated by the Jain Community. The last day of ParyushanParva is observed as Samvatsari. This is indeed a remarkable tradition. The festival of Samvatsari is symbolic of forgiveness, non-violence and brotherhood. It is also known as the KshamavaniParva, and on this day, people traditionally greet each other with, ‘michhamidukkadam.’ We have been hearing in our shaastras, our holy texts, “KshamaVeerasya Bhushanam”, that is, forgiveness is the adornment of the brave. The one who forgives is valiant. And Mahatma Gandhi always said, that forgiveness is the quality of great men.

Shakespeare in his play, “The Merchant of Venice”, while explaining the importance of forgiveness, has written, “Mercy is twice blest, It blesseth him that gives and him that takes,” meaning, the forgiver and the forgiven both stand to receive divine blessing.

My dear countrymen, Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated with great fervor all across the country. When we speak of Ganesh Chaturthi, it is but natural to talk about SarvajanikGaneshotsav, that is, community celebrations of the Ganesh Festival. This tradition was established by Bal Gangadhar Tilak 125 years ago, and it was 125 years ago thatSarvajanikGaneshotsav became a symbol of India’s struggle for freedom. And after Independence, this festival has become a vehicle of raising social and educational awareness. Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day festival. This Mahaparva, mega-festival stands for unity, equality, integrity and honesty. My heartiest greetings to all of you on the occasion of Ganeshotsav.

The festival of Onam is being celebrated in Kerela. Of the numerous colourful festivals of India, Onam is a prime festival of Kerela. This festival is known for its social and cultural significance. This festival showcases the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. It gives the message of love and harmony -  awakens new hopes and aspirations, and gives new confidence to the people. Our festivals are now becoming great attractions for tourism. And I would like to mention to my countrymen, that festivals like Navaratri in Gujarat, or Durga Utsav in Bengal are tremendous tourist attractions. Other festivals of our country too, provide an opportunity to attract foreign visitors. We should think about what more can be done in this direction.

In this series of festivals, Eid-ul-Zuha will be celebrated in a few days from now. Heartiest felicitations and best wishes to all countrymen on the occasion of Eid-ul-Zuha. Festivals are of course symbols of faith and belief; in the New India, we should transform them into symbols of cleanliness as well. In individual households, festivals and cleanliness are linked together. In fact, preparationsfor festivals always begin with cleaning. This is nothing new for us, but it is important to convert it into a social character.  Public cleanliness must be insisted upon not just in our homes but in our villages, towns, cities, states and in our entire country – Cleanliness has to be inextricably linked to our festivals.

My dear countrymen, definitions of being modern are perpetually changing. These days, a new measure to gauge a new dimension, a new parameter, has come in to being. It determines what your upbringing has been, how modern you are, how modern your thinking is. And that measure is your level of environment consciousness. Are your activities ecofriendly, environment friendly or otherwise?It is considered to be unacceptable in society today, of you are not environment friendly. And as a result of this I find that, the ecofriendly Ganpati, in this Ganesh Festival has turned into a huge campaign.If you go on YouTube, you will see that children in every home are making earthen Ganesh idols and are colouring them. Some are using vegetable colours, while some are pasting bits and pieces of paper. All sorts of experiments are being carried out in every family. This is probably the first of its kind, the most widespread experiment in environment consciousness. Media houses too, are making a great effort in training people, inspiring them and guiding them towards ecofriendly Ganesh idols. What a massive transformation this has been; a pleasant one at that. And as I mentioned, our country is blessed with millions and millions of the brightest of brains. And it is nice to see all sorts of new innovations. Someone told me about a gentleman who is an engineer and who has collected and combined special varieties of clay, to give training in making Ganesh idols. The Ganesh Visarjan or immersion is done in a small bucket of water, where the idol dissolves within no time. And he didn’t stop there. A tulsi, Holy Basil, sapling was sowed in it. The campaign for Cleanliness which was initiated three years ago will be marking its third anniversary on the 2nd of October. And the positive results are now being seen. Toilets have increased from 39% to almost 67% of the population? More than two lakh thirty thousand villages have declared themselves open defecation free.

Gujarat saw devastating floods recently.  Many people lost their lives. When the waters receded, there was so much filth everywhere. That is when, in Dhanera in the Banaskantha District of Gujarat, volunteers of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind cleaned twenty-two affected temples and two mosques in a phased manner. They came together and toiled collectively. The volunteers of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hindset a fine, inspiring example of unity for cleanliness. If this committed effort towards cleanliness become inherent to us, our country will certainly take our nation to greater heights.

My dear countrymen, I call upon you to begin a campaign, Swachchata Hi Sewa, Cleanliness is Service, at least fifteen-twenty days prior to Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October – on the lines of the age-old belief, Jal SevaYahiPrabhuSeva, Service to Water is Service to God. Let’s create an environment of cleanliness in the entire country. Whenever and wherever possible, let’s look for the opportunity. But we must all come together. We could look at this as preparations for Diwali, preparations for Navaratri, preparations for Durga Puja. Do Shramdan, Donate through labor.  Come together on Sundaysand Holidays. Go to settlements in your neighborhood, go to nearby villages, but do this in the form of a movement. I urge all NGOs, schools, colleges, social, cultural and political leaders, people in the government, collectors and sarpanches, to begin creating an environment of cleanliness at least fifteen days ahead of Gandhi Jayanti on the 2nd of October so that it turns out to be the 2nd October of Gandhi’s dreams. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has created a section on MyGov.in where after constructing a toilet you can register your name and the name of the beneficiary family, who you helped. My friends from the social media can run a few creative campaigns and thus become a source of inspiration in the virtual world, to see results in the real world. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has organized, the Swachch Sankalp se Swachcha Siddhi Pratiyogita, From the resolve of Cleanliness to attaining Cleanliness Competition comprising an essay competition, a short film making competition and a painting competition. You can write essays in various languages and there is no age limit. You can make a short film even with your mobile phone. You can film a two-three-minute movie that inspires cleanliness. It can be in any language; it could be silent too. The best three participants – three at the district level, three at the state level will be given prizes. I invite one and all – Come, join the Cleanliness Campaign in this manner as well.

I would like to reiterate, let’s resolve to celebrate, 2nd October Gandhi Jayanti this year as Swachch Do Aktoobar, Clean 2nd October. And to this end beginning 15th September let us take the mantra, the message, Swachchata Hi Seva, Cleanliness is Service to each and every home. Take one or another step towards cleanliness. Make your effort to be a part of it. You will see how the Gandhi Jayanti of this 2nd October shines. You can imagine the inner bliss of paying homage to our revered Bapu, with fifteen days of this cleanliness campaign, Swachchata Hi Seva, when we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti on the 2nd of October.   

My dear countrymen, I want to specially express my indebtedness to you. I want to thank you from the core of my heart, not because you have been connected with Mann Ki Baat, for such a long time – I want to express my gratitude and indebtedness as millions of people from across the country come together with Mann kiBaat. The number of listeners are in crores out of which lakhs of people write letters to me, send messages, and get their messages recorded on phone, which is a huge treasure for me. This has become a great opportunity for me to understand the hearts and minds of one and all. Much as you wait for Mann ki Baat, I await your messages with greater eagerness. I always look forward with anticipation, because I find so much to learn from all that you share. It is an opportunity to test my endeavors on this touchstone. Even the smallest of your suggestions help me in thinking anew on a wide variety of subjects. I therefore express my heartfelt gratitude for your contributions and also my indebtedness to you. My endeavor always is to see for myself, hear, read and understand your thoughts. All sorts of things come to me. Now take this phone call for example. You will be able to correlate with it. You too would feel that, you would’ve committed the same mistake. Sometimes certain things become a part of our habits, that we don’t even realize that we are doing something wrong.

“Pradhan Mantri ji, I am Aparna from Pune. I want to tell you about a friend of mine. She always tries to help others, but one habit of hers amazes me. I went for shopping with her at a mall. She coolly spent two thousand rupees on a sari, and four hundred and fifty rupees on a pizza. Whereas, she haggled for a long time, over merely five rupees, with the auto driver, who took us to the mall. On the way back, we stopped to buy vegetables, and again she haggled with the vendors to save 4-5 rupees. I feel very bad. We spend extravagantly in high places, without a single thought, but when it comes to our hardworking brethren, we quarrel with them over small amounts. We don’t trust them. Please speak about this on Mann kiBaat.”

Now after listening to this phone call, I am certain that you would have been shocked and awakened and would probably have resolved not to repeat such a mistake. Don’t you feel that whenever a vendor comes to your door to sell something, on his rounds, when we come into contact with small shopkeepers, vegetable sellers, auto rickshaw drivers - in fact any person who earns through sheer hard work – we start bargaining with him, haggling with him: “No not so much, make it two rupees less, five rupees less!” And it is us, the same people, who go to dine at a fine restaurant, we don’t even bother to check the bill, we just go ahead and pay the money, without thinking twice. Not just this, when we go to a showroom to buy a saree, we don’t bargain, but when it comes to someone poor, we just cannot resist bargaining. Have you ever wondered what a poor man goes through? It is not a matter of two or five rupees, it hurts him deeply, when he feels that you are questioning his honesty. Two or five rupees make no difference to your life, but have you thought how much heartache this petty habit of yours can cause him. Madam I am grateful to you for calling me with this touching message. I am certain that my countrymen, if they are in the habit of behaving in this way with the poor will now stop doing so.

My dear young friends, the country celebrates National Sports Day on the 29th of August. This is the birth anniversary of the great hockey player, hockey wizard, Major Dhyan Chand ji. His contribution to hockey was unparalleled. I am reminding you of this because I want the younger generation of our country to take part in sports. Sports should become a part of our lives. If we are a young nation, our youth should get manifested in the field sports as well. Sports means, physical fitness, mental alertness and personality enhancement. What else does one need? Sports, in a way, is a recipe that brings people together. The young generation of our country should come forward in the world of sports – and in today’s computer era I would like to alert you to the fact that the playing field is far more important than the play station. Play FIFA on the computer, but sometimes show your skills with the football out in the field. You must be playing cricket on the computer but the pleasure of actually playing cricket in an open field under the sky is something else. There was a time when the children in the family went out to play, the mother would first ask, “When will you come back home?” Now the times are such that children, when they come home, they either start watching cartoons in a corner, or are glued to mobile games. And the mother has to shout, “When will you go out?” How times have changed! There was a time when the mother would demand to know when her son would be back. And today, she demands to know when he will go out.

Young friends, the Sports Ministry is launching a Sports Talent Search Portal to search for sporting talent and to groom them. Any talented child who has an achievement in sports, can upload his biodata or video on this portal. The Ministry of Sports will impart training to selected emerging players. The Ministry is launching the portal tomorrow. The good news for our young friends is that the FIFA Under 17 World Cup is being organized in India, from the 6th to the 28th of October.  Twenty-four teams from all over the world will be making India their home.

Come, let’s welcome the young visitors from all across the world with the festival of Sports, let’s enjoy the sport, and create a conducive sporting atmosphere in the country. I speak about sports today, and just last week, a heartwarming incident took place, which I would like to share with my countrymen.  I had the opportunity to meet some young daughters, some of who, were born in the Himalayas, who had absolutely no connection with the sea. Six of these young daughters are in the Navy. Their grit and zeal, is inspiring for all of us. These six young women will embark on a voyage across the seas, in a small boat, INS Tarini. The expedition has been named, NavikaSagar Parikrama. They will circumnavigate the globe and return home, after many months. Sometimes they will spend 40 days on the seas in one go; at times, thirty. Our six daughters riding the waves of the high seas, with courage, is the first instance of its kind in the world. Each and every Indian would be proud of these daughters. I salute their valour and I have asked them to share their experiences with the entire country. I too am making a separate arrangement for their experiences on the NarendraModiApp to ensure that you can read it. For this is a tale of heroism, a tale of personal experiences, and I would be happy to bring you the stories of these daughters. My best wishes and blessings to these daughters.

My dear countrymen, we celebrate 5th September as Teacher’s Day. It is the birthday of our former President, Dr. Radhakrishnan ji. He was the President, but all through his life, he saw himself as a teacher. He preferred to live a teacher’s life. He was committed to being a teacher. He was a scholar, a diplomat, the President of India and yet, quintessentially a teacher. I salute him.

The great scientist Albert Einstein said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” The most important quality of a teacher, is to awaken in his students, a sense of creativity and the joy of learning. As we celebrate Teacher’s Day this year can we come together and take a resolve? Can we run a campaign in mission mode? Teach to Transform, Educate to Empower, Learn to Lead.  Can we move ahead with this resolve?  Get someone committed to a five-year resolve. Show him the path of attainment, which he can achieve in five years - so that he can experience the joy of success in life. Such an atmosphere can be created by our schools, our colleges, our teachers, our educational institutions. When we speak about transformation in our country, we must think of our teachers as we do of our mothers. The teacher plays a vital role in transformation. In the life of every teacher, there are incidents of simple efforts that succeeded in bringing about a transformation in somebody’s life. We will play a big role in the transformation of the nation, if we make a collective effort. Come, let’s move forward with the mantra, Teach to Transform.

“Pranam Pradhan Mantri ji, I am Dr. Ananya Awasthi. I am a resident of Mumbai and work for the India Research Centre of Harvard University.  As a researcher, I have been specially interested in Financial Inclusion. With reference to the social schemes related to Financial Inclusion, my question to you is: In the backdrop of the Jan DhanYojna launched in 2014, can you say that, do the statistics show thattoday, three years later, India is financially more secure and stronger, and whether this empowerment and benefits have percolated down to our women, farmers and workers, in villages and small towns. Thank you.”

My dear countrymen, the Pradhan Mantri Jan DhanYojna, financial inclusion, had been a point of discussion amongst Financial Pundits, not just in India, but all over the world. On the 28th of August 2014, we had launched this campaign with a dream in our hearts. Tomorrow on the 28th of August, the Pradhan Mantri Jan DhanYojna will complete three years. Thirty crore new families have been linked to this scheme, bank accounts have been opened. This number is larger than the population of many countries of the world. And today I feel a great sense of fulfilment, that within three years, the last man on the fringes of society has become a part of the mainstream economy of the country. His ways have changed, he has now started going to the bank. He has started saving his money. He feels financially secure. When there is cash in the hand, or in the pocket or at home, one is tempted to indulge in wasteful expenditure. There is now an air of prudence. He is now beginning to understand that the money can be of use for his children. The money can be used productively in the days to come. Not just this, when a poor person sees a RuPay Card, in his pocket, he finds himself to be equal to the privileged – that if they have a credit card in their pockets, I too have a RuPay Card in mind. He feels a sense of dignity.

In the Pradhan Mantri Jan DhanYojna, almost 65 thousand crore rupees have deposited in banks by our underprivileged brethren. In a way, this is a saving for the poor, this is his empowerment for the future. And those who opened their accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan DhanYojna, have received the benefit of insurance as well. Schemes like, Pradhan Mantri Jeewan Jyoti BimaYojna, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojna, with a small premium of one rupee or thirty rupees, are giving a new sense of confidence to the poor. For many families, in times of adversity, or on the demise of the head of the family, through the one-rupeeinsurance,they received two lakh rupees in a matter of days. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna, Start Up Yojna, Stand Up Yojna – for Dalits, Adivasis, women, educated youth, youth who want to stand on their own feet - for millions and millions through Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna, they have been able to get loans from banks without any guarantee. They have been able to stand on their own feet and have succeeded in giving employment to one or two other people as well. Banks have conducted surveys about how the common man has benefitted from Jan DhanYojna, from Insurance Schemes, from RuPay Card and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna. I recently met a few bankers, who shared inspiring stories from their survey. There isn’t enough time today, but I would certainly like request the bankers to upload these inspiring stories, on MyGov.in, so that people can read them and be inspired by how a scheme can bring about transformation in the life of a person, how it can bring a new energy, a new confidence – hundreds of examples have come before me. I will try my best to bring these to you; and the media can also take advantage of these inspiring stories.  They too, can interview such people, and inspire the young generation.

My dear countrymen, once again, I wish you “michchamidukkadm.” Thank you very much.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. We human beings have a natural inclination to be enchanted by the delights of the rainy season. Animals, birds, flora – nature in its entirety, is filled with the joys of the season. But sometimes, when the rain unleashes full force of its fury, we come to realise the extent of the destructive might of water. Mother Nature gives us life and nurtures us, but at times natural catastrophes such as floods and earthquakes wreak havoc on a massive scale. Climate change, altered weather cycles, and transformations in the environment, are also having a big negative impact.

Recently, in certain parts of India, particularly, Assam, North-East, Gujarat, Rajasthan and some areas of Bengal, have had to bear the brunt of natural disasters, caused by excessive rains. Flood affected areas are being closely monitored. Relief efforts have been undertaken on an extensive cale. Wherever possible, my colleagues in the Council of Ministers are also personally visiting affected areas. The state governments too are making maximum possible efforts on their part to provide relief to the flood affected people. Social organisations, cultural organizations and common citizens charged with the spirit of service are also making their utmost efforts to help the affected people in this situation. The Government of India, Army personnel, Air Force personnel, NDRF personnel, Paramilitary forces – everybody does his or her best in providing succour to the disaster stricken people.

Life goes completely topsy-turvy as a result of the floods. Crops, livestock, infrastructure, roads, electricity, communication links – everything gets affected. In particular, our Farmer brethren have to bear a lot of losses because of the damage to their crops and fields. Therefore, we have formulated a scheme for the insurance companies, especially crop insurance companies, to make them more proactive, to ensure quick settlements of claims for farmers.

A 24×7 control room helpline number 1078 is functioning continuously to deal with the flood situation. People are also voicing their difficulties. Before the monsoons, the entire government machinery was brought into a state of preparedness through mock drills undertaken at most of the places. NDRF teams were deployed. Aapada Mitra, or Friends during Disaster were identified at various places and these were then trained in the Do’s and Don’ts; volunteers were enlisted, and a people’s organisation set up to work in this situation. Weather forecasts are available these days and the concerned technology has become so advanced these days, and space science also plays a very big role, that these weather forecasts turn out to be mostly accurate now. We should also gradually make it our nature to set our work patterns according to the weather predictions, which could safeguard us against losses.

Whenever I prepare myself for ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I find that the citizens of our country prepare themselves even more. This time around, there have been innumerable letters and phone calls in regard to GST. People are still expressing their happiness about GST, and are also eager to know more about it. I would like you to hear one such phone call: –

“Namaskar, Pradhan Mantri ji, this is Neetu Garg from Gurgaon. I heard your speech on the Chartered Accountants Day and was deeply impressed. In the same manner, Goods and Services Tax, GST, was launched on this very day last month. Could you please elaborate whether its results after one month are matching the expectations of the Government? I would like to hear your views on this. Thank you.”

It has been one month since GST was implemented and its benefits can be seen already. I feel very happy and satisfied when a poor person writes to say how because of GST prices of various items essential for him have come down, and commodities have become cheaper. When a person from the North-East, someone living in the remote areas, in the hills or forests, writes a letter to communicate that in the beginning, he used to be apprehensive about GST wondering what it was all about, but now that he has begun to understand it, he feels that things have become much easier than before. Doing business has become so much easier. And most important of all, the trust of customers for the traders is increasing.

I have been observing how GST has impacted the transport and logistics sector; how the movement of trucks has increased. The time required to cover distances has come down drastically. Highways have become clutter-free. Pollution levels have come down with the increased speeds of the trucks. Goods are also being transported much faster. This indeed is a convenience, but at the same time it is also bolstering the economic progress. Earlier, because of the multiple tax structures, maximum resources of the transport and logistics sector were expended in maintaining paperwork and that also led to the need for construction of new warehouses in each state.

I call GST, Good and Simple Tax. Indeed, it has produced a big positive effect on our economy in a very short time span. The speed at which the smooth transition has taken place, along with rapid migration and new registrations, has instilled a new sense of confidence in the entire country. And some day, the Pundits of Economics, Pundits of Management and Pundits of Technology, will certainly undertake researches and write about India’s GST experiment as a model for the world. It will become a case study for universities across the world. The implementation and furtherance of such a phenomenal change on such a monumental scale, with the involvement of so many tens of millions of people in such a vast country, is in itself a pinnacle of success. The world will definitely make a study of it. And this implementation has had all the states participating in it and sharing the responsibility. All decisions have been taken unanimously by the states and the Centre together. And as a result, one overriding priority for every government has been to ensure that there is no burden on the plate of the poor on account of GST.

And using the GST App all information is available on your mobile phone as to how much the price of an item was earlier and how much will it be now in the new situation. The lofty dream of One Nation – One Tax has finally been fulfilled. In the matter of GST I have seen how everyone, right from the Government functionaries at the Tehsil level to the officers in the top echelons of Government of India have toiled tirelessly with great dedication. The manner in which the friendly environment was created between the Government and traders, between the government and consumers, played a very significant role in enhancing mutual trust.

I extend my heartiest felicitations to each and every ministry, every department and all employees of the Central and State governments involved with this process. GST is a fine example of the collective strength of the people of India. This is a historic achievement. And this is not just a tax reform; it is a new economic order that will strengthen a new culture of honesty. In a way, it is also a campaign for social reformation. I would like to once again express my deep gratitude to the millions of my countrymen who have contributed to the successful achievement of this great feat with such felicity.

My dear countrymen, the month of August is the month of Revolution. We have been hearing this as a natural fact right from our childhood and the reason is, the Non-Cooperation Movement was launched on the 1st of August 1920; the Quit India Movement, which is also known as ‘Agast Kranti’ began on the 9th of August 1942; and on 15thAugust 1947 India became independent. In a way, there are many events in the month of August that are closely associated with the history of our freedom movement. This year, we are going to observe the 75th Anniversary of the Quit India Movement. But very few people know the fact that the slogan, ‘Quit India’ was coined by Dr. Yusuf Meher Ali. Our young generation must know what had happened on the 9th of August 1942.

From 1857 to 1942, the people of India, with their ardent desire for freedom, came together, fought together, and suffered hardships; these pages of history are an inspiration to us for building a glorious India. The heroes of our freedom struggle with their single-minded devotion did a ‘Tapasya’, endured hardships, made great sacrifices and even laid down their lives; what greater inspiration could there be! The ‘Quit India Movement’ was an important milestone in the Indian Freedom Movement. It was this movement that had made the entire nation determined to attain freedom from the British Rule. This was the time when the people of India, in every part of the country – be it a village or city, the educated or illiterate, the rich or poor, everyone came together shoulder to shoulder and became a part of the ‘Quit India Movement.’ People’s anger was at its peak. Millions of Indians responded to Mahatma Gandhi’s clarion call and the mantra of ‘Do or Die’; they flung themselves into the struggle. Millions of the youth of the country renounced their studies, gave up their books. They set out on the march to the sound of the bugle for freedom. Mahatma Gandhi gave a call for the ‘Quit India Movement’ on 9th August, but each and every prominent leader had been imprisoned by the British Government, and it was during this time that the second generation of leadership comprising great men like Dr. Lohia, Jaiprakash Narain played a leading and pivotal role.

In the ‘Non-Cooperation Movement’ of 1920 and the ‘Quit India Movement’ of 1942, two different personas of Mahatma Gandhi can be seen. The whole scenario of the ‘Quit India Movement’ was different and in 1942 things rose to such a point, there was such a heightened sense of intensity, that a Mahapurush like Mahatma Gandhi gave the mantra of “Do or Die.” The reason for this entire success was the people’s support, people’s resolve, and people’s struggle. The entire country had come together as one to fight for the cause. And I sometimes think that if we link the pages of history, it is seen that the First War of Independence took place in 1857. The freedom struggle which began in 1857, continued to be manifested in one or the other corner of the country till 1942. This long time period ignited the intense longing for freedom in the hearts of the people. Each one became committed to do something. The determination did not diminish with each passing generation. New people kept coming forward each time in place of those who departed and the country kept on every moment endeavouring tirelessly to uproot the British Rule. This perseverance, this struggle from 1857 to 1942 created a situation which reached its climax in 1942; the clarion call of ‘Quit India’ was such that within five years, in 1947 the British were compelled to leave India. 1857 to 1942 – the yearning for freedom had reached the grassroots, had reached everybody. And 1942 to 1947 – these decisive five years became integral for the masses to successfully attain through resolve, freedom for the country. These five years were indeed decisive.

I would now like to connect you with its mathematical manifestation. We became free in 1947. This is 2017. It has been almost 70 years. Governments have come and gone. Systems have been made, changed, nurtured, and expanded. Everyone has tried to rid the country of its problems in one’s own way. There have been efforts towards increasing employment, poverty alleviation, and development. These efforts were also driven with hard work in their different ways. There have been successes. Expectations have also risen. The way, the years from 1942 to 1947 were the decisive years for attainment through resolve. I can see that 2017 to 2022 presents itself as a new time segment of five years for attainment through resolve. We should celebrate 15th August 2017 as the Sankalp Parva or the Day of Resolve, and in 2022 marking 75 years of Freedom, we will certainly transform that resolve into ‘Siddhi’ or attainment.

If 1.25 billion Indians, commemorate Agast Kranti Day of 9th August, and each person resolves on 15th August, that he or she will do for the country, this much as an individual, as a citizen, this much as a family, this much as a society, this much as a village, this much as a city, this much as a government department, and this much as the government; let there be millions and millions of resolves; let there be strivings for the realisation of these millions and millions of resolves.

Just as the five years from 1942 to 1947 were decisive for the country’s Independence, these five years from 2017 to 2022 can and must play a decisive role for the future of India. Five years from now, we will celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence. Therefore, we must take a firm resolve today. We must make 2017 our Year of Resolve. In this month of August, we have to come together and resolve: Filth – Quit India; Poverty – Quit India; Corruption – Quit India; Terrorism – Quit India; Casteism – Quit India; Communalism – Quit India!

The need for today is not ‘Do or Die’, instead it is to resolve, to come together, persevere, and work relentlessly with our utmost strength towards the making of a new India. Let us live by and strive for this resolve. Come let’s launch a mega campaign Sankalp se Siddhi – Attainment through Resolve, from the 9th of this August. Every Indian, social organisations, Local Self-Government Institutions, schools, colleges, various organizations – all should take one resolve or the other for a New India. A resolve that we will positively fulfil in the next five years. Youth organisations, student organisations, NGOs, etc. can organise group discussions, to bring forth new ideas. Where do we want to reach as a nation? What can be my contribution for this as an individual? Let us come together and make this a Festival of Resolve.

I would particularly like to call upon the online world, since wherever we may be, we are almost always online; so I would like to invite the online community and specially my young friends to come forward and contribute innovatively for building of the New India. They can use technology – videos, posts, blogs, scripts, novel ideas – to put forward all these. Transform this campaign into a peoples’ movement. A Quit India Quiz is also being launched for my young friends on NarendraModiApp. This quiz is an attempt to familiarise the youth with India’s glorious history and the heroes of the freedom movement. It is my belief that you will surely publicise and spread awareness about this quiz.

My dear countrymen, on August 15, as the nation’s ‘Pradhan Sewak’, I get an opportunity to communicate with the country from the ramparts of the Red Fort. I am merely an instrument. It is not one single person who makes that address, but it is the collective voice of 1.25 billion of my countrymen that resounds from the Red Fort. I try to give words to their dreams, and I am glad that for the past 3 years, I get suggestions from every corner of the country for August 15, as to what I should speak on the 15th August and which issues should I include in my address on the occasion. This time too, I invite you to share your thoughts either on MyGov or on NarendraModiApp. I read these myself and shall try to express them in whatever time I have with me on 15th August. For the previous three 15th August speeches, one consistent complaint has been that my speeches tend to be a little lengthy. I have planned to keep my speech short this time – not more than 40-45-50 minutes. I have tried to draw these rules for myself, but I don’t know whether I’ll be able to stick to them. But I do intend to try this time to shorten my speech. Let’s see whether I succeed or not.

My countrymen, I would like to say one more thing to you. India’s economy has in itself an element of social economics. And we should never underestimate its value. Our festivals, our celebrations are not merely occasions of joy and merriment. Our festivals are in themselves campaigns of social reform too. And each of our festivals are directly linked with the financial conditions of the poorest of the poor. Rakshabandhan, Janmashtami, Ganesh Utsav, Chauth Chandra, Anant Chaturdashi, Durga Pooja, Diwali – these will be observed one after the other. And this is also the time when the poor get an opportunity to earn an income and of course this adds a spontaneous joy to the festivities.

Festivals lend a sweetness to our relationships, bring a warmth of togetherness in the family and foster brotherhood in society. They connect the individual with society. It is a natural journey from the self to the collective. And the ‘I’ gets an opportunity to transform into a ‘We’. As far as the economy is concerned, hundreds of families start making Rakhis in small household units, many months before the festival of Rakhi. A variety of Rakhis are made in a whole range of materials, from ‘khadi’ to silken threads. People prefer homemade Rakhis these days. Rakhi makers and their sellers, sweets shops vendors – the professions of hundreds, thousands flourish on the occasion of a festival. The households of our poor brethren and their families are dependent in a way on these activities. When we light a ‘diya’, an earthen lamp on Deepawali, it is not merely a festival of lights, a festival that illuminates the entire house; it is directly connected with those poor families who make small ‘diyas’ or earthen lamps. Today as I speak about festivals and how they are linked to the economy of the poor, I want to touch upon the subject of environment as well.

I have observed and sometimes think that the citizens of our country are more aware and active than me. For the last one month, environmentally conscious citizens have constantly written letters to me. And they have requested that I talk about eco-friendly Ganesha idols, well in time for people to plan for clay Ganesha idols during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Firstly, I am most grateful to such conscientious citizens. They have urged me to speak on this subject well before the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. This time around, there is a special significance to the observance of community Ganesh festival as a public celebration.

Lokmanya Tilak ji started this great tradition, and this year marks the 125th anniversary of community Ganesh festival. 125 years and 1.25 billion countrymen! Lokmanya Tilak ji started the Sarvjanik Ganeshotsav with the basic aim to inculcate the spirit of unity, enhance awareness in society, and promote the culture of togetherness. So this year we should again, during the Ganesh festival, organise essay competitions, have open discussions and remember the contributions of Lokmanya Tilak. And we must think anew ways to steer Community Ganesh Festivals in consonance with the sentiments of Tilak ji. How we must lend strength to that spirit and at the same time resolve to use eco-friendly clay Ganesha idols, to protect the environment. And this time I have spoken about it well in time. I am sure that all of you will join me. This will surely benefit our poor artisans, and artists, and provide employment to those who make idols. The poor will be able to earn a living and feed themselves. Come, let us link our festivities with the economic welfare of the poor, let the joys of our festivals connect with the households of the underprivileged, bringing monetary happiness to the have-nots. This should be the endeavor of all of us. I extend my best wishes to all my countrymen for the various upcoming festivals and celebrations.

My dear countrymen, we are continually seeing that our daughters are bringing laurels to the country in all the fields – be it education, economic activities, social spheres or in sports – they are scaling new heights. We as a nation take great pride in our daughters. Recently our daughters performed brilliantly in the Women’s Cricket World Cup. This week I had the opportunity to meet our daughters, the members of our Women’s Cricket team. I felt happy talking to them, but I had a feeling that they felt burdened by the fact that they could not win the World Cup. This stress, this tension was evident on their faces also. So while speaking to these daughters, I put forth a different viewpoint before them. I said, “Look, this is the age of the media. So expectations get hyped up to such an extent that if corresponding success is not achieved, these turn into despair and even resentment. We have seen during many such events where if the Indian players fail, the anger of the country is vented towards the players. Some people cross all limits of decency and say and write things that inflict pain and hurt. But it happened for the first time that when our daughters did not succeed in winning the World Cup, the hundred and twenty-five million people took this defeat on their own shoulders, never letting the burden weigh down these daughters of ours. Not only this, they lauded them and showered them with high praise for their brilliant performance. I view this as a healthy and pleasant change and I told these daughters that only they were blessed with such good fortune, and hence they should banish any thought of not having been successful. You may not have won the final match but you have won the hearts of 1.25 billion Indians. Truly our young generation, especially the daughters of our country are doing so much to bring glory to the nation. I once again extend my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the young generation of our country, especially our daughters.

My dear countrymen, I remind you once again of ‘Agast Kranti’, of 9th August, I remind you once again of 15th August. And I am reminding you once again of 2022, 75 years of India’s Independence. Every countryman should make a resolve, every countryman should prepare a 5-year roadmap to realise that resolve. All of us have to take our nation to newer heights. We must strive tirelessly to do so. Come, let’s march together as we do our bit. The destiny, the future of the country shall be brighter, let us move ahead with this belief. Lots and lots of good wishes to you all. Thank you!

My Dear Countrymen. Namaskar. The weather is changing. It has been extremely hot this year. But it is good that the monsoon is moving ahead on schedule on its natural course. The weather has become pleasant in several parts of the country with abundant showers. As a result of the rains, the cool breeze has brought about some respite from the oppressive heat of past few days. One has seen that no matter how hectic the life is, no matter how tense we are, whether its one’s personal or public life, the arrival of the rains does lift one’s spirits.

The Car festival of Lord Jagannath, the Rath Yatra, is being celebrated in several parts of the country with great piety and fervour. This festival is now also celebrated in some parts of the world. The underprivileged of the country are deeply connected to Lord Jagannath. Those who have studied the life and works of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, would have observed that he had wholeheartedly praised the Lord Jagannath temple and its traditions, since, social justice and social equality were inherent to these. Lord Jagannath is the God of the poor. But few would know that in English, there is a word, ‘juggernaut’ which means, a magnificent chariot, that is unstoppable. In the dictionary, the etymology of the word ‘juggernaut’ traces its roots to the chariot of Lord Jagannath. And therefore, we can observe that the world has in its own way accepted the significance of the Car Festival of Lord Jagannath, The Rath Yatra. On the occasion of Lord Jagannath’s Car Festival, I extend my heartiest greetings to all my fellow countrymen, and offer my obeisance to Lord Jagannath.

India’s diversity is its unique characteristic, and India’s diversity is also its strength. The holy month of Ramzan is observed all across, in prayer with piety. And now the festival of Eid is here. On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, my heartiest greetings to one and all. Ramzan is a month of charity, and sharing joy. The more you share joy, the more it multiplies. Let us come together and take inspiration from these holy festivals and share their joyous treasures, and take the nation forward.

In this holy month of Ramzan, I came across a very inspiring incident at Mubarakpur village of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. About three and a half thousand families of our Muslim brethren reside in that little village and in a way, form a majority of its population. During this Ramzan the villagers decided to get together and construct toilets. Now, to construct these household toilets, the government gives financial assistance, under which, they were provided a sum of 17 lakh rupees. You will be pleasantly surprised and happy to know that, during this holy month of Ramzan, these Muslim brothers and sisters, returned this money to the government, saying, they would construct these toilets with their own labour and their own money; and that this sum of 17 lakh rupees be used for providing other facilities in the village. I felicitate the residents of Mubarakpur, for transforming the pious occasion of Ramzan into an opportunity for the welfare of society on. Each and everything about them is inspiring. And the most important of it all is that they have freed Mubarakpur of the scourge of open defecation. We know that in our country there are three states that have already been declared Open Defecation Free states, that is, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala. Uttarakhand and Haryana have also been declared ODF, this week. I express my gratitude to the administration, government and especially the people of these five states, for achieving this objective.

We know very well, that tremendous hard work is required to achieve anything worthwhile, whether it is in one’s own life or for the society. If we have bad handwriting, and we want to improve it, we have to consciously practice for a long time. Only then will the habit of the body and mind will change. Cleanliness is also similar to this. These bad habits have become a part of our nature. We have become accustomed to them. To free ourselves of these habits we will have to constantly strive and persevere. Everyone’s attention will have to be drawn. We will have to repeatedly remind ourselves of good inspirational incidents. And I’m happy to see that cleanliness is no longer confined to being a government programme. It is getting transformed into a movement by the society and the people. And when government functionaries take this initiative forward with the participation of the masses, it becomes even stronger.

Recently I came across a wonderful incident, which I would like to share with you. This happened in the Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh. The district administration there undertook a huge task with people’s participation. From 6 a.m. on the 10^th of March, till 10 am of the 14^th of March. A hundred-hour non-stop campaign. And what was the objective? To construct 10,000 household toilets in 71 gram panchayats in those hundred hours. And my Dear Countrymen, you will be happy to learn that the administration and the people together did construct 10,000 toilets in hundred hours successfully. 71 villages became ODF. I congratulate the people in the government, government officials and the citizens of Vizianagaram district on this great accomplishment of achieving this feat through immense hard work and setting a very inspiring example in the process.

These days, people have been regularly sending their suggestions for ‘Mann Ki Baat’, on the NarendraModiApp, on MyGov.in, through letters and Akashvani.

Shri Prakash Tripathi reminiscing about the Emergency, has written, presenting 25^thof June as a Dark period in the history of Democracy. Prakash Tripathi ji’s commitment to democracy is praiseworthy. Not only is Democracy a system, but also a ‘sanskar’- a part of our ethos. Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty. One needs to be constantly alert about our Democracy, that is why we must also keep remembering the events that inflicted harm upon our democracy; and at the same time move ahead, carrying forward the virtues of democracy. 1975 – 25^th June – it was a dark night that no devotee of democracy can ever forget. No Indian can ever forget. The country had virtually become a prison. The voice of the opposition had been smothered. Several prominent leaders including Jai Prakash Narayan had been jailed. The judicial system too could not escape the sinister shadows of the Emergency. The press was completely muffled. The present-day students of journalism and the champions of democracy have been endeavouring towards raising awareness about that dark period, by constant reminders, and should continue to do so. Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji was also in jail at that time. After one year of Emergency, Atal ji wrote a poem, in which he describes the state of mind during those turbulent times.

The scorching summer month,

The sad winter moonlight,

The sobbing monsoon,

An emptiness pervading within

An entire year has gone by.

The world confined behind bars,

But the soul like a restless bird

The freedom song resonates

From the earth to the sky,

An entire year has gone by.

The eyes are in anticipation

Counting days and moments

The beloved who went away,

Shall return one day,

An entire year has gone by.

The believers of democracy fought a prolonged war, and the great nation that India is, where the spirit of democracy pervades the very being of all its people, the strength of that spirit was demonstrated when the opportunity of elections came. We have to further fortify that legacy.

My dear countrymen, every Indian today, is proud and holds his head high. 21^st June 2017 – Yoga has permeated the entire world. From the seashores to the mountains, people welcomed the first rays of the sun, with Yoga. Which Indian wouldn’t be proud of this! It isn’t as if Yoga didn’t exist before, but now the threads of Yoga have bound everyone together, and have become the means to unite the world. Almost all the countries in the world made Yoga Day their own. In China, Yoga was practiced on the Great Wall of China, and on the World Heritage site of Machu Picchu in Peru, at 2400 metres above sea level. In France, yoga was performed in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower. In Abu Dhabi in UAE, more than 4000 persons participated in mass yoga. In Herat, in Afghanistan, on the India Afghan Friendship Dam, Salma Dam, Yoga added a new aspect to India’s friendship. In a small country like Singapore, programs were organised in 70 places, with a week long campaign. On the occasion of International Day of Yoga, the UN released ten stamps. A ‘Yoga Session with Yoga Masters’ was organised at the UN headquarters. The staff of the UN and diplomats from across the world participated.

Yoga has created a world record again this time also. In Ahmedabad in Gujarat, around 55 thousand people performed Yoga together and created a new world record. I too had the opportunity to participate in the Yoga event held in Lucknow. But I also had the good fortune to practice Yoga in the rain for the first time. Our soldiers practiced yoga in Siachen where temperatures reach minus 20, 25, 40 degrees. Whether it is our armed forces, or the BSF, ITBP, CRPF and CISF, each one of them, apart from their duties has made Yoga a part of their lives. On this Yoga Day, since this was the third International Day of Yoga, I had asked you to share photos of three generations of the family doing yoga together. Some TV channels also took this idea forward. I received a lot of photographs out of which, selected photographs are compiled and uploaded on the NarendraModiApp. One significant outcome of the way the yoga is being talked about all around the world is the portent that today’s health conscious society is now taking steps from fitness to wellness, and they have realised that fitness is, of course, important, but for true wellness, yoga is the best way.

Sound bite.

“Respected Prime Minister Sir, I am Dr. Anil Sonara speaking from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Sir, I have a question. Recently in Kerala, we heard you speak about replacing bouquets that we give as gifts, with good books as mementos. You had started this practice while you were in office in Gujarat, Sir, but in the recent days we have not been seeing much of this. So, can we do something about it? Is there nothing we can do to have this implemented throughout the country, Sir?”

Recently, I had the opportunity to go to one of my favorite events. A very good programme is being run in Kerala for the past few years, by the P.N. Panicker Foundation, which encourages people to cultivate the habit of reading books and to enhance their awareness towards this, by organising celebrations such as ‘Reading Day’, and ‘Reading Month’. I had the opportunity to go for the inaugural function, where I was told that instead of bouquets, they gift books. I liked it. Thus I was also reminded of what had slipped my mind. Because when I was in Gujarat, I had set this tradition of welcoming, by not giving bouquets, but books or handkerchiefs instead. And that too, a ‘Khadi’ handkerchief, so that it promotes ‘Khadi’. Till the time I was in Gujarat, this habit had been ingrained in us, but after coming here, I had lost that habit. When I went to Kerala, it was rekindled. I have already begun to issue instructions in the government. Here too we can gradually nurture this habit. And the life span of a bouquet is very short. You receive it in your hand for a moment and then abandon it. But when you present a book, it becomes a part of the household, a part of the family. One can also use a ‘Khadi’ handkerchief to welcome people, and be a support to the innumerable underprivileged. The expenses are reduced as well, and the gift is well utilized too. I say this, thinking of the historical value of such gifts. During my past UK visit, in London, the Queen of Britain, Queen Elizabeth had invited me to dine with her. The atmosphere was imbued with maternal warmth, and I was served with great affection. Afterwards when she showed me a small thread-spun khadi handkerchief, her eyes lit up. With great respect and in an emotion filled voice, she said, that Mahatma Gandhi had sent this handkerchief to her as a wedding gift. So many years have passed and yet, Queen Elizabeth has treasured the handkerchief gifted by Mahatma Gandhi. And she was happy to show it to me, when I went there. As I gazed at it, the Queen encouraged me to touch it. A small gift by Mahatma Gandhi, has become a part of her life and a part of history. I know that these habits do not change overnight, and when we talk about it, we invite criticism. Despite that, one should keep talking about it, and keep making the effort. Now, I cannot say that if I go somewhere and somebody brings a bouquet I will refuse it. No, I won’t do that, but we will talk about it even though there is criticism, and then gradually, the change will happen.

My dear countrymen, as Prime Minister, there are numerous tasks to be handled. I have to remain deeply absorbed in files, but for my own self, I have developed a habit of reading daily, at least a few of the letters I receive and because of that I get a chance to connect with the common man. I get a variety of letters, written by all sorts of people. Recently, I had the opportunity to read a letter, which I feel, I should share with you. From the far south, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Arulmozhi Sarvanan, a housewife, sent me a letter. And what was in that letter? She wrote, that she thought about engaging in some economic activity keeping in mind her responsibilities such as children’s education, to lend some financial assistance to her family. She got some money from the bank, under the ‘Mudra’ Scheme and commenced working towards procuring some items from the market for sale. Then she came to know of the ‘Government E-Marketplace’ system initiated by the government. She tried to find out the details, and asked people about it. And then she registered herself for the scheme. Here I want to tell my countrymen, that if you get the opportunity, you should also visit, the E-G-E-M, E-GEM website on the Internet. This is a great new system. Whoever wants to supply any item to the government, small things such as electric bulbs, dustbins, brooms, chairs and tables, they can register themselves. They can mention the quality of the goods, the rate at which they sell, and it is compulsory for the government departments to visit the site and see whether the supplier can supply the goods at reasonable prices without compromising on the quality. And then the orders can be placed. That is how the middlemen can be removed from the system. The entire process becomes transparent. There is no interface. Everything is done through technology. So, when people register in E-GEM, all the government departments become aware of them. As there are no middlemen, the goods are available at very reasonable rates. Now whatever goods Arulmozhi Madam could supply, she got all those registered on this government website. And the best part is, what she has written in this letter is very interesting. She has written that she got the money from the ‘Mudra’ Scheme and started her business, then she registered the inventory of all her products on the E-GEM website, and then she got an order from the Prime Minister’s Office. It was news to me also, I wondered what the PMO would have ordered. She wrote that the PMO had ordered two thermoses, and she was paid Rupees 1600/-. This is empowerment. This is an opportunity for encouraging entrepreneurship. Had Arulmozhi not written to me I wouldn’t have realised that because of E-GEM, a housewife living far away and running a small business can have the items on her inventory purchased directly by the Prime Minister’s Office. This is the nation’s strength. This has transparency, this has empowerment, this has entrepreneurship too. Government E-Marketplace - GEM. I would certainly like that whoever wishes to sell their products or business items to the government, should increasingly get connected with this website. I believe that this is an excellent example of Minimum Government and Maximum Governance, and it’s objective is Minimum Price and Maximum Ease, Efficiency and Transparency.

My dear countrymen, on the one hand, we take pride in Yoga, on the other we can also take pride in our achievements in space science. And this is the unique attribute of India, that whereas we have our feet firmly on the ground with Yoga, we have our dreams to soar beyond horizons to far away skies. Recently, India has had many achievements in sports, as well as science. Today, India’s flag is flying high not only on earth but also in space. Just two days ago, ISRO launched 30 Nano satellites with the ‘Cartosat-2 Series Satellite.’ And besides India, these satellites are of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and America, nearly 14 such countries. And with India’s Nano Satellite Mission, we will get a lot of help in the field of agriculture, farming, and dealing with natural disasters. We are all aware that a few days ago, ISRO has successfully launched the GSAT-19. And of all the satellites launched by India, this was the heaviest satellite. The newspapers of our country have compared it with elephantine weights. You can well imagine the magnitude of the achievement of our scientists in space. On the 19^th of June, our Mars Mission completed one thousand days. You may be aware that when we had successfully created a place for the Mars Mission in orbit, this entire mission was planned for a duration of 6 months. It had a life expectancy of 6 months. But I’m happy that the strength of the endeavours of our scientists has been such that not only has this crossed six months; even after a thousand days, our Mangalyaan Mission is at work, sending images, providing information, collating scientific data, way beyond its expected duration and life expectancy. The completion of one thousand days, is an important milestone in our scientific journey, our space odyssey.

These days we see that our youth are getting increasingly inclined to the field of sports. It is becoming evident that along with studies, our new generations can see a future in sports as well. And our sportspersons, through their prowess, skills and accomplishments win laurels for the country as well. Recently India’s Badminton player, Kidambi Shrikant has brought glory to the nation by winning Indonesia Open. I extend my heartiest congratulations to him and his coach for this victory. I had the opportunity, a few days ago to be associated with the inaugural function of the Synthetic Track of the renowned athlete, P.T. Usha’s Usha School of Athletics. The more we promote sports, the more we see the spirit of sportsmanship. Sports play an important role in personality development also. There is a great significance of sports in overall personality development. There is no dearth of talent in our country. If the children in our family are interested in sports, they should be given opportunities. They should not be forced off the playing fields to be locked in rooms with books. They should study as well, if they can do well in studies, they should certainly do so, but if they have the potential and the inclination to do well in sports, that should be encouraged and supported by the school, college, family and all the people around them. Each one should nurture dreams for the next Olympics.

My dear countrymen, let me mention once again, that this Season of Rains, with its abundance of festivals and festivities, brings with it a unique new feeling of the times. I extend my heartiest greetings to you all, until the next episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, when I shall share my thoughts with you once again. Namaskar.

My dearest countrymen namaskar. Before each episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat, ’suggestions pour in Aakashvani, on NarendraModiApp, come through on MyGov, by the phone and come by the means of recorded messages from every corner of the country and people of every age group, And sometimes when I take the time to view them, for me it becomes an extremely pleasant experience.

One comes across such a wide spectrum of information, one finds that every corner of the country is filled with talented people. Like a selfless seeker, these countless people are consumed by desire to contribute something to the society, on the other hand there are mounds of problems that perhaps even the government does not notice! Maybe the system has also become accustomed in dealing with these problems, and so do have the people become accustomed to them. I have come across the inquisitiveness of children, the ambitions of the youth, and the gist of the experience of elders! Myriad kind of facts emerges. Every time the inputs that come in response to every episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, are analyzed in detail by the government.

What are the kinds of suggestions, what are the kinds of complaints and what are the experiences of the people? It is an inherent human nature to advise others. While travelling in the train or the bus if someone coughs, the next person immediately advises a cure.  To offer advice or suggest a solution, are part of our nature. In the beginning, when suggestions came in response to a certain episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ , one could discern words of advice, and you could read them too, so our team always felt that many people might have had this particular habit of proffering advice. But when we analyzed the suggestions minutely, I really became quite emotional.

Most of those who give suggestions or try to reach to me are those who are really doing something in their lives. They are making efforts and are engrossed as per their intellect, capacity, ability and circumstances so that something good must happen.  And when these things came to my notice I felt that these suggestions are extraordinary. These are suggestions that have emerged out of a certain squeeze of life’s experiences. Some people also give suggestions thinking that if an idea has the potential to work then more people would listen to it if it is heard on a wider platform and hence many people can benefit. And therefore it is their natural desire that it gets a mention in ‘Mann Ki Baat’

According to me all of these things are extremely positive steps. First of all, I express my gratitude to the Karma yogis and those people who have offered some or the other service to the society and recommend maximum suggestions. And not only this, when I mention something positive, such memories come to recall, it is very much a pleasant experience. In the previous ‘Mann Ki Baat’, some people had suggested to me that food was being wasted; not only had I expressed my concern but mentioned it too. And upon my mention, there were mentions of many innovative ideas to save food from being wasted that are being put into practice employed in many corners of the country on NarendraModiApp and also on MyGov.

I had never even imagined that in our country especially the young generation has been doing this kind of work from a long time. Some social institutions have been involved in this activity for many years was common knowledge, but the youth of my country are engaged in this task, I only came to know later. Many have sent me the videos of their work in this field. There are many places where ‘Roti Banks’ are operating. In the Roti Banks, the leftover rotis are deposited by people, they also deposit the leftover vegetables and the needy can obtain food from these banks. The person who donates rotis feels a sense of satisfaction also, the recipient also does not feel humiliated. These are examples of how work can be achieved with the help of society.

Today is the last  day of month of April. 1st May is the foundation day of the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. On this occasion, many felicitations to the citizens of these two states on my behalf. Both states have made constant strides to scale  newer heights of development and  have contributed toward the advancement of the country. And both  the states had a steady stream of great men whose lives and  sterling contributions in every sphere of society  is a source of inspiration for us.. In  remembrance of these great men, on the foundation day of these two states, we should take the pledge of taking our state, our country, our society, our city, and our family to glorious heights in 2022, when we celebrate 75 years of independence.

Plans should be drawn to achieve that pledge and taken forward with the cooperation of all citizens. I wish the very best to these two states.

There used to be  a time when climate change was a subject confined to  the domain of the academic world, it used to be the topic for  seminars, but today, we experience it in our everyday life and it also astounds us. Nature has also  changed the rules of the game. The heat that  we used to experience in months of May-June in our country is being felt  in March-April this year. So,  when I was taking suggestions for  ‘Mann Ki Baat’, most of the suggestions offered related to  what should be done to beat the heat during summer time. Most of the suggestions or practices to beat summer are not new but are  prevalent for a long time, however it is very useful to remember them from time to time.

Shri  Prashant Kumar Mishra, Shri  T. S. Kartik and many such friends have expressed their concern about birds during the summer. They’ve mentioned that water should be kept in trays and utensils  on the balcony and on the terrace. I have seen that small children of the family do  this very enthusiastically. Once they understand why they should fill  the pots  with water they would go and inspect 10 times in a day  to ensure  there is water in the tray. And also watch  if the birds came or not. We think as if it is a game going on , but in actuality, this is a novel way of  instilling empathy in the child's mind. You can also experience for yourself that a little attachment to an animal or a bird makes you feel very happy.

Some time back,  Shri Mr. Jagat Bhai from Gujarat, had sent his book, 'Save the Sparrows' in which he  not only  expressed concern about the continuously declining number of sparrows, but  also what steps he has taken in a mission mode for the conservation of the sparrow  which is  very nicely  described in that book. In our country, we are  traditionally imbued with a sense of symbiotic co-existence  with animals, birds and nature yet  it is necessary that collective efforts in this regard should be emphasized.

When I was Chief Minister of Gujarat, Syedna Sahib the religious leader of Dawoodi Bohra Community had completed his hundred years. He lived till 103 years. As part of the celebration of his 100th year the Bohra community society had launched a huge campaign to save the sparrow under  the aegis of Burhani Foundation. I had the opportunity to inaugurate it. Nearly 52 thousand bird feeders were distributed in every  nook  and corner of the world. This effort also found a mention in the Guinness book of World Records.

Sometimes we are so busy, that we  even forget to offer water to   the newspaper boy, the milkman, the vegetable seller, the postman or anybody else who come  to our house in peak summer days.  

Young friends, I want to have a chat with you too. I am sometimes worried that much of our younger generation prefer leading  life in their comfort zones. Parents also raise their children in a very protective manner.  True there are other extremes also  but most are brought up in this comfort zone  syndrome  . Now the examinations have ended and you  must be done with your plans to enjoy the vacation.

Summer vacations feel good inspite of scorching heat. But as a friend, I want to suggest you certain tips about of how to utilize your vacation. I believe some people will put them to use and they will tell me about that too. Would you like to use this time of vacation gainfully, I offer three suggestions, it will be good if you follow all of the three but then try to do atleast one of the three. See that you gain a new experience. Try to take the opportunity of acquiring a new skill.  Try to experience something that you have  neither heard before , nor seen, nor thought of and  yet there is a curiosity in your mind. You must try new places, new experiences and new skills.

There is huge difference between to sometime to see something on television or reading about it in the book or listening about it from acquaintances and  to experiencing  the same thing yourself.  I will urge you to try to experience and satiate  your curiosity on any subject during  this vacation. Try a new experiment. The experiment must be positive and a little out of your comfort zone. We all belong to the middle class and happy comfortable families. Friends have you ever thought of  travelling in a Second Class railway Compartment without a reservation, and going  for atleast a 24 hours ride?

What great experience it will be? How  are the lives of your co- passengers, what do they do at the station when they alight from the train? What you cannot learn in a year, you will learn in that crowded train travelling without any reservation for 24 hours! You might  not get to sleep and have to travel  standing. Try it, just experience it once, I am  not asking you to try it again and again, do it once. In the evening, take your football or your volleyball or any other sports item  and go to a colony of poor and lesser privileged people.  Play with those poor kids, you will experience a new kind of joy, the kind you would have never experienced in your life before-that’s the kind of joy you’ll experience!

Have you ever thought what changes would come in the lives of those kids  who live in abject poverty when get the opportunity to play with you. And I believe that if you go there once,  your heart will tell you to go back again and again. This experience will teach you a lot. Many volunteer organizations are engaged in this kind of work. You are connected to Google Guru, try searching on it and get associated with any such organization for 15 days or 20 days. Go, explore, go to the jungles. Sometimes there are summer camps, for development of different facets of your personality. You can participate in these camps.

But at the same time, don’t you feel that after you’ve attended such summer camps, you have participated in the courses for development of personality and you reach out to those people who have no such opportunity and teach them what you have learned without taking any money. It is possible that you can teach them. I am also worried that technology evolved to reduce the distance, technology came in to being to end the boundaries. But the end result of this is that six people in the same house are sitting in the same room but they are separated by unimaginable distances! Why? Everyone has become so busy with technology in his or her own way. Collectivity is also a way of life, collectivity is power in itself. Secondly I had mentioned about skill acquisition, don’t you feel that you should learn something new!

Today is the era of competition. You get so submerged in the preparation for the examinations, get so consumed to obtain the best grades, there are coaching classes going on even in vacations and you’re worrying about the next exam! Sometimes you feel scared that our youth have become robot like, living life like a machine.

Friends, dreams of making it big in life is a good thing, it is good to have some purpose in life, and you must achieve your goals. But also self-evaluate whether the human element within yourself is getting frustrated, are we not moving away from our human qualities.

Can’t a little emphasis be given on this aspect in Skill development? Get away from technology, and try to spend some time with yourself. Learn a musical instrument or learn a few sentences of a new language, Tamil, Telugu, Assamese, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi or Punjabi. This is a country full of diversity and if you look, then there can be someone who can teach us something new is just around the corner. If you don’t know how to swim, then learn swimming, try doing some drawing, even if you do not end up making the best drawing, try to practice putting hand to the paper!

The empathy within you will begin to appear. Sometimes if our heart desires to learn the trade of so called ‘small people’ then let us learn it, why not? You want to learn to drive a car but then do you ever want to learn how to drive an auto-rickshaw? You’re able to ride a bicycle but have you ever tried to operate the three-wheeler cycle or rickshaw which transports people? You see, all these new experiments, these skills are such that they will bring you joy and will remove you from the limitations of life to which you’re tied down!

Do something out of the box, my Friends. This is the only time to make something of your life. And if you think that after appearing in all exams, at a new threshold of your career you will learn some new skill, then you won’t get a chance. At that time you will be tangled into other things and therefore I tell you if you have a passion to learn magic then learn the card tricks! Keep showing the tricks to your friends. Try to know about things about which you have no prior knowledge, it will definitely benefit you. Your inner human potential will awaken and this will provide a great opportunity for development. I can tell you from my experience of going around the world, that the amount we can learn by seeing the world  is something we cannot even imagine. New places, new cities, new towns, new villages, new areas. But before leaving for a particular place, preparing for the journey and upon reaching your destination gathering information about it like a seeker of knowledge, understanding about the place and having discussions with the local people, if you make an effort in this manner then the pleasure of visiting the particular place would be something else!  

Do try to do it; of course do not travel too much in one go. Go to a destination and spend three to four days there. Then go to the next and spend a like duration there. You will get to learn a lot that way. I wish you share your travel photographs with me, it will be nice. What new did you see ! Where did you travel to ! Make good use of the hash tag Incredible India and share your experiences.

    Friends, this time around, the government of India has provided you with a great opportunity. The new generation is more or less freeing itself from the shackles of cash. It does not need cash. It has begun adopting digital currency. I know you do it, but have you ever wondered that you can earn using this very scheme? It is a scheme of the Government of India. You must be downloading the BHIM App and using it. But do refer it to others; make others join you in that.

    If the new member does three transactions, performs financial business thrice, you stand to earn ten rupees for that. Ten rupees will be credited to your account from the government. If you involve twenty persons in a day, by evening, you would’ve earned two hundred rupees. The traders can earn, so can students. And this scheme is valid till the 14th of October. It will be your contribution towards making of a digital India. You’ll become a sentinel of New India. The joy of a vacation coupled with income ! Refer and earn.

    Generally speaking, in our country there exists an atmosphere of disdain towards the VIP culture. But that it runs  so very deep, I just experienced, when the government recently  decided that no person in India, whatsoever his status might be, will not move with a red beacon atop his vehicle. In a way it had become a symbol of the VIP culture. Experience tells us that whereas the red beacon used to be fixed atop the vehicle, atop the car, slowly & steadily it permeated into the psyche and got firmly entrenched in the mindset. The red beacon now has gone for good but nobody can say with certainty that the same in the mindset has also  disappeared. I have received a very interesting phone call. Though  the caller has expressed the same apprehension. One  can discern  from this phone call that common men detest these tendencies. They  feel distanced.

    “Namaskar Pradhan Mantri ji, I am Shivaa Choubey calling from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. I wish to say something on the government’s ban on red beacons. I read a line in a newspaper, ‘Every Indian is a VIP on the road’. It made me feel very proud. I am glad that today, even my time is equally important. I don’t have to be caught in a traffic jam and I don’t have to stop for anyone as well. I want to thank you from the core of my heart for this decision. And the Swachch Bharat Campaign that you have launched will not only clean our country, it will get rid of the VIP hegemony from our roads. Many thanks for that.”

    The exit of the red beacon through a government decision is part of a system. But we have to make efforts to cleanse it out of our minds. If we collectively strive to do it with eternal vigilance , it surely can be flushed out. Our concept of  New India precisely is that in place of VIP, more priority should be accorded to EPI. And when I’m saying EPI in place of VIP, the essence of my sentiment is clear – every person is important. Every person has his or her own importance, every person possesses a sagacious aura, Mahaatmya, in a unique manner. Let us warmly accept the importance of a hundred & twenty five crore countrymen, let us respectfully embrace the Mahaatmya, the divine greatness of a hundred & twenty five crore Indians and we’ll garner strength of immense magnitude. We have to do this together.

    My dear countrymen, I maintain time & again that we should keep re - visiting the annals of our history, traditions and culture. That lends us energy and inspiration. This year, we the hundred & twenty five crore countrymen are celebrating the thousandth birth anniversary of Saint Ramanujacharya. For one reason or the other, we confine ourselves  to celebrating  and observing centenaries of events mostly. For other countries of the world, a century may be of immense significance. But India is such an ancient Nation that we  are the proud  inheritors of thousands and thousands of years of heritage, knowledge  and civilized existence and have an opportunity  to  observe and celebrate  a memorial heritage of over  thousand years. Just try and imagine it. Even today breaking the shackles Social orthodoxy is so difficult. How would society be a thousand years ago? What kind of a mindset would be prevalent then? Not many would know that Ramanujacharya relentlessly struggled against rampant social evils such as the class divide, the chasm between touchable and untouchables and the caste system. Through his own conduct, he embraced those who were ostracized by society. A thousand years ago, he launched an agitation allowing their entry into temples and succeeded in facilitating the same. We are indeed fortunate that in every era, for eradicating social evils, noble souls, great men were born in this society itself. Now that we are celebrating the 1000th birth anniversary of Ramanujacharya, we should gain inspiration from him in our endeavour to foster social unity, to bolster the adage ‘unity is strength’.

    In memory of Saint Ramanujacharya, the government of India is releasing a stamp tomorrow, the 1st of May. I respectfully salute Saint Ramanujacharya and pay tributes to him.

    My dear countrymen, tomorrow, that is the 1st of May, carries one more significance. In many parts of the world, it is observed as ‘Labour Day’. And when ‘Labour Day’ is referred to, labour is discussed, labourers are discussed, it is but natural for me to remember Babasaheb Ambedkar. You would be aware that for the facilities and respect that workers have earned, we are grateful to Babasaheb. One can never forget the contribution of Babasaheb towards the welfare of the working class. Today when I refer to Babasaheb, when I talk about Ramanujacharya, I’m also reminded of the great 12th century saint & social reformer from Karnataka Jagat Guru Basaveshwar. Yesterday I got the opportunity to be part of a function. It was the occasion of dedication to the nation of his collection of Vachana Amrit, the elixir of his spoken words. In the 12th century, he had laid down his profound thoughts on labour & workers. He had mentioned in Kannada “Kaay Kave Kailas”… it means, it is just through your perseverance that you can obtain Kailash, the abode of Shiva. This means, it is only endeavour or Karma that leads you to attain Swarga, or heaven. In other words, labour, hard work is Shiva. I repeatedly mention ‘Shrameva Jayate’, and Dignity of Labour. I distinctly remember the words of Shriman Dattopant Thengdi, the founder of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the thinker, who deliberated a lot on the working class. He used to remark, on the one hand, inspired by Maoism, ‘Workers of the world unite’, on the other he would say, workers, come, unite the world. Today when I refer to workers, it is but natural to remember Dattopant Thengdi.

    My dear countrymen, a few days from now, we shall celebrate Budha Purnima. Followers of Lord Budha across the world celebrate the festival. The world today is undergoing a plethora of problems such as violence, war, annihilation, the arms race et al. Amidst this atmosphere, the philosophy of Buddha comes across as extremely relevant. And in India, Ashok’s life perfectly epitomizes the transformation from war to enlightenment. I feel fortunate that the occasion of the great festival of Budha Purnima is celebrated as Vesak day by the United Nations. This year it will take place in Sri Lanka. On this holy event I shall get an opportunity to pay tributes to Lord Budha in Sri Lanka. It will be an opportune moment to re-visit his ideals.

    My dear countrymen, India has always advanced on the path of progress in the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas… inclusive development for all. And when we say Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, it is not limited to the confines of India.  It applies to the global context too. And very specially to our neighbouring countries. May our neighbouring countries be with us in our journey, may they develop equally. There are many projects under way. On the 5th of May, India will launch the South Asia Satellite. The capacities of this satellite and the facilities it provides will go a long way in addressing South Asia’s economic and developmental priorities. Natural resources mapping, tele medicine, the field of education, deeper IT connectivity or fostering people to people contact - this satellite will prove to be a boon in the progress of the entire region. It is an important step by India to enhance co-operation with the entire South Asia… it is an invaluable gift. This is an appropriate example of our commitment towards South Asia. I welcome all the South Asian countries who have joined us on the South Asia Satellite in this momentous endeavour…. My best wishes to them.

    My dear countrymen, the weather is too hot and inhospitable , take care of your loved ones and take care of yourselves.

Wish you all the best.

Thank you

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Parents in most parts of the country must be busy with their children’s examinations. There would be a sense of relief where the examinations are over, but where the examinations are still on, there certainly would still be some amount of pressure. However, at a time like this I would only say that students may listen again to what I had said in my ‘Mann Ki Baat’ last time. I am sure that my suggestions there will be of substantial help while they sit for their examinations.

Today is the 26th of March. 26th March is the Independence Day of Bangladesh. It was a historic war against injustice, which was fought under the leadership of “Banga-Bandhu” and led to the unprecedented victory of the people of Bangladesh. I extend my heartfelt greetings to the brothers and sisters of Bangladesh, on this significant day. And I hope that Bangladesh marches ahead on the path of progress. I also assure the citizens of Bangladesh that India is a strong partner, and a good friend, and we will continue to work together shoulder to shoulder to contribute towards the peace, security and development of this entire region.

It is a matter of great pride for all of us that Rabindranath Tagore and his memories are a shared heritage. The National Anthem of Bangladesh too, has been composed by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. There is a very interesting fact about Gurudev that in 1913 he was not only the first Asian to receive the Nobel Prize, but Knighthood was also conferred upon him by the British. After the Jallianwallah Massacre by the British in 1919, Rabindranath Tagore was one of the legendary figures, who raised their voices in protest. And it was at the same time, that this event left a very deep impact on a twelve-year-old boy. The inhuman massacre at Jallianwalla Bagh, provided a new inspiration and mission in life to that young teenager, who until then had spent his days playing merrily in his fields. And Bhagat, that 12-year old boy in 1919, evolved to be the martyr Bhagat Singh, our dear hero and inspiration. On the 23rd of March, Bhagat Singh Ji and his comrades, Sukhdev and Rajguru, were hanged to death by the British, and we are all aware of that. There was a sense of fulfillment on the faces of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru for having served Mother India - - there was no fear of death. They had sublimated all their dreams for the freedom of Mother India. These three heroes inspire us to this day. It would be impossible to express in words the story of the supreme sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. And the entire British Empire feared these three young men. They were in jail, certain to be hanged, but still the British remained anxious about how to deal with them. That is why, though the scheduled date was the 24th, they were hanged on the 23rd of March. This was done clandestinely, which is not the usual practice. And later, their remains were brought to present day Punjab, and were secretly cremated. Many years ago, when I first got the chance to go there, I could feel a certain vibration in that place. And I would certainly urge the youth of our country to go to Punjab, whenever they get the chance, and visit the ‘samadhi’ of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Bhagat Singh’s mother and Batukeshwar Dutt.

That was the period when the desire for freedom, its intensity, and spread were on the rise. On the one hand, brave hearts like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, were inspiring the youth towards an armed revolution. And on the other hand, exactly one hundred years ago on the 10th of April, 1917, Mahatma Gandhi had launched the Champaran Satyagraha. This year marks the centenary of the Champaran Satyagraha. In India’s struggle for freedom, Gandhian thought and Gandhian practice became manifest for the first time in Champaran. This was a turning point in the entire journey of India’s freedom struggle, especially in the context of the methodology of the struggle. This was the period when, in the Champaran Satyagraha, Kheda Satyagraha, and the mill-workers’ strike in Ahmedabad, the deep impact of Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts and practices was amply and clearly visible. Gandhi returned to India in 1915, and in 1917, he went to a small village in Bihar and gave the country a new inspiration. We cannot evaluate the Champaran Satyagraha on the basis of the image of Mahatma Gandhi that we cherish in our hearts today. Just imagine that one man, who came to India in 1915, and had been in the country for barely two years. The country didn’t know of him, he bore no influence then; it was just the beginning. We can only imagine the hardships that he must have endured, how hard he must have had to toil. And it was the Champaran Satyagraha that brought to the fore, Mahatma Gandhi’s organisational skills, and his strong ability to gauge the pulse of Indian society. Mahatma Gandhi, through his demeanour and deeds, could inspire the poorest of the poor, the most illiterate, to unite and come together out into the open for the struggle against the British Rule; this was a manifestation of an incredible inner strength, through which we can experience the vastness of Mahatma Gandhi’s great persona. But if we reflect upon the Gandhi of a hundred years ago, the Gandhi of the Champaran Satyagraha, that would be a subject of deep study for anyone about to enter public life. We can all learn from Gandhi Ji what it means to begin a life of public service, how hard one has to work, as Gandhi did. And that was the period when all the stalwarts, that we hear about today: Rajendra Babu, Acharya Kripalani Ji, and others were all sent to the villages by Gandhi Ji. Ways and means to connect with the people and lending hues of freedom to their day to day work were taught. And the British were simply unable to comprehend Gandhi Ji’s unique style of working, which encompassed both struggle and creation together. In a way, Gandhi created two sides of the same coin; one being struggle and the other, creativity. To get themselves arrested voluntarily to fill jails, on the one hand, and on the other to immerse themselves in creative work. Gandhi’s style of working had an incredible balance. What the word, ‘Satyagraha’ means, what disagreement can mean, what Non-Cooperation in the face of such a vast Empire could be –Gandhi Ji established a completely new vision of resistance, not through mere words, but through a successful experiment.

Today, as the nation observes the centenary of the Champaran Satyagraha, the immense power of the common man, so visible in the struggle for freedom, manifests again in the journey from Swaraj to Suraaj, the resolve, the perseverance of the 125 crore countrymen, following the tenet of ‘Sarvyajan Hitaay, Sarvajan Sukhaay’ i.e. for the benefit of all, for the happiness of all, and the ceaseless enterprise to achieve something for the country, the society, would bring about the realisation of the dreams of the great souls who laid down their lives for the sake of Freedom.

Today, as we live in the 21st century, which Indian wouldn’t want to see India change, which Indian wouldn’t want to be a partner in the transformation of the country! This desire of 125 crore countrymen for change, the effort to change, is what will lay a strong foundation of a ‘New India’. ‘New India’ is neither a government programme, nor is it the manifesto of a political party, nor is it a project. ‘New India’ is the clarion call of 125 crore countrymen. It is the essence of the emotions of the 125 crore Indians wanting to come together and create a magnificent India. 125 crore Indians nurture a hope, a zeal, a resolve, a desire.

My dear countrymen, if we, for a moment, pause to look with empathy at the happenings in society around us, and if we try to understand these, we would be amazed to see that there are lakhs of people, who besides their own personal responsibilities are working selflessly, for society - the exploited, victimised, deprived; for the poor and the oppressed. That too silently, and with devotion, as if they are performing ‘tapasya’ or ‘sadhana’. There are many who regularly go to hospitals to serve patients. There are many who rush to donate blood, when required. There are many who try to provide food to the hungry. Our country is a many splendoured land. The belief that Service to humanity is service to God, is innate to us. If we look at it in its collectiveness, in an organised manner, it comes across as a major force. When there is a talk of ‘New India’, its criticism, its analysis, it counter views, are but natural, and that is a fundamental of democracy. But it is true that if 125 crore countrymen resolve, and decide to walk step by step on a path to realise that resolve, the dream of ‘New India’ can be fulfilled in our lifetime. And all these things are not necessarily achieved through the Budget, government projects, or government money. If every citizen resolves to obey traffic rules, if every citizen resolves that he will discharge his duties honestly, if every citizen resolves that he will not use petrol or diesel one day in a week - - these are not very big things. But these will contribute to the realisation of the dream of this country, this ‘New India’, that is being nurtured by 125 crore countrymen, and this realisation will be achieved before their eyes. In essence, every citizen must discharge his civic duties and responsibilities. This in itself would be a good beginning to the New India.

As India gets ready to celebrate 75 years of Independence in 2022, come let us remember Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru. Let us remember the Champaran Satyagraha. Why don’t we too, be a part of this journey from ‘Swaraj to Suraaj’ by making our lives disciplined, and filled with resolve. Come, I invite you.

My dear countrymen, today I want to express my gratitude to all of you. Over the last few months the country has witnessed a certain atmosphere in which people in large numbers have participated in the digital payment, ‘Digidhan’ movement. There has also been an increase in curiosity about cashless transactions. The poorest of the poor are making an attempt to learn, and people are gradually moving towards doing businesses without cash. There has been a surge in various modes of digital payment after demonetisation. The BHIM-App was launched just about two to two and a half months ago, but approximately one and half crore people have downloaded it.

My dear countrymen, we must take our fight against black money and corruption to the next level. Can 125 crore countrymen resolve to undertake 2500 crores digital transactions during this year? We have made an announcement in the Budget. Our 125 crore countrymen, if they wish to do so, they need not wait for a year; they can do it in six months. 2500 crore digital transactions - - - if we pay school fees, we shall do so not by cash but digitally, if we travel by train, travel by air, we shall pay digitally, if buy medicines, we shall pay digitally, if we run fair price shops, we will use the digital mode. We can do this in our day to day lives. You can’t imagine how you can serve the country in this way and become a brave soldier in the fight against black money and corruption. Recently, several Digidhan-mela programmes were organised to educate the people and to increase public awareness. The resolve was to organise 100 such programmes all over the country. About 80-85 programmes have already been conducted. There was also a reward scheme. Close to 12 and half lakh people have won prizes. Seventy thousand traders also won the prizes instituted for them. Each and every one of them also resolved to carry this mission forward. The birth anniversary of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar is on the 14th of April. And as was decided much earlier, the Digimela will be brought to a culmination on the 14th of April, the birth anniversary of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. On the completion of a hundred days, a grand closing ceremony will be held. There is a provision of a bumper draw also in that. I believe that in whatever time that is left before Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, we should popularise and promote the BHIM-App. We should contribute towards ensuring reducing the use of cash, of currency notes.

My dear countrymen, I am glad that every time, I request people for suggestions in Mann Ki Baat, numerous suggestions pour in. But I have seen that there is always an emphasis on the topic of cleanliness.

Gayatri, a young girl from Dehradun, who is a student of class 11, has phoned in with a message: -

“Esteemed Principal, Prime Minister Sir, my respectful greetings to you. To begin with, heartiest congratulations on your victory in the elections, with a huge margin. I wish to share the issue close to my heart with you. I want to say that people will have to be made aware about the importance of cleanliness. Every day I pass by a river, in which people dump a lot of garbage and pollute rivers. The river flows under the Rispana Bridge before passing by my home. For the sake of this river we went to settlements on its banks, spoke to people and took out rallies too, but to no avail. I want to request you to kindly highlight this issue by sending a team there, or through the newspapers. Thank you.”

Brothers and sisters, look at the agony of this young daughter, the 11th class student. How enraged she is by seeing the river strewn with trash. I consider this to be a good omen. This is exactly what I want - - that 125 crore countrymen be angered by filth. Once there is anger, dissatisfaction, rage, we will be compelled to act against this scourge. The good thing is that Gayatri is expressing her own anger, and giving suggestions to me, but she also goes on to say, that she has made several efforts but could not succeed. There has been an awareness ever since the launch of the Cleanliness Movement. Each person has become associated with it in a positive manner. This has now truly taken the form of a movement. There has been an increase in the disgust towards squalor. When there is awareness and active participation in the movement, it has its own significance. But cleanliness is more about a habit than a movement. This movement is geared towards bringing about a change in the habit, a movement to inculcate the HABIT of cleanliness. This movement can be accomplished collectively. It is a difficult task, but we have to do it. I am sure that this resolve that has arisen in the younger generation, in children, in students, in the youth, augurs well for achieving good results. I would urge my fellow countrymen, who have heard Gayatri’s message in my ‘Mann Ki Baat’ today, that it should be a message to all of us.

My dear Countrymen, right from the beginning since I have started the programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I have been receiving a lot of suggestions on one issue, and in most of those, people have expressed concern about food wastage. We know that at home and at feasts and social gatherings, we tend to serve ourselves more food than we need. We put each and everything on offer, on our plates, but we fail to finish what we have taken. We can’t even finish half of what is on our plates and then leave it uneaten. Have you ever thought about how much food we waste? Have you ever thought how many poor people can be fed if we don’t thus waste our food? This is not something that needs to be taught. As it is, in our families, mothers always tell their children to take only as much food they can eat. There is always some effort made in this direction, but still the apathy on this issue is a crime against society. It is an injustice to the poor. On the other hand, if we are able to avoid wastage, the family too benefits economically. So while it is good to care about society, this is beneficial to the family as well. I am not urging too much on this issue, but I would like this awareness to spread. I do know some young persons, who are active in such campaigns. They have created Mobile Apps. And when people call them about there being leftover food anywhere, they collect it and put it to good use. They work hard, and these are our own young people. You will find such people somewhere in each and every state of India. The lives of these people can inspire us not to waste food. We should take only as much as we can eat.

See, these are the pathways leading towards change. And those who are health conscious always say that, there should always be some space left both in the stomach and on the plate. Now that we are talking about health, 7th April is World Health Day. United Nations has resolved to provide universal health coverage for all by 2030. This year on the occasion of World Health Day on the 7th of April, United Nations has focused on Depression, which is the theme this year. We are familiar with this word, depression. According to one estimate, more than 35 crore people in the world suffer from depression. The problem is that we are unable to fully comprehend it even amongst those around us, and perhaps we also hesitate to talk about it openly, with our family and friends. The person suffering from depression too doesn’t speak out himself as he feels a sense of shame about it.

I want to tell my countrymen, that depression is not incurable. There is a need to create a psychologically conducive environment to begin with. The first mantra is the expression of depression instead of its suppression. Share openly what you are going through, with your colleagues, friends, parents, brothers, and teachers. Sometimes one is overcome by a sense of loneliness - - - students living in hostels are particularly vulnerable to it. We are fortunate that we have been raised in joint families, large families, where there is communication, which eliminates the chances of getting into depression. But I would still like to tell parents that if you notice your son or daughter or any other member of your family - - - earlier the entire family used to dine together. But if someone in the family says, “No, I will eat later.” He doesn’t come to the dining table. When the entire family is going on an outing, he just says, “No, I don’t want to come today.” He professes a desire to be alone. Have you ever wondered why he does so? You can be sure that this the first step towards depression. If he prefers to stay away from a group, and tends to be all by himself, do make an effort to ensure that this does not happen. He should be given an opportunity to be amongst people with whom he speaks openly. Try to encourage him to express himself, to reveal and bring out his insecurities and complexes while engaging him in light-hearted happy conversation. This is a very good way of dealing with it. Depression can be the root cause of many mental and physical ailments. Just as diabetes can be the root cause of all sorts of diseases, depression too, destroys all our abilities to sustain, to fight, to display courage and to take a decision. Your friends, your family, your surroundings, and environment, all these can prevent you from going into depression and if you unfortunately has gone into it, they can also pull you out of it. There is another way. If you are unable to express yourself to your family and friends, then do one thing, go out in society with a sense of service. Devote yourself with all your heart into helping others and sharing their joys and sorrows. You will find that along with it your own inner sufferings will go on disappearing. If you try to sympathise with the sufferings of others with a sense of service, a new self-confidence will be born within you. By connecting with others, serving them and serving them selflessly, you will easily be able to shed the weight oppressing your own heart and mind.

Yoga too is a good means for mental wellbeing. Yoga helps in relieving tension and stress, and leads one towards a happy state of mind. 21st June is the International Day of Yoga. This will be the third year of its observance. You all should start preparing for it right away. Collective Yoga festivals should be celebrated with the participation of millions. If you have any ideas for the Third International Yoga Day, please do send me your suggestions and guidance through my mobile Application. You could compose as many songs and poems on Yoga, as possible, as these can be easily understood by the masses.

Today I would like to say something especially to mothers and sisters also, since health and wellbeing have been a major part of our conversation today. Recently, the Government of India has taken a very important decision. The working-class women in our country - their numbers are increasing day by day, their participation is increasing and this is a welcome trend. But women also shoulder certain special responsibilities. They look after the family. They also have to share the financial responsibilities of running the household, and because of that sometimes, the newborn has to bear some injustice of neglect. The Government of India has taken a very important decision. These working women will now be given maternity leave of 26 weeks, instead of the earlier 12 weeks, for their pregnancy and delivery. There are now only two or three countries in the world that are ahead of us in this matter. India has taken a very important decision for these working women sisters of ours. The basic aim is to ensure proper care of the newborn, the future citizen of India, from the time of birth. The newborn should get the complete love and attention of the mother. That is how these children will become true assets of the country when they grow up. Mothers too will remain healthy. And that is why, this is such a landmark decision, and this will benefit 18 lakh women working in the formal sector.

My dear countrymen, we will celebrate the auspicious day of Ram Navami on the 5th of April, Mahavir Jayanti is on the 9th of April, and on the 14th of April is the birth Anniversary of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. May the lives of all these great luminaries inspire us, and give us the strength to resolve ourselves to the cause of New India. My heartiest new year greetings for Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Varsh Pratipada, and Nav Samvatsar, which are two days from now. After Vasant Ritu or the season of Spring, it is now the time for the ripening of the crops, and the time for the farmers to reap the benefits of their hard work. The new year is celebrated in different ways in different parts of our country. New year is Gudi Padva in Maharashtra, Ugadi in Andhra and Karnataka, for the Sindhi it is Cheti Chand, Navreh in Kashmir, Samvatsar Pooja in the Awadh Region, Jud-Sheetal in the Mithila region of Bihar and the festival of Satuvani in the Magadh region. India is a country blessed with rich diversity. My heartiest greetings and best wishes to you all on this New Year. Many thanks.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Winter is on its way out. Vasant, the season of spring has just started to step into our lives. After the departure of PATJHAD, when old and withered leaves fall, new leaves begin to sprout on the trees. Flowers bloom. Gardens and orchards sport a verdant green. The melodious chirping of birds warms the cockles of our hearts. Not just flowers, fruits too appear to be shining bathed in the sun rays on tree branches. The flower heads of the summer fruit mango manifest themselves in the spring season itself. At the same time bright yellow flowers of mustard swaying in their fields kindle hope in the hearts of the farmers. Blossoming of bright red Jungle Flame flowers, better known as Tesu or Palash heralds the advent of Holi. Amir Khusro has portrayed these moments of change of season in a very interesting manner. Amir Khusro has written:

Phool rahi sarson sakal ban

Ambwa phoote, Tesu phoole

Koyal bole, daar daar,

that is,

Behold the mustard blooming everywhere, all around

Here the inflorescence on the mango tree, there the Jungle Flame blossoms

The nightingale can’t help but sing merrily on the branches.

When nature is at her joyous best, when the season is enchanting, we human beings too enjoy this to the fullest. The festivals of Vasant Panchami, Mahashivratri and Holi, impart hues of happiness to a person’s life. In an ambience of love, brotherhood and humanity, we are about to bid adieu to the last month of Phalgun and are eagerly awaiting to welcome the arrival of the new month of Chaitra. The Ritu of Vasant, that is, the season of spring is indeed the confluence of these two months.

At the outset, I express my gratitude to lakhs of citizens of our country for sending in a multitude of suggestions when I ask for them before ‘Mann Ki Baat’. On the NarendraModiApp, on Twitter, on Facebook, by post - I thank all of you for that.

Shobha Jalan has written to me on the NarendraModiApp that many in the public are not aware of the achievements of ISRO. And therefore she wants me to provide some information on the recent launch of 104 satellites and the Interceptor Missile. Shobha Ji, thank you very much for paying attention to this shining example of India’s pride. Whether it is eradicating poverty, preventing diseases, connecting with the world, or disseminating knowledge and information, technology and science have made a mark for themselves. 15th February, 2017 is a day of immense pride for India. Our scientists have brought laurels to the nation, witnessed by the whole world. And we know that over the last few years, ISRO has accomplished various unprecedented missions with flying colours. After the successful mission of sending Mangalyaan to planet Mars, recently ISRO scripted a world record in the arena of space. In a mega mission, ISRO has successfully launched 104 satellites simultaneously into space. These satellites belonged to various countries such as America, Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland, UAE and, of course, India. India has created history by becoming the first country to launch successfully 104 satellites into space at one go. And what is further heartening is the fact that this was PSLV’s 38th successive successful launch. This is a historic achievement for not just ISRO but for all of India. This cost effective, efficient space programme of ISRO has become a marvel for the entire world; the world has admired this success of Indian scientists of India whole-heartedly.

Brother & sisters, one out of these 104 satellites is extremely important. It is Cartosat 2D, which is India’s satellite and the pictures clicked through it will be of great help in mapping of resources and infrastructure, evaluating development and planning for urban development. Particularly for my farmer brothers and sisters, our new Satellite Cartosat 2D will be immensely helpful on a whole lot of subjects such as knowing how much water is there in our existing water sources, how this should be best put to use, what things to keep in mind in this regard. Almost immediately after its launch, our satellite has sent back some pictures. It has commenced functioning. It is also a matter of exultation for us that this entire campaign was led and steered by our young scientists, our women scientists. This tremendous participation of youth and women is a major glorious dimension in ISRO’s success. On behalf of our countrymen, I heartily congratulate the scientists at ISRO. Adhering consistently to the objective of bringing Space Science to the common man, for the service of the nation, they are creating one record after another. One runs short of words in complimenting and congratulating our scientists, their entire team.

Shobha Ji has asked one more question and that pertains to the security of India. It is about India having acquired a great capability. This important matter has not been discussed much, but it has drawn Shobha Ji’s attention. In the field of defence also, India has successfully test fired the Ballistic Interceptor Missile. During its trial, this missile, based on interceptor technology, destroyed an enemy missile at an altitude of about 100 km above the surface of the earth and thus marked its success. This is a significant, cutting edge competency in the arena of security. And you will be happy to know that hardly four or five countries in the world possess this capability. India’s scientists have demonstrated this prowess. Its core strength lies in the fact that if, even from a distance of 2000 km, a missile is launched to attack India, our missile can pre-emptively destroy it in the space itself.

When we witness new technology, or a new scientific feat, we are left overwhelmed with joy. Inquisitiveness has played a significant role in the journey of progression of human life and development. And those gifted with extra-ordinary intelligence do not let inquisitiveness to remain just that; they begin further questioning it, look around for newer queries, and try to create new realms in the spirit of enquiry. This incessant spirit of enquiry leads to new inventions. They do not rest till they obtain an answer. If we try to take a bird’s eye view of thousands of years of the onward march of human life and progress, we can easily say that this great journey has no point of culmination. A full-stop is impossible. Attempting to know the universe, the laws of Nature, the inner recesses of the human mind is an unending process. This is what begets new Science, new technology. And every technology, every new form of Science gives birth to a new era.

My dear young friends, while we refer to Science and the sheer perseverance of scientists, I have many a time said in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, that the attraction of Science for our young generation should increase. The country needs more and more scientists. Today’s scientist becomes a potent catalyst for enduring change in the lives of our future generations.

Mahatma Gandhi used to say, “No Science has dropped from the skies in a perfect form. All Sciences develop and are built up through experience”.

Revered Bapu had also remarked, “I have nothing but praise for the zeal, industry and sacrifice that have animated the modern scientists in the pursuit after truth”.

When Science is harnessed keeping in minds the needs of common folk, when ways and means to naturally use those principles for people’s requirements are devised, when appropriate mediums and technologies are deliberated upon, it paves the way for it to be considered the most valuable contribution for general humanity. Recently, during the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, Niti Aayog and India’s Foreign Ministry had organized a unique competition. Socially useful innovations had been invited. These innovations were identified and showcased, and people were being informed about them, along with touching upon such issues as harnessing them for the use by the common people and their mass production and commercial utilization. I saw the volume of remarkable work done in that area. To give you an example, I came across an innovation for our poor fishermen brethren. It is a simple mobile App. But it is so powerful that when a fisherman goes to sea for fishing, this App is able to provide guidance for direction to locate the most productive fishing zones and also provide multifarious types of information such as the direction and speed of the wind, the height of waves and so on. This whole array of information is available on this mobile App which can be utilised by our fishermen brethren for moving to those areas with maximum fish presence in a very short time and thus earning their livelihood.

There are times when a problem portrays the importance of Science for finding its solution. In 2005, there was a very heavy downpour in Mumbai, which resulted in flooding, and even high tides in the sea, leading to terrible hardships. Whenever a natural calamity strikes, it is the underprivileged, who are the first in bearing its brunt. In that situation, two persons worked in right earnest and developed a dwelling structure that saves the house and its occupants, mitigates the water-logging and can prevent water borne diseases also. There were a large number of such innovations.

What I’m trying to infer is that in society, in the country, there are many who take on such roles. And our society is also increasingly turning out to be technology driven. Systems are getting technology driven. In a way, technology is becoming an inseparable part of our lives. In the recent days, one can see a lot of emphasis being laid on Digi-Dhan. Gradually, people are shedding their hard currency mindset and moving towards digital currency. Digital transactions in India are witnessing a very rapid surge. The young generation, in particular, is getting habituated to digital payments through its mobile handsets. I believe this to be a good portent. In recent times, Lucky Graahak Yojana and Digi-Dhan Vyapari Yojana have received overwhelming support. For about two months now, everyday fifteen thousand people have been winning a prize of a thousand rupees each. And through these two schemes, the process to make digital payment a mass movement has been initiated; it has received a rousing welcome in the entire country. It is a delight to learn that till now, under the Digi-Dhan Yojana, ten lakh people have been rewarded, over fifty thousand traders have won prizes and an amount of almost over a hundred & fifty crores rupees has been earned as prize money by people who have promoted and carried forward this great campaign. Under this scheme, there are more than a hundred customers who have received prizes of one lakh rupees each. There are more than four thousand traders who have got prizes of fifty thousand rupees each. Be they farmers, traders, small entrepreneurs, professionals, housewives, students – all are enthusiastically participating and also getting benefits from it. When I wanted to know the analysis, as to whether it’s only the young people who come forward or there are elders persons too, I was heartened to learn that among the recipients, there were 15 year old young persons, as well as elderly people aged 65-70.

Shriman Santosh Ji from Mysore, expressing joy, has written on the NarendraModiApp that under the Lucky Grahak Yojana, he received a reward of a thousand rupees. But I feel I must share with you what he has written most prominently. He says that when he received this reward, it struck him that a poor old woman had lost all her belongings because of a fire that broke out in her house. He felt she had more a rightful claim on the reward he had got and gave away the thousand rupees to her. And he derived a lot of Santosh, that is, satisfaction through his deed. Santosh Ji, your name and your deed – both are sources of SANTOSH, satisfaction for all of us. You have done something that is exemplary and inspiring.

A 22-year old cab driver brother Sabir from Delhi adopted the digital mode in his transactions after demonetisation and went on to win a prize of one lakh rupees under the ‘Lucky Grahak Yojana’ of the Government. Though he continues to be a driver, in a way, he has now become an ambassador for this scheme. He keeps imparting knowledge about digital usage to his passengers all the time. He is extremely enthusiastic and motivates others also to go digital.

One young post-graduate student Pooja Nemade from Maharashtra keeps sharing her experience with friends about how her family members are using RuPay Card and e-wallet facilities and deriving enjoyment out of it and also as to how important the prize of rupees one lakh is for her. She has taken up this in a mission mode and is bringing others into its fold.

I urge my countrymen, especially the youth of our country and those who have won prizes under ‘Lucky Grahak Yojana’ or ‘Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana’ to become ambassadors of these schemes on their own. Lead this movement. Take it further as it has a very major and prominent role in the fight against corruption and black money. To me, each and every individual involved in this mission constitute a new anti-corruption cadre in the country. In a way you are a soldier in the cause of cleanliness and purity. You know that this scheme will complete its 100 days on 14th April, the birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, a truly memorable day. There is going to be a very big draw of prizes worth crores of rupees on 14th April. There are still about 40-45 days left for that. Can you do one thing in the memory of Babasaheb Ambedkar? We have recently celebrated 125th birth anniversary of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Remembering him, you teach at least 125 persons about downloading the BHIM App. Also teach them about the procedure of making transactions through this App; teach this specially to small traders in your neighbourhood. Give special importance to Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s birth anniversary this time and the BHIM App. For this, I would like to say that we have to strengthen the foundation laid by Dr. Baba Saheb. We have to go from door to door associating everybody in order to place the BHIM App in 125 crore hands. Since its beginning about two-three months ago, this movement has had a clear impact and has been a very big success in many townships, villages and cities.

My dear countrymen, agriculture makes a very major contribution to the fundamentals of our country’s economy. Economic prowess of villages imparts momentum to the nation’s economic progress. I wish to share a very happy news with you today. Our farmer brothers and sisters have toiled hard to fill our granaries. The hard work of the farmers has resulted in a record production of food grains. All signals indicate that our farmers have broken all previous records. There has been such bountiful crop this time in the fields of our farmers that every day has appeared to be a celebration of Pongal and Baisakhi. More than two thousand seven hundred lakh tonnes of food grains have been produced in the country this year. This is 8 percent more than the last record set up by our farmers. Thus, it is an unprecedented achievement in itself. I want to specially thank the farmers of the country. I also want to thank our farmers for keeping the poor in mind and adopting cultivation of various pulse crops also besides the traditional crops because pulses are the biggest source of protein for poor people. I am happy that the farmers of my country heeded the needs of our poor people and cultivated various pulse crops on about 290 lakh hectare land. This is not merely the production of pulses but a yeoman service rendered by the farmers to the poor of my country. My farmer brothers and sisters deserve special gratitude for the way they whole-heartedly accepted my request, my prayer and put in their hard labour to get a record production of pulses.

My dear countrymen, the government, society, institutions, organizations, in fact everyone, is making some or the other effort towards greater cleanliness. In a way, everyone is seen working towards the cause of cleanliness in a conscious manner. The government is continuously making efforts in this regard. Recently, an event was organised in Telengana under the leadership of the Secretary of our Ministry of Water and Sanitation of the Government of India, in which senior officers from 23 state governments participated. And, this was not confined to having just a closed door seminar, but the importance of cleanliness was practically demonstrated at Warangal in Telangana. Toilet pit emptying exercise was carried out in Hyderabad on 17th and 18th February. Toilet pits in six houses were emptied and cleaned and the officers personally demonstrated that the used up pits of twin pit toilet can be emptied and then re-used. They also displayed as to how convenient these new technique toilets are and there is absolutely no inconvenience or hesitation in emptying or cleaning these toilets and even the psychological barrier does not come in the way at all. And, we can ourselves clean these toilet pits just as we do other general cleaning. And, this exercise showed results, media in the country gave it wide publicity and highlighted its importance. And it is quite natural also because when people see an IAS officer cleaning a toilet pit himself, the fact is naturally noticed by the country. And we consider the waste taken out from a toilet pit as sheer useless garbage but if considered from the angle of its use as a fertiliser, this, in a way, is black gold. We can clearly see the conversion of waste to wealth. This has been proved too. For a family of six members, the model of one standard Twin Pit Toilet gets filled in about five years. After that the waste can easily be redirected to the other pit. This waste deposited in the pit gets completely decomposed in six to twelve months time. This decomposed waste can be safely handled quite conveniently and can be used as ‘NPK’ which is a very useful fertilizer. Our farmers know ‘NPK’ very well. It contains nutritious elements Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium in abundance and is considered a fertiliser of very good quality in the agriculture sector.

Others must also have experimented with initiatives similar to those undertaken by the Government. Now Doordarshan is broadcasting a special programme of ‘Swachchhta Samachar’, that is ‘Cleanliness News’. Highlighting such things in this programme will be very beneficial. Various government departments regularly observe Cleanliness Fortnight. During the first fortnight of March, Women and Child Development Ministry along with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs will be laying stress on the Cleanliness Campaign. And two other ministries, the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation will take the Cleanliness Campaign forward during the last two weeks of March.

We know that whenever an Indian achieves something notable, the whole country feels a new energy and the self-confidence gets a boost. We all hailed the commendable performance by our Divyang Players at Rio Paralympics. India defeated Pakistan in the final of the Blind T-20 World Cup held earlier this month to become World Champions for the second consecutive time and thus raised our national prestige to a new height. I once again congratulate all players of our team. The country is really proud of these Divyang friends for their achievement. I always believe that Divyang brothers and sisters are capable, strongly determined, courageous and possess tremendous resolve. We get to learn something each moment from them.

Be it the field of sports or space science, the women of our country lag behind none. They are moving ahead shoulder to shoulder and are bringing glory to the nation with their commendable achievements. Our women players won a silver medal at the Asian Rugby Sevens Trophy recently. My heartiest congratulations to all these players.

The whole world celebrates 8th March as Women’s Day. In India also more importance needs to be given to our daughters along with increased awareness and sensitivity towards them. ‘Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao’ movement is moving forward with rapid strides. This is no longer just a government programme. It has now become a campaign of societal empathy and public education. During the last two years this programme involved the common man; it has forced people from all corners of the country to think and ponder over this burning issue; and brought about a change in people’s thinking about our traditional beliefs and customs which have been prevalent for many years. It gives us great joy and happiness when we hear the news of festive celebration on the birth of a daughter. In a way, a positive mindset towards our daughters is leading towards societal acceptance. I have heard that in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, child marriage has been banned under a special campaign. About 175 child marriages have been prevented so far. The district administration has opened bank accounts of over 55-60 thousand daughters under ‘Sukanya Samridhi Yojana’. In Kathua district in Jammu & Kashmir, all departments have been connected with ‘Beti Bachao – Beti Padhao Yojana’ under the Convergence Model and in addition to the convening of Gram-Sabhas, all efforts are being made by the district administrations for adoption of orphan baby girls and to ensure their education. In Madhya Pradesh, under the “Har Ghar Dastak” programme a campaign is being run to go to every village and every house to encourage education of daughters. In Rajasthan ‘Apna Bachcha, Apna Vidyalaya’ campaign is being run to readmit those girls into schools, who had dropped out, in order to encourage and motivate them to start studying again. I mean to say that ‘Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao’ movement has also developed in many shapes and forms. This entire movement has become a people’s movement. New imagination and new concepts have been linked and connected with it. This movement has been moulded as per local requirements. This, I believe, is a healthy sign. As we get ready to celebrate ‘Women’s Day’ this 8th March, there is only one sentiment: -

With Strength, with Vitality, the Indian woman comes to the fore

Rightfully deserves equality - neither less, nor more.

My dear countrymen, all of you get an opportunity to express your views from time to time in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. You also connect actively with this programme. I get to know so many things from you. I get to know as to what all is happening on the ground, in our villages and in the hearts and minds of the poor. I am very grateful to you for your contribution. Thank you very much.

My fellow citizens, my namaskar to all of you! 26th January, our Republic Day was celebrated with joy and enthusiasm in every nook and corner of the nation by all of us. The Constitution of India, the duties of citizens, the rights of citizens and our commitment to democracy - these in a way make Republic Day also a festival of ‘sanskaars’, which makes our future generations cognizant of democracy and their democratic responsibilities, and also imparts to them the culture, moral values and norms inherent in our democracy. But still in our country, the duties and rights of citizens are not being debated and discussed as intensively and extensively as it should be done. I hope that the amount of emphasis that is given to the rights at every level during most of the time, is also given to discussing duties of citizens in an emphatic manner. The rights and duties of the citizens constitute the railway track, on which the train of democracy in India can move ahead at a fast pace.

Tomorrow is 30th January, the death anniversary of our revered Bapu. All of us pay tributes to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the motherland, by observing silence for 2 minutes at 11 am on 30th January. As a society, as a nation, the 2 minute tribute of silence on 30th January at 11 am, should become our instinctive nature. This 2 minutes silence is an expression of our collective resolve and reverence for the martyrs.

In our country there is an innate respect for the military and the security forces. I congratulate and felicitate the young heroes and their families who were honoured with various gallantry awards on the eve of this Republic Day. There are various categories of these gallantry awards like Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal. I want to urge the youth especially that since you are very active on social media, you can do one thing. Surf the Net to do some research on the valiant bravehearts, who have been bestowed with these honours, compose a few good lines about them and share these with your friends and companions. When we get to know the in depth details of their courage, bravery, valour in detail, we are filled with astonishment and pride and we also get inspired!

While we were all delighted with the tidings of enthusiasm and celebration of 26th January, at the same time, some of our army Jawans posted in Kashmir for the defense of the country, achieved martyrdom due to the avalanche. I respectfully pay my homage to all these brave soldiers, I bow to them.

My young friends, you know very well that I regularly do my ‘Mann Ki Baat’. January, February, March, April – all these are for every family, months of most severe test! Normally it is one or two children in a home due to appear at their exams, but the entire family feels the burden of it. This led me to believe that this is the right time for me to talk to my student friends, their guardians and their teachers, because for many years now, wherever I have gone, whomsoever I have met, examination appeared to be a great source of anxiety. Troubled families, harassed students, tense teachers – one sees a very strange psychological atmosphere prevailing in each home! And I have always felt that we should come out of this situation and, therefore, today I want to talk in some detail with my young friends. When I’d declared that I would talk on this topic, many teachers, guardians and students sent me their messages, questions, suggestions and also expressed their anguish and narrated their problems. And after going through all these outpourings, some ideas came to my mind, which I want to share with you today. I received a telephonic message from Srishti. You too listen to what Srishti has to say: -

“Sir, I want to tell you that during exam time, very often in our homes, in the neighbourhood and in our society, a very terrifying and scary atmosphere pervades. This leads to a situation, where the students instead of feeling inspired feel tremendously down. So I just want to ask you this, can’t this be transformed into a pleasant atmosphere?”

Well, the question has been posed by Srishti, but it is a question that must be there in the minds of all of you. Exams in themselves, should be a joyous occasion. After a year of hard work, one has the opportunity to display one’s capabilities, so this should be a festival of joy and enthusiasm. But there are very few people for whom there is pleasure in the exam; for most people exam means pressure! Now, it is up to you to decide whether you consider the exams pleasure or pressure. Those who will consider it a pleasure, will have achievements, while those who will consider exams a pressure, will have to repent. And therefore my opinion is that exams are like a festival and, hence, must be celebrated. And when there is a festive mood of celebration, the best within us comes out. The true realisation of the strength of a society also takes place during festivals. The best of everything finds a manifestation. Usually, we think of ourselves as a highly undisciplined lot, but if we just look at the arrangements made during the Kumbh Melas, which are celebrated for about 40-45 days, these despite being essentially make-shift arrangements, display the great discipline practised by people. This is the inherent strength of a festival. Hence, during examinations too, an atmosphere of festivity should be created in the whole family, amongst friends and around the neighbourhood. And you will see for yourself, that the pressure will be converted into pleasure. The festive atmosphere will lead to a burden-free environment. And I especially urge the parents to create a festive atmosphere during these 3-4 months. All the family members have to work as a team and play with zeal their respective roles to make this festival of examination a success. You will witness for yourself the ensuing change. Actually from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Kamrup and from Amreli to Arunachal Pradesh, these 3-4 months have examinations galore. It is the responsibility of each one of us that in our own ways, observing our respective traditions and in tune with our respective family surroundings, we should strive to transform every year these 3-4 months into a festival. And therefore I shall say to you 'Smile More Score More'! The more time these days you will spend being happy, the more will be the number of marks you will earn! Just try and see for yourselves! And you must have noticed that when you are happy, you are smiling, you become relaxed automatically, and when you relax instinctively, you’re able to recollect very old things also quite effortlessly! A year ago, what the teacher had taught in the classroom, the whole scenario reappears in front of you. And you must know that the power of memory to recall is greatest when we are relaxed. If you are tense, then all the doors seem to be closed, nothing can enter from outside and nothing can come out from inside. The thought process comes to a standstill and that in itself becomes a burden. You must have seen for yourself that during the examinations also, you’re able to recall everything else - the book, the chapter, the page number, whether what you want is there on the top of the page or at its bottom, you can recall everything but not the particular word you want to. But as soon as you finish the examination and exit from the examination hall, suddenly you recollect that very word. And you say to yourself – Yes, Man, that was the word I wanted! Why you could not remember the word inside the hall, was due to the pressure. And how you could recall it outside? It was the same you, nobody had now told you the answer! What happened was that whatever was inside, came out immediately and the reason was that you were now relaxed. And therefore the most effective medicine that exists for memory recall is relaxation. And it is by my own personal experience that I’m telling you that if you’re under pressure then you forget even your own things but if you are relaxed, then you can’t even imagine the kind of things you are able to remember, and these become extremely useful. It is not that you do not have the knowledge, it is not that you do not have the information, and it is not that you have not worked hard! But when there is tension, your knowledge, your wisdom, your information – all these buckle under and the tension rides over you. And therefore it is necessary to remember that 'a happy mind is the secret for a good mark sheet’! Sometimes it also appears that we are not able to perceive examinations in a proper perspective. It seems to become a question of life and death. See, the exam you are going to appear at is the exam of what you have studied during this whole year. But it is not a test of your life. It is not a test of what kind of life have you lived, how is the life you are living now and what is the life you aspire to live. There must have been many occasions in your life, when, besides the examinations that you appeared at inside the classrooms with notebooks, you had to encounter and endure many tests and trials. And thus success and failure in life is not determined at all by how one has done at the examination; this is a burden from which you must free yourself. We all have before us the extremely inspiring example of our former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He appeared at the test for recruitment into the Air Force, and failed in that. Now suppose that this failure had caused him to become dejected, to concede defeat in his life, then would India have found such a great scientist and such a glorious President? No, never! One Richa Anand Ji has sent me this question: -

“Today what I see as the biggest challenge facing the education is that it has come to focus solely on examinations. Marks have become all important. As a result, the competition has multiplied leading to a very high increase of stress in the students also. So I would like to know your views concerning the current direction of education and its future course.”

Although she herself has given the answer to her query, but Richa Ji wishes that I too must put forth my views on the matter. Marks and mark-sheet serve a limited purpose. Life is not confined to these only. Life truly means what is the knowledge that you have acquired! Life truly goes on in terms of whether whatever you have learned, you have tried to live that also! Life moves ahead depending upon the condition that whatever the sense of mission you have achieved and whatever is the sense of ambition that you nurture, whether there is any ongoing co-ordination between your sense of mission and your sense of ambition! If you will have faith in these things, then marks will automatically follow you and you will never have to chase marks! It is the knowledge that is going to be of use to you in life, so are skill, self-confidence and determination. You tell me, you must be having a family doctor to whom all the members of your family must be going whenever needed. There would not be a single person in your family who might have asked that family doctor as to how many marks did he score while passing his exam. None could have raised this question. All of you would have thought that as a doctor he was good, you were finding relief in his treatment and thus you started taking his services regularly. When you have to fight a big law suit and you go to a lawyer to engage his services, do you look at the mark-sheet of that lawyer? You only look at his experience, his knowledge, and the graph of his success. And therefore this burden of hankering for marks hinders us sometimes from going in the right direction. But that does not mean that I’m implying that you don’t have to study at all. Studies are definitely useful for testing our own mettle; to know where I stood yesterday and where I stand today. But this also happens sometimes and if you analyse minutely the journey of your own life, you will realise that if you start running after marks, you will look for the shortest ways, and will identify a few selected things and focus on those only. But if something comes from outside those few things you had touched upon; a question comes which is outside the bunch of selected questions that you had prepared; you will be find yourself slipping to the rock bottom. If you have pursuit of knowledge as your focal point, then by itself you try to acquire and attain a lot more. However if you concentrate and focus only on getting marks, then you gradually go on limiting yourself and confine yourself to certain areas for earning more marks. Thus, you may find that despite becoming brilliant in passing the exams, you have sometimes failed in life.

Richa Ji had also mentioned about ‘PRATISPARDHA’, meaning 'competition with others'. It is a huge psychological battle. In reality, it is not the competition with others that takes us ahead in life but it is competing with ourselves or ‘ANUSPARDHA’, which takes our life forward. How can tomorrow be made better than yesterday! How can a future occasion be used to improve upon the past results. To make myself instantly clear, I shall cite an example from the field of sports. It is a feature in the life of most of the successful players that they compete with themselves. Let us take the example of Mr. Sachin Tendulkar. He kept on breaking his own records consecutively and consistently for about twenty years, everytime surpassing and outdoing himself and thus continuously forging ahead. What a wonderful journey of life he has had, only because he followed the route of competing with himself rather than competing with others!

Friends, in every field of life and when taking exams, if you were able to study peacefully for two hours earlier, then are you now able to do so for three hours? If you couldn’t wake up at the decided time in the morning and were thus delayed, now can you get up early on time? You couldn’t sleep earlier due to exam tension, are you able to sleep now? Put yourself to test, and you’ll find that a defeat in competition with others results in frustration, disappointment, despair and jealousy, but ‘Anuspardha’ or ‘competition with self’ leads to self-analysis and introspection and makes our determination stronger and more resolute. And when we prevail over ourselves, then the motivation to do better becomes innate, you don’t need any external sources of energy. That energy is generated from within on its own. If I have to put it in a simple language, then I would say that when you compete with someone else, there are three broad possibilities that arise - first, that you are much better than him; second, that you are much worse than him; and the third that you are equal to him. If you are better than your competitor, then you will become complacent,as you will be filled with over-confidence. If you perform poorly against him, you will become distressed and disappointed, will be filled with envy, that will devour and consume you. And if you are equal to your competitor, then you will never feel the need to improve, life will just go on at its own pace. Therefore I urge you to engage in ‘Anuspardha’, or ‘competition with self’. You must focus on how to improve upon your past performance and how to perform even better. And you’ll witness for yourself the positive change that it will bring about in you.

Shriman S. Sunder Ji has expressed his feelings on the role of parents. He says that during exams, parents have a vital role to play. He further writes, “My mother was not educated. Yet, she would sit by me and ask me to solve problems in Mathematics. She would then compare answers and thus be of great help to me. She would help me rectify errors. My mother did not clear the Class 10 exam, yet without her aid, it would have been impossible for me to pass the CBSE exam.”

Sunder Ji, what you say is absolutely correct. And you must have observed today also that women are a majority amongst those who ask me questions or send in suggestions. Mothers who are consciously aware of and actively alert to their children’s future, play a big role in assuaging the atmosphere at home. I shall urge parents to lay emphasis on just three points - acceptance, mentoring and sharing time. Accept things as they are. Whatever capabilities you posses, use these to mentor your children, and, howsoever occupied you might be, spare time for them, be with them. Once you learn to accept, maximum number of problems will be solved there and then. Every parent must be experiencing this. Expectation on the part of parents and teachers is the root cause of the problem. Acceptance brings about new avenues in finding solutions to problems. Expectations make the path difficult. Accepting a certain state provides us with the opportunity of opening up newer vistas. Just accept things as they are. You will feel much lighter. We keep deliberating on the heavy weight of our tiny tots‘ school bags, but there are times when I feel that expectations and aspirations on the part of parents are far too heavier compared to those school bags.

Once, many years ago, one of our acquaintances was admitted to a hospital, following a heart attack. Former M.P. Purushottam Mavlankar, son of India’s first Lok Sabha Speaker Ganesh Dada Mavlankar, had come to the hospital to see him. I was present there and I saw that he did not ask a single question on the state of his health; he just sat down with no reference to the ailment or to the situation. He started cracking jokes and lightened the atmosphere in a matter of just a few minutes. In a way, we terrify a patient with constant references to his ailment. I would like to convey to parents that we do exactly the same with our children. Have you ever thought of creating an atmosphere of joy and laughter for children during exams? See it for yourself, the whole ambience will be transformed.

I have received an incredible phone call. The gentleman does not wish to reveal his name. When you listen to the call, you will come to know why he does not want to identify himself!

“Namaskar, Pradhan Mantriji, I cannot divulge my name because of something that I did in my childhood. Once, when I was young, I had made an attempt to cheat in my exams. And I started preparing most thoroughly for that. I tried to explore and find out various methods of copying and wasted a lot of time because of that. I could have very well secured the same marks by devoting that time to studying, which I wasted while pondering how to copy. Moreover, when I tried to use unfair means to pass the exam, I got caught and a lot of my friends around me also had to undergo distress because of me.”

What you say is right. These shortcut ways become the reason for using unfair means. There are times when not having enough confidence in oneself makes one crave to peep into a fellow student’s answer sheet, may be just to confirm if one has written the correct answer. Sometimes it happens that our own answer is correct and the other’s answer is wrong. But we somehow believe that the other’s actually wrong answer is the right one, which leads to our own undoing as well. Thus unfair means lead us nowhere. ‘To cheat is to be cheap, so please do not cheat’. Cheating makes you bad, so stay away from it. Time and again you must have heard advisories on staying away from unfair means. I am reiterating the same, once again. Look at the scourge of cheating, copying and such unfair means from any angle and in any form; it is surely going to drag you into the abyss of failure in life. Over and above that, if the invigilator catches you cheating during the exam, you will be utterly ruined. And suppose, you are not caught, even then your own conscience will be burdened for lifetime. When the time will come to counsel your own children, you will not be able to look them clearly in the eye, burdened as you will be with your own sense of guilt. And once you are habituated to using unfair means, you will never feel the desire to actually learn anything in life. Where will you reach then?

It is as if you are yourself digging holes in your pathways. And, I have seen that there are people who squander so much of their talent, invest their entire creativity in finding ingenious ways and means in designing unfair methods. If one devotes the same time and the same creativity in addressing issues pertaining to exams, one would never require any unfair means in the first place. Results that you achieve through your own hard work and diligence will invest you with a phenomenal and extra-ordinary self-confidence.

Now listen to this phone call, which I have received: -

“Namaskar, Pradhan Mantri Ji, my name is Monica and since I am a class 12th student, I wanted to ask you a couple of questions regarding the Board Exams. My first question is, what can we do to reduce the stress that builds up during our exams and my second question is, why are exams all about work and no play. Thank you.”

During exam days, if I talk about sports and games, your teachers, your parents will be angry with me. “What kind of a Prime Minister is this, who is asking children to come out and play during exams,” they might say! People generally nurse the notion that if students indulge in sporting activities, they become careless about their studies. This notion is basically unfounded. It is the root cause of this problem. If one has to achieve holistic development, the fact is that there exists a huge world, a life beyond books; and this precisely is the time to learn living that life also. If someone says, “Let me finish with all exams first, I will play and do other things later”; well, that is impossible. This is THE time for moulding one’s life. This is what upbringing is all about. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, three things are crucial – proper rest, the other is the requisite amount of sleep, the third is the body, which is a major component, way beyond mental activity. Other parts of the body too require physical activity. With so much to do, have you ever thought of spending a couple of moments gazing at the sky, looking with wonder at the flora around you, lightening your spirits a bit! You will notice that you will return to your study room and be amongst your books with a renewed freshness. Whatever you are doing, take a break, have a stroll outside, enter the kitchen, look for something that you relish to eat, munch on your favourite biscuit if possible, tell or listen jokes and laugh for a while. If only for five minutes, give yourself a break. You will feel the onset of a certain ease in your work. I do not know if everyone likes this or not, but I am saying it out of personal experience. Deep breathing during these times is very beneficial. It relaxes you. And for deep breathing you do not need to confine yourself to your room. Just be under the open sky, go to the roof top, do deep breathing for five minutes and return to your studies. You will experience relaxation in your body. A relaxed body equally relaxes your mental organs. Some of you feel like studying more and more, keeping awake for late hours in the night. No. Ensure adequate sleep for the body that is required. It will help you avoid wastage of study time; it will enhance your ability to study well. Your concentration will increase. You will feel a certain freshness. Your overall efficiency will rise by leaps and bounds. When I address election rallies, sometimes I suffer from a sore throat or a hoarse voice. Once a folk singer came to meet me. He asked me, “How many hours do you sleep?” I asked him if he was a doctor. He said, “No, but it is linked with your voice problem brought on by delivering so many election speeches. Only when you get adequate sleep, your vocal chords will be able to rest fully.” Well, I had never given a thought to a possible connection between my sleep, my speeches and my voice. It was as if he had given me a herbal panacea. Actually, we should understand the importance of these things, it will surely benefit you. But this does not mean that you keep sleeping all the time. Some might remark that since the Prime Minister has said so, just keep sleeping, there is no need to wake up and study. Please, do not do that, else your family members will be displeased with me. And when your mark sheet arrives, if they are not happy with that, they will not see you but only me. So, avoid doing that. And hence I will say, “P for prepare and P for play’, one who plays blossoms, the person who plays, shines. This is a wonderful remedy for maintaining the vigour of the mind, brain and body.

Anyway, young friends, you are engrossed in preparing for your exams and here I am, engaging you in matters close to my heart. Of course, it is quite possible that my words this morning will act as a relaxant for you. In the same breath, I will add that do not let these remarks of mine be a burden on you. Do it only if you can. If you cannot do it, please do not do it, else this too will weigh heavily on you. Just as I advise your parents not to be burdensome to you, the same applies to me too. Keeping your resolve in mind, with confidence in yourself, set out for your exams. My best wishes to your. In order to clear a test, treat the test as a festive occasion. You will never feel a test, a test again. Make headway with this Mantra.

My dear countrymen, on 1st February 2017, Indian Coast Guard is completing 40 years. On this occasion I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the officers and jawans of Coast Guard for their service to the Nation. It is a matter of pride and honour that with its indigenously built 126 ships and 62 aircrafts, it has carved a coveted place for itself amongst the 4 biggest Coast Guards of the world. The motto of Coast Guard is ‘Vayam Rakshaamaha.’ We protect. True in letter and spirit to the motto, securing the country’s maritime borders and maritime environment, the jawans of Coast Guard are relentlessly at work night and day, braving the most adverse conditions. Last year, personnel of Coast Guard undertook a campaign of cleaning up of our coastal areas also, over and above their routine duties. Thousands participated in this campaign. Along with coastal security, they displayed concern towards coastal cleanliness and deserve accolades for their act. Not many people would be aware that in our Coast Guard, not just men, but women too are discharging their duties and responsibilities shoulder to shoulder, and most successfully. Our Coast Guard women officers are pilots, work as Observers, and not just that, they command Hovercrafts as well. In the backdrop of the fact that maritime security today has become an issue of global concern and the excellence displayed by Coast Guard in securing India’s coast line, I extend my heartiest felicitations to them on their 40th birthday.

1st February is the festival of Vasant Panchami. Vasant, that is Spring, is acknowledged as the best of seasons. Vasant is RITURAJ, the king of seasons. In our country, Saraswati Pooja is done on Vasant Panchami; Vasant Panchmi is a major festival. It is considered an occasion to worship Vidya, knowledge. And not just that, it is a celebration of inspiration for brave hearts. ‘Mera Rang de Basanti Chola’ is a perfect example of that. I extend my best wishes to my countrymen on the pious occasion of Vasant Panchami.

My dear countrymen, in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, All India Radio too infuses myriad novel hues of creativity and imagination. Last month onwards, they have started broadcasting versions in regional languages, immediately after the broadcast of my ‘Mann Ki Baat’. This has gained wide acceptance. People are writing in from far and wide. I felicitate All India Radio for this self-inspired initiative from the core of my heart. ‘Mann Ki Baat’ gives me a great opportunity to be connected with you. Best wishes to you. Thank you.

My fellow countrymen, Namaskar, many felicitations and season’s greetings to you on the occasion of Christmas. Today is the day to give importance in our lives to service, sacrifice and compassion. Jesus had said - “The poor do not need our favours but our acceptance with affection.” In the Gospel According to Saint Luke, it is written that – “Jesus not only served the poor but also praised the service done by the poor,” and this is what real empowerment is. A tale associated with this incident is also very popular. It has been mentioned in that story that Jesus was standing near the treasury of a temple; many rich people came and donated bountifully; then a poor widow came and parted with only two copper coins. Now just two copper coins really do not amount to much. Thus it was natural that there was a lot of curiosity in the minds of the disciples gathered there. Then, Jesus declared that the widow was the greatest of those donors because while the others had donated substantially, that widow had given away all she possessed.

Today, 25th December, is also the birth anniversary of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviyaji, who kindled resolve and self confidence in the psyche of the Indian people and gave a new direction to modern education. My most sincere and heartfelt tributes to Malviyaji on his birth anniversary. About two days ago, I had the opportunity to launch many a developmental work in Banaras, the sacred workplace of Malviyaji. I also laid the foundation stone of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya Cancer Centre in BHU at Varanasi. This Cancer Centre is going to be a boon for the people of not only eastern Uttar Pradesh but for the people of Jharkhand and Bihar also.

Today is also the birthday of Bharat Ratna and former Prime Minister Venerable Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji. This country can never forget Atalji’s contributions. Under his leadership, the country proudly grew in stature in the field of nuclear power also. Whether in the role of a party leader, Member of Parliament, a minister or the Prime Minister, Atalji always established an ideal. I salute Atalji on his birthday and pray to God for his good health. As a party worker I had the privilege of working with Atalji. Many memories emerge before my eyes. This morning when I tweeted, I shared a video, in which you can see for yourself how as a small party worker one had the fortune of having affection showered upon him by Atalji.

Today, on Christmas Day, as a gift the countrymen are going to get the benefit of two schemes. In a way it is the beginning of two new schemes. Throughout the entire country, be it villages or towns, the educated or the illiterate, there is an atmosphere of curiosity as to what is cashless, how cashless business can take place, how can one make purchases without using cash! Everybody wants to understand and learn from each other. To encourage this trend, to strengthen mobile banking and to inculcate the habit of making e-payments, the Government of India is launching from today encouragement schemes for consumers as well as traders. To encourage customers, the scheme is ‘Lucky Grahak Yojana’ and to encourage traders the scheme is ‘Digi Dhan Vyapaar Yojana’.

Today, on 25th December, as a Christmas gift, fifteen thousand people will get rewards through a draw system, whereby each of the fifteen thousand winners will have one thousand rupees into their accounts and this will be not for today only; starting today this scheme will continue for the next 100 days. Everyday fifteen thousand people are going to receive rewards of one thousand rupees each. In the next 100 days, lakhs of families are going to receive crores of rupees as gift, but you will be entitled to this gift only if you make use of mobile banking, e-banking, RuPay Card, UPI, USSD - such means and methods of digital payment. The draw for rewards will be done based on your use of such digital payment methods. In addition, there would be a grand draw once every week for such customers in which the prize money will be in lakhs of rupees and three months later on April 14th, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, there would be a mega bumper draw where rewards would be in crores of rupees.

‘Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana’ is mainly for traders and businessmen. Traders should adopt this scheme themselves and should encourage their customers too in order to make their business cashless. Such traders will also be rewarded separately and there would be thousands of these rewards. The traders will run their business activities smoothly and will also have an opportunity to win rewards. This scheme has been designed keeping all sections of society in mind, with a special focus on the poor and the lower middle class segments. Therefore only those will get its benefits who make a purchase worth more than 50 rupees but less than three thousand rupees. Those who make purchases of more than three thousand rupees will not be entitled to rewards under this scheme.

Even the poor people can use USSD on simple feature or ordinary mobile phones to buy and sell goods as well as make payments and thus all of them can also become prospective beneficiaries of this reward scheme. In rural areas too, people can buy or sell through AEPS and they can also win rewards. Many will be surprised to know that now there are about 30 Crore, i.e. 300 million RuPay Cards in India, out of which 200 million RuPay Cards belong to poor families which have ‘Jan Dhan’ accounts. These 300 million people can immediately become part of this rewards scheme. I have confidence that the countrymen will evince interest in this system and if you enquire from the young people around you, they would surely be aware of these things and on your asking will tell you about these. Come on, if there is a child studying in 10th or 12th standard in your family, he or she will also be able to teach you well about this. It is as simple as sending WhatsApp messages on the mobile.

My dear countrymen, I feel delighted to learn that the awareness about how to use technology, making e-payments, making online payments is spreading very fast. During the past few days, the cashless transactions, or cashless trading has increased by 200 to 300%. To give cashless trading a big impetus, Government of India has taken a very major decision. The business community, our traders can well comprehend how momentous this decision is. Those businessmen who adopt digital transactions, who develop online payment process instead of cash transactions in their trade activities will get Income Tax rebate.

I congratulate all the states and union territories, who have promoted this campaign in their own way. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu is the head of a committee which is considering various schemes under this. However, I have seen that the governments also have initiated and implemented many schemes. I’ve been told that Assam Government has decided to grant a 10% discount on property tax and business license fee if payments are made through digital transaction. The branches of Grameen, that is, Rural Banks there getting 75% of their customers to make at least two digital transactions between January and March will get 50 thousands rupees rewards from the government. They have announced that under the ‘Uttam Panchayat for Digi-Transaction’, rewards of 5 lakh rupees will be given to villages doing 100% digital transaction till 31st March, 2017. Assam Government has decided to reward 5 thousand rupees to the first 10 farmers as ‘Digital Krishak Shiromani’, who will buy seeds and fertilizers entirely through digital payments. I congratulate Assam Government and also all those state governments who have taken such initiatives.

A number of organisations have also successfully carried out many experiments to promote digital transactions amongst the rural folk and poor farmers. I have been told that GNFC or Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited, which primarily manufactures fertilizers, has installed a thousand PoS machines for sale of fertilizers for the convenience of farmers and in just a few days 35 thousand farmers were sold 5 lakh sacs of fertilizers on digital payment and this was accomplished in only two weeks! And the interesting fact is that compared to last year the fertilizer sales of GNFC have gone up by 27 percent.

Brothers and sisters, the informal sector occupies a major segment in our economy and in our pattern of life and mostly these people are paid wages for their labour and hard work in cash. They are paid their salaries in cash and we know that due to this, they are exploited also. If they are to receive 100 rupees, they get only 80 rupees, if they are to be paid 80 rupees, they are given only 50 rupees. They are deprived of facilities like insurance and those associated with health sector. But now the practice of cashless payment is being adopted; the money is being directly deposited into banks. In a way, the informal sector is getting converted into the formal sector, exploitation is coming to an end, the cut, which had to be paid earlier, has stopped now and it has become possible for the worker, the artisan, such poor persons to get their full amount of money. In addition, they are also becoming entitled to the other benefits due to them.

Our country is blessed with the maximum number of young people. Thus, we are favourably placed for using technology. A country like India should be ahead of everybody else in this field. Our youth have benefitted quite a lot from ‘Start-Ups’. This digital movement is a golden opportunity for our youth. They should impart to this as much strength as they can with their new ideas, technology and processes. But we must also connect with the drive to rid the country of black money and corruption with all our might.

My dear countrymen, I request every month before ‘Mann Ki Baat’ that you please give your suggestions, share your thoughts; and of the thousands of such suggestions received this time on MyGov, on NarendraModiApp, I can definitely say that 80 to 90% suggestions were pertaining to the war against corruption and black money, there was mention of demonetization. After I examined all the suggestions, I can say that these can macroscopically be roughly divided into three categories. Some have written in detail about people facing difficulties and encountering inconveniences. The other group of correspondents have stressed that this is such a good work being carried out for the welfare of the country, such a sacred task but they have also noted that in spite of this there are many scams being committed and new avenues of dishonesty are being explored. The third group is the one which has, while wholeheartedly supporting the action being taken, clearly stressed that this fight must be carried forward; corruption and black money must be completely destroyed and if this requires even more tough steps to be taken, those must be taken. We have many people writing this most emphatically.

I am thankful to the countrymen for helping me by writing these innumerable letters to me. Shriman Gurumani Kewal has written on MyGov - “This step of reigning in black money is praiseworthy. We citizens are facing some difficulties, but we are all fighting against corruption and we are happy that we are making a contribution in this fight. We are battling corruption, black money etc on the lines of Military Forces.” The sentiment behind Gurumani Kewalji’s text is being echoed in every nook and corner of the country. All of us are experiencing it. When the people face problems, undergo hardships, rare will be a fellow human being who will not empathise. I feel as much pain as you do. But when a task is taken up with a noble objective, to realise a lofty intent, with a clear conscience, the countrymen stay firm courageously amidst all these trials and tribulations. These people are the real Agents of Change, pioneers of transformation. I thank people for one more reason. They have not only braved hardships, but have also powerfully given a retort to those limited few who have been trying to mislead them.

So many rumours were spread, even the fight against corruption and black money was sought to be tainted with shades of communalism. Somebody spread a rumour that the spelling on the currency note was faulty, someone said salt prices had spiraled, someone proclaimed that the 2000 rupee note would also be withdrawn, even 500 and 100 rupee denominations notes were rumoured to be on their way out. But I have seen that despite rampant rumour mongering, citizens have stood firm with their faith intact. And not just that, many people came to the fore and through their creativity and intelligence, exposed the rumour mongers, brought out the falsity of the rumours and established the truth. I salute this great ability of the people also from the core of my heart.

My dear countrymen, I am experiencing one thing every moment. When a hundred and twenty five crore countrymen are standing by you, nothing is impossible. The people represent the will of the Almighty and their blessings become His blessings. I thank the people of this country and salute them for participating in this Mahayagya against black money and corruption with utmost zeal. It was my earnest wish that the ongoing campaign against corruption and black money, including the realm of political parties and political funding, be discussed extensively in the Parliament. Had the House functioned properly, there would have been comprehensive deliberation. Some people are spreading rumours that political parties enjoy all kinds of concessions. These people are absolutely in the wrong. The law applies equally to all. Whether it is an individual, an organisation or a political party, everyone has to abide by law and one will have to. People, who cannot endorse corruption and black money openly, resort to searching for faults of the government relentlessly.

Another issue which comes up is this. Why are rules changed time and again? This government is for the sake of the people. The government continuously endeavours to take a feedback from them. What are the areas of difficulty for the people? What are the rules that are creating hindrances? And what are the possible solutions? The government, being a sensitive government, amends rules as required, keeping the convenience of the people as its foremost consideration, so that citizens are not subjected to hardships. On the other hand, as I’d said earlier, on the 8th to be precise, this drive, this war is an extraordinary one. For the past 70 years, what kind of forces are involved in this murky enterprise of perfidy and corruption? How mighty are they? When I have resolved to wage battle against them, they too come up with new tactics everyday to thwart the government’s efforts. To counter these new offensives, we too have to devise appropriate new responses and antidotes. When the opponents keep on trying out new tactics, we have to counteract decisively, since we have resolved to eradicate the corrupt, shady businesses and black money.

On the other hand, many people have mentioned in their letters all kinds of wrongdoing which are going on; how newer wily ways and means are being devised. In this context, I offer my heartiest salutations to my dear countrymen for one very remarkable thing. These days you must be seeing on T.V. and newspapers, everyday many new people are being taken into custody, currency notes are being seized, raids are being carried out. Influential persons are being caught. How has all this been made possible? Should I let out the secret? The secret is that my sources of such information are people themselves. Information being received from common citizens is many times higher than that being obtained through government machinery. And we are by and large being successful in our operations on account of the awareness and alertness that the people have displayed. Can anyone imagine the level of risk, which the aware citizen of my country is taking to expose such elements! The information received has largely proved to be fruitful. For those of you wanting to share such information, you can send it on an e-mail address set up by the government for this purpose. You can also provide it on MyGov. The government is committed to fight all such wrongdoings and maladies. And when we have your active support, this fight becomes much easier.

Thirdly, there is another group of letter writers, also existing in large numbers. They say - Modiji, do not feel exhausted, do not stop and take the most stringent measures that you can. Now that you have chosen this path, the journey should culminate at its intended and logical destination. I specially thank writers of such letters, since their writing exudes a certain confidence, fortified with blessings. I sincerely assure you that this is in no way going to be a full stop. This is just the beginning. We have to win this battle and the question of feeling exhausted or stopping simply does not arise. Armed with the good wishes of a hundred and twenty five crore countrymen, there is no question of a retreat. You are possibly aware of a Law about Benami Property in our country which came into being in 1988, but neither were its rules ever framed, nor was it notified. It just lay dormant gathering dust. We have retrieved it and turned it into an incisive law against ‘Benami Property’. In the coming days, this law will also become operational. For the benefit of the Nation, for the benefit of the people, whatever needs to be done will be accorded our top priority.

My dear countrymen, I had mentioned in last month’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ that even amidst these hardships our farmers toiled tirelessly and broke last year’s record in sowing. It is a sign of good times for the agricultural sector. The diligent hard work by this country’s workers, and farmers, and youth has scripted a new chapter of success with flying colours. Recently India proudly inscribed her name in various sectors of the global economic scenario. It is solely on account of the tireless exertions of our countrymen that on myriad indicators, India has charted an upward trajectory in global rankings. India’s ranking has gone up in the Doing Business Report of the World Bank. We are trying our best to raise the level of the business practices in India to match the best practices in the world on equal footing. And we are succeeding in that. In the World Investment Report released by UNCTAD, India’s position has risen to third in the Top Prospective Host Economies for 2016-18. In the Global Competitive Report of the World Economic Forum, India has made a big leap upwards by 32 ranks. In the Global Innovation Index 2016, we have moved up 16 rungs and in the Logistics Performance Index 2016 of the World Bank, we have risen by 19 ranks. There are many reports whose evaluation indicate that India is taking rapid strides ahead.

My dear countrymen, this time the session of Parliament became the object of ire of our countrymen. Indignation was expressed everywhere about the activities in the Parliament. The President and Vice President also explicitly expressed their displeasure. But even in such a situation, sometimes good things also take place which create a sense of satisfaction in the mind. Amid the din in Parliament, an excellent task was accomplished, which has not attracted due attention of the country. Brothers and sisters, today with pride and joy I would like to mention that a bill in connection with my government’s mission on Divyangjan, that is, differently or specially abled people was passed in Parliament. For this, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. On behalf of millions of Divyangjan of the country I express my thanks. Our government is committed to the welfare of Divyaangs. Personally too, I have strived to lend momentum to this campaign. My intention was to ensure that the Divyangjan secure their due rights and also the honour and dignity that they are entitled to. Our efforts and our trust were fortified by our Divyaang brothers and sisters when they returned with 4 medals from the Paralympics. With their triumph, not only did they do the Nation proud, they pleasantly surprised many people through their capabilities and prowess. Our Divyaang brothers and sisters are an invaluable heritage, a precious endowment, just as every citizen of the country is. Today I am immensely delighted that the passing of this Law for the welfare of the Divyaangjan will open up additional avenues of employment for them. In government jobs, the extent of reservation for them has been enhanced to 4%. Special provisions have been provided for in this Law for their education, facilities and also for grievances. The extent of sensitivity of the government towards the Divyaangs can be assessed by the fact that during the last two years, the central government set up 4350 camps for Divyaangs, spent 352 crore rupees for distributing implements to 5,80,000 Divyaang brothers and sisters. The government has passed the new law in consonance with the spirit expressed by the United Nations. Earlier there were seven Divyaang categories; now adding fourteen new categories this has been expanded to twenty-one categories. Many such new categories of Divyaangs have been included thereby providing them for the first time justice and opportunities. For example, categories like Thalassemia, Parkinson’s, or for that matter Dwarfism have been included.

My young friends, during the last few weeks, news items coming in from the world of sports have made all of us proud. Being Indians, it is but natural for us to feel elated. In the cricket series against England, India has triumphed 4-0. In this, the performance of some of the younger players deserves a special word of praise. The young Karun Nair scored a triple century and K. L. Rahul played a brilliant 199 run innings. Test captain Virat Kohli batted extremely well and also provided inspiring leadership. Indian Cricket team’s off-spin bowler R. Ashwin has been declared ‘Cricketer of the Year’ as well as ‘Best Test Cricketer’ by the ICC for the year 2016. My heartiest congratulations and many good wishes go to all of them. After a gap of 15 years, there was good news, in fact grand news from the hockey arena too. The Junior Hockey Team lifted the World Cup. This festive occasion came to us after fifteen years as the Junior Hockey team won the World Cup. Heartiest congratulations to these young players for this grand feat. This achievement is a very good omen for the future of our Hockey team. Last month our Women players too won laurels. Indian Women’s Hockey Team won the Asian Champions Trophy and just a few days ago in the under-18 Asia Cup, Indian Women’s Hockey Team secured the Bronze Medal. I congratulate all our Cricket and Hockey team players from the core of my heart.

My dear countrymen, may 2017 be a year full of joy and enthusiasm; may all your resolves be crowned with success; let us scale newer heights of progress; may the poorest of the poor get an opportunity to lead a better and fuller life of happiness and contentment; may 2017 be like this for all of us. For the year 2017, my best and brightest wishes to all my countrymen. Many, many thanks.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Last month, all of us were celebrating Diwali. Like every year, this Diwali too, I had gone to the border, to the China border, to celebrate the occasion with our soldiers, our jawans. I celebrated Diwali with ITBP men and army jawans on the lofty heights of the Himalayas. I do it every time, but this Diwali was an entirely different experience. The heartening effect of the novel way in which our 1.25 billion countrymen dedicated this Diwali to soldiers of our army, to our defence forces, was clearly evident on their faces. They appeared charged with emotions, and not just that, the act of our countrymen of sending greeting messages, including the defence forces of the nation in their rejoicing had elicited a wonderful response. And it is not that people merely sent messages. There was an earnest heartfelt connect. Some wrote poems, some drew pictures, a few created cartoons, others made videos; it was as if every home had been transformed into an army post. And when I saw those letters, I used to be amazed at the magnitude of creativity and emotions behind this endeavour. And this gave rise to a thought in MyGov that out of these, selected items could be compiled to make a coffee table book. Work is under way on that. Your collective contribution, the sentiments of soldiers, your emotional universe dedicated to our security forces as expressed in your creativity will form the content of this volume.

A soldier wrote to me – Mr. Prime Minister, we soldiers have all the festivals like Holi and Diwali on the borders. We are devoted to defending the country every moment. Bu we do miss our near and dear ones back home during festivals. But, to tell you the truth, this time we did not feel so. Never did it appear to us even once that we are not at home for the festivities. It felt as if we were celebrating Diwali together with a hundred and twenty five crore Indians.

My dear countrymen, this warmth of emotion, this fervour that has been kindled in the hearts of our defence forces, our soldiers this Diwali, should this be confined to only a few occasions? I appeal to you that we should make it our nature, our characteristic as a society, as a Nation that whether it be a celebration of a festival or any joyous occasion, we should keep the soldiers, the jawans of the military of our nation in our hearts and minds. When the entire nation stands by the armed forces, their might mutiplies a hundred and twenty five crore times.

 A few days ago, all Pradhans from the villages of Jammu & Kashmir had come to see me. They were from the Jammu & Kashmir Panchayat Conference. They had come from different villages of the Kashmir valley, there were around 40-50 Pradhans. I got an opportunity to speak to them at length. They had come to discuss a few points on the development of their villages; they had some demands. But when the deliberations began, issues such as conditions in the valley, the law and order situation, the future of children came up in a natural manner. These village Pradhans spoke about these topics with such affection and openness that everything touched my heart. In the course of the conversation, there was also a mention of schools in Kashmir that had been set afire. And I felt these Pradhans were as saddened as our other countrymen were, at that. They too felt that it was not just schools, it was the future of the children, that had been set ablaze. I had urged them to focus on these children’s future, on their return home. I am feeling happy today that these Pradhans, who had come from the Kashmir valley, kept their word in letter and spirit. They returned to their villages and made people from far and wide aware on this issue. Recently, just a few days ago, when the Board examinations were held, 95% of the sons and daughters of Kashmir, the young students appeared in the examinations. The sheer volume of students, who appeared in the Board Examinations, is a clear indication that our children from Jammu & Kashmir are committed to attain newer heights of progress, to build a bright future through the medium of education. For their resolute zeal I congratulate these students and I also felicitate their parents, their kith and kin, their teachers and all the Gram Pradhans as well from the depths of my heart.

My dear brothers and sisters, this time when I asked people for suggestions for ‘Mann ki Baat’, I can say that almost all the suggestions that were received echoed one theme. Everyone wanted me to speak in more detail about the 500 & 1000 rupee notes. On the 8^th of November at 8 in the evening, in my Address to the Nation, I had talked about launching a mega campaign to bring about reforms in the country. When I had taken this decision and presented it before you, then also I had said openly that it was not an ordinary decision, it was one fraught with difficulties. It was a very important decision but implementation of that decision is equally important. And I had also foreseen that this would result in all of us having to face various new difficulties in our day-to-day lives. And I had stated then also that this decision was so enormous that it would take us at least 50 days to come out of its after effects and only then would we be able to move towards normalcy. These maladies have been afflicting us for the past 70 years and the campaign for getting rid of these can never be an easy task. I can very well understand the problems you are going through! But when I see your support, when I look at your co-operation; although numerous efforts are on to misguide you, despite that, and despite witnessing some disturbing incidents, you have whole heartedly comprehended the path of righteousness and truth, you have favourably accepted this step taken in the best national interest.

500 and 1000 rupee notes and such a vast country, wide proliferation of currencies, billions and trillions of bank notes and amidst that, this decision – the whole world is minutely observing, every economist is analysing it, evaluating it. The whole world is watching – will hundred and twenty-five crore Indians finally attain success after facing numerous hardships? This question may be there in the world community. However, India has nothing but faith and faith only and supreme confidence in her hundred and twenty five crore countrymen that they will certainly fulfill their resolve. And our country will emerge shining like gold does after a test by fire. And the reason for that is you, the citizens of this country. The route to this success also has been paved only because of you.

Across the country, central government, state governments, all units of the local self government institutions, one lakh thirty thousand bank branches, lakhs of bank employees, over one and a half lakh post offices, over a lakh Bank-Mitras are relentlessly at work, day and night, with complete dedication. In the midst of immense and varied stress, all these individuals are working hard, maintaining a calm and composed demeanour, taking it as a Yagya of Service to the Nation, an attempt towards a great transformation.

They begin work early in the morning, not knowing when they will wind up at night. Everyone is busy working. And as a precise consequence of this diligence, there are clear indications that India will succeed handsomely in this endeavour. And I have seen that in the midst of such difficulties, all personnel of banks and post offices are working very hard. And when it comes to the practice of humanity, they appear two steps ahead. Someone told me that in Khandwa, an old gentleman met with an accident. Money was needed urgently. This came to the knowledge of local bank personnel,  and I was happy to learn that they personally carried and handed over cash at his home, for help in treatment. Innumerable such incidents come to light everyday through television, media, newspapers and mutual conversations. I profusely thank all such compatriots who have striven hard to perform this MAHAYAGYA, and lived up to the lofty virtue of PURUSHARTH. The greatest validation of SHAKTI, strength, comes when the same is put to test. I distinctly remember, when the Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana was launched, bank personnel earnestly and zealously shouldered their responsibilities and showed that they could achieve what had not been accomplished during the last 70 years. Their capabilities were manifested. Today, once again, they have accepted the challenge and I do believe that the steely resolve of one hundred and twenty five crore countrymen, their collective demonstration of PURUSHARTH will go a long way in investing our nation with a new power and strength on its path of progress.

But vices are so widespread and deep-rooted that even today there are people whose vicious habits refuse to die. Even now, some people think that they can re-introduce into the system, money from corruption, black money, unaccounted wealth and Benami money (money in unknown person’s name), using some route or the other. They seek illegal means to save their ill-gotten wealth. The saddest part is that, for this too, they have chosen to misuse the poor, the underprivileged people. By misguiding the poor, enticing them through the vices of avarice and temptation, wrongfully pumping money into their bank accounts, or getting them to undertake some wrong activities, some people are trying to save their black money. I want to tell such people today -  whether you reform or not is up to you, whether you respect and follow the law or do otherwise is again up to you; of course, the law will take its own course to decide on the requisite action; but, for God’s sake, please do not play with the lives of poor people. Do not do anything that may bring the names of the poor on record for wrong reasons and land my dear poor people into trouble during the investigation later on account of your  foul deeds. And the law regarding Benami property that has been enacted and is being implemented is very stringent and it is going to be extremely tough on wrong doers. The government does not wish that our countrymen should face undue hardships.

One Mr. Aashish has called me up and appreciated the fight against corruption and black money through the action on 500 and 1000 Rupee notes: -

“Sir, Namaste. My name is Aashish Paare. I am an ordinary citizen of Village Tiraali of Tehsil Tiraali in District Harda of Madhya Pradesh. Your move to demonetize 1000 and 500 rupee notes is a commendable step. I wish that in Mann Ki Baat, you  quote instances of people, who, despite facing hardships, have welcomed this step for the nation’s progress. This will further enhance people’s zeal. A cashless economy is necessary for nation building. And I am with the whole country on this. I am truly happy that you have done away with 1000 and 500 rupee notes.”

I have received a similar call from Mr. Yellappa Velankar Ji from Karnataka: -

“Modi Ji, Namaste. I am calling from a village in Koppal district of Karnataka. My name is Yellappa Velankar. I want to thank you wholeheartedly because you had said that good days will come, but nobody had ever thought that you would take such a big step. You have taught a lesson to black money mongers and the corrupt through the demonetization of 1000 and 500 rupee notes. For each and every citizen of India there could be no better days than these. For this I thank you from the core of my heart.”

We get to know certain things through media, through the people and through government sources which add to our enthusiasm for work. It gives us such a great happiness and a sense of pride to know that the common man in my country has such a wonderful capability. A restaurant on the National Highway-6 in Akola in Maharashtra has displayed a board saying that if you have only old currency notes in the pocket and want to have food, please, do not worry about money and do not leave hungry from this place. Please, do have your food and pay later whenever you happen to pass through this place. So people go and eat there and make payments on their next visit after 2, 4 or 6 days. This is the strength of my country which encompasses the spirit of service, of sacrifice and also of genuineness and honesty.

During elections, I used to have ‘चाय पर चर्चा’, that is discussions over tea and this got publicised around the whole world. People in many countries of the world even learnt to utter the phrase – ‘Chai Par Charcha’. But, I did not know ‘Chai Par Charcha’ could be linked to a marriage also. I learnt that on 17^th November, a marriage was solemnised with ‘Chai Par Charcha’ in Surat. One daughter at Surat in Gujarat served only tea to all the guests who had come to her wedding. There was no big function, no feast or banquet because there was a shortage of cash due to demonetisation. Guests from the bridegroom’s side also gracefully accepted it as their ceremonial welcome. Bharat Maaroo and Dakshaa Parmar from Surat, through their marriage, have made a valuable contribution in the ongoing fight against corruption and black money and set up a very inspiring example. I convey my blessings to the newlyweds Bharat and Dakshaa and profusely compliment them also for having transformed their wedding occasion into an offering for the great task and thereby converting it into a new opportunity. Whenever confronted by such difficult times, people do succeed in exploring and finding good avenues and solutions.

I once saw in the news on TV, when I had returned late in the night, a report about a small village called Dhekiajulli (धेकियाजुली) in Assam, where tea workers reside. These tea workers get their wages on weekly basis. Now, what they did when they received a 2000 rupee note as wages? Four women from the neighborhood got together and jointly made purchases and made the payment with the 2000 Rupee note; they did not need small currency as they had jointly made their purchases and had decided that they would settle accounts later when they were to meet next week. People are themselves finding ways. And just look at this change. The government received a message that people of tea gardens in Assam are demanding setting up of ATMs in their areas. See, how the village life is also getting transformed. Some people are getting instant benefits from this campaign. The nation will reap these benefits in the days to come but some people have got benefits instantly. On asking how things were going on, I got to know about the impact in small towns. On the basis of reports received from about 45-50 cities, I gathered that demonetisation had encouraged people there to pay their arrears accumulated due to non-payment of dues earlier; many people were in the habit of not making tax payments such as water tax, electricity bills, etc., they just did not pay. Now all of us know very well that the poor people always like to clear their dues 2-3 days in advance. It is the well-off people, who do not pay their taxes and bills as they have higher connections and know that nobody is going to ask or do anything against them. Thus there are big arrears of payments, which remain pending. All municipalities receive hardly 50% of their tax revenues. But, this time after the decision taken on the 8^th instant, people rushed to deposit their old currency notes. 47 urban institutions had received about 3 to 3.5 thousand crore rupees in taxes last year. You will be surprised and also happy to know that during this one week, these institutions received 13 thousand crore rupees. Imagine the difference - from 3 to 3.5 thousand crores to 13 thousand crores. And, that too with the self initiative of those making payments. Now that these municipalities have received 4 times the money, it is quite natural that poor localities and slums will get better drainage facilities, better water supply and better Aanganbari system. Many such examples are coming to light where direct benefits of this demonetisation can clearly be seen.

Brothers and sisters, our villages and our farmers are strong pillars of our economy. Every citizen is making requisite adjustments amidst the difficulties as a result of the new changes. But, I especially wish to compliment the farmers of our country. I was just gathering data of the sowing of this crop season. I am glad that be it wheat, be it pulses, be it oilseeds, the data received till 20^th November indicates that sowing has increased substantially as compared to sowing during the last year. Our farmers have discovered new avenues amidst the present difficulties. The government has also taken many important decisions, wherein priority has been accorded to our farmers and villages. Despite these measures, some difficulties persist but I am confident that our farmer who bravely faces every difficulty, including natural calamities, is standing firm in the face of present odds also.

Small traders and businessmen of our country provide employment opportunities besides adding to the economic activities. In the last budget we had taken an important decision that just like the big malls, small shopkeepers in the villages will also be allowed to operate round the clock and no rule will stop them from doing so because I felt that when the big malls can function 24 hours, why the poor village-shopkeepers should not get the same facility? A number of initiatives were taken to grant them loans under Mudra Yojana. These small traders were provided loans worth lakhs and crores of rupees under Mudra Yojana because there are crores of such small traders and they impart momentum to the business activities worth billions of rupees. But naturally they too had to face difficulties due to this decision. However, I have seen that these small businessmen too have kept providing services to their customers in their own ways through the use of technology such as Mobile App, Mobile Bank and Credit Card and on the basis of mutual trust also. And, I want to tell our small trader brothers and sisters that this is a ripe opportunity for them too to make their entry into the digital world. You too download Apps of Banks on your mobile phones. You too keep a POS machine for transactions in Credit Cards. You too learn to do cashless business. You can see how the big malls are expanding their business with the help of latest technology. A small trader can also expand the business with the help of this user friendly technology. There is no possibility of things going wrong, but there certainly is an opportunity to grow. I invite you all. You can make a very big contribution in creating a cashless society. You can create a full-fledged banking facility on your mobile phone and there are many ways now to run our business without using paper currency. There are technological methods which are safe, secure and instantaneous. I want that you not only extend your cooperation in making this campaign successful but also lead the process of transformation and I have full confidence that you can be the leader for this change. I am sure you can handle the entire business in your village using this technology.

I want to tell my worker brothers and sisters too that you have faced heavy exploitation. Wages shown on paper are much higher than the wages actually paid to you. If sometimes full wages are paid, someone stands outside to forcibly take his cut and the worker is compelled to accept this as his fate. We want that under this new system you should have a bank account; your wages should be deposited directly into your bank so that payment of minimum wages is ensured. You get your due wages in full, without anybody extracting a cut. No one should exploit you. And, once the money is credited into your bank account, you can use your mobile phone as an e-wallet and you do not need any hi-fi smart phone for this, because even with the help of your ordinary mobile phone itself you can make purchases from the neighbourhood shops and make payments as well. That is why, I specially urge our worker brothers and sisters to participate in this scheme because after all I took such a momentous decision for the benefit of the poor people, the farmers, the workers, the deprived and the suffering people of the country and, hence, these benefits must reach them.

I specially want to talk to our young friends today. We keep telling with great fanfare the whole world that India is a country where 65% of the population is below the age of 35 years. I know, dear young men and women of my country, that you have liked my decision. I also know that you support my decision. I even know that you are making a big contribution in positively taking this mission forward. But dear friends, you are my true soldiers, my true partners. We have got a wonderful chance to serve our mother India and to take our country to new economic heights. Dear youngsters, can you please help me? You will be with me but that alone is not enough. The older generation does not have the exposure and experience of the new world which you possess. Possibly your elder brother and even your parents and uncles and aunts also may not know. You know what an ‘App’ is, what ‘online banking’ is and how ‘online ticket booking’ is done. For you these are routine things and you also make use of them. But, the great task that the country wants to accomplish today is the realisation of our dream of a ‘Cashless Society’. It is true that a hundred percent cashless society is not possible. But why should India not make a beginning in creating a ‘less-cash society’? Once we embark on our journey to create a ‘less-cash society’, the goal of ‘cashless society’ will not remain very far. And I require your physical help, your own time, your own resolve and I am sure that you will not disappoint me because we are the ones nurturing the desire to change for better the life of the poor people of India. You know how many opportunities there are today for a cashless society, for digital banking or for mobile banking. Every bank provides online banking facility. Every bank in India has its own ‘mobile App’. Every bank has its wallet. Wallet simply means an e-purse. Various types of cards are available. Under Jan Dhan Yojana, crores of poor families in India have Rupay Cards. Used scarcely earlier, after 8^th November the poor people have started using Rupay Cards and this usage has seen almost 300% surge. Just as there is a prepaid card for mobile phones, prepaid cards are also available in banks to facilitate expenditure. UPI is a very useful platform for carrying on trade activities which enables you to make purchases, send money and even receive money. And, this procedure is as simple as sending messages through WhatsApp. Even an illiterate person today knows how to send and also forward WhatsApp messages. Not only this, with the simplification of technology, we do not require any big smart phones for this purpose.

Cash can be transferred even with a phone with ordinary features. A washerman, vegetable vendor, milk supplier, newspaper vendor, tea stall owner or a chanaa vendor, everyone can easily use this facility. I have provided further impetus to simplifying this system even more. All banks are engaged in this and are doing their best. We have now cancelled the online surcharge and you might have seen in the newspapers during last 2-4 days that all extra charges for such cards have been abolished in order to strengthen the movement towards achieving a ‘cashless society’.

My dear young friends, despite all these things, there is an entire generation which is ignorant in these matters. And I know it very well that all of you are actively contributing in this great task. The kind of creative messages that you send on WhatsApp - slogans, poems, anecdotes, cartoons, new imagination, jokes – I am seeing all these signifying the creative power of our young generation amidst the present challenges. This is the speciality of our ‘Bharat Bhoomi’, our motherland where GITA was created on a battlefield. Today when we are passing through the times of such gigantic changes, your original creativity is manifesting itself within you. But, my dear young friends, I once again tell you that I need your help in this task. Yes, yes, yes – I repeat that I NEED YOUR HELP and I am very sure that millions of young people of our country will accomplish this tremendous task.

You just do one thing, take a resolve today itself that you will yourself become a part of the ‘cashless society’. Every technology needed for online spending will definitely be available on your mobile phone. But not only this, you must devote half an hour, one hour or two hours daily to educate at least 10 families about what this technology is, how this technology is to be used, how to download the Apps of your banks, how to spend money from one’s account, how to make payment to shopkeepers. Also teach the shopkeepers to conduct their business with this technology. You have to voluntarily lend your leadership to this great campaign, this Maha Abhiyan, to create a ‘cashless society’, to eradicate corruption from our country, to abolish the scourge of black money and to help people in overcoming their difficulties and problems. Once you teach the poor people about the usage of Rupay Card, they will shower their blessings upon you. When you teach the common citizen these new techniques, he will probably become free from all his worries. And if all the young people of India join in this great endeavour, I don’t think it will take much time. We can emerge and take our place in the world as a new modern India within a period of one month. And you can do this through your mobile phone by going to 10 houses daily and bringing 10 families daily under the ambit of this campaign. I invite you – come, do not just support this transformation but become one of its leading soldiers and ensure that we achieve the desired transformation. We shall carry forward this struggle to free our country from the evils of corruption and black money. There are many countries in the world where the youth have changed the nation’s life and it has to be accepted that it is the youth which brings about the great changes, which creates revolutions. Kenya made a resolve and set up a mobile based system M-PESA, adopted appropriate technology which was named M-PESA and today in Kenya, in this region of Africa, total business is ready to shift to this system. That country has brought about a big revolution.

My dear young friends, I once again earnestly appeal to you to take forward this campaign. I invite you to work for this mission individually and collectively in every school, in every college, in every university, in NCC and in NSS. We must take this forward. We have got an opportunity to render a great service to our nation; this chance must not be missed.

Dear brothers and sisters, today is the birth anniversary of a great poet of our country – Shriman Harivansh Rai Bachchan Ji and on this occasion today, Shriman Amitabh Bachchan Ji has given a slogan for Swachhta Mission. You must have noticed, that Amitabh Ji, the most popular actor of this century, has been whole-heartedly promoting the campaign for cleanliness. It appears as if the subject of cleanliness has become so dear to him that even on his father’s birth anniversary he remembered the Cleanliness Mission. He has quoted one line from a poem written by Harivansh Rai Bachchan Ji wherein he said: “Mitti Ka Tann, Masti Ka Mann, Kshan Bhar Jeewan, Mera Parichay. (feV~Vh dk ru] eLrh dk eu] {k.kHkj thou] esjk ifjp;)” Harivansh Rai Ji used to give his introduction through this line. His son Shriman Amitabh Ji, who has the cleanliness mission running in his veins, has written to me –“Swachchh Tann, Swachchh Mann, Swachchh Bharat, Mera Parichay.  LoPN ru] LoPN eu] LoPN Hkkjr] esjk ifjp; ” based on Harivansh Rai Ji’s lines. I respectfully bow to Harivansh Rai Ji. I also thank Shriman Amitabh Ji to connect in such a warm manner with ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and for taking forward the Cleanliness Campaign.

My dear countrymen, now your views and your sentiments on ‘Mann Ki Baat’ though your letters, on MyGov, on NaarendraModiApp  keep me constantly connected with you. Presently Mann Ki Baat is broadcast at 11 AM but we are going to start its broadcast in regional languages immediately after my Hindi broadcast. I am grateful to Akashvani for taking up this initiative which will definitely provide an opportunity to connect our countrymen even in those areas, where Hindi language is not prevalent.  Many thanks to all of you.

My dear countrymen, my heartiest and best Deepawali wishes to all of you. Deepawali is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm throughout our country. In India almost on all 365 days of the year, one festival or the other is celebrated in some part of the country. Somebody watching from a distance would genuinely feel that festivity is a synonym for the Indian way of life, and this is natural too. Right from the vedic period to the present day, there has been a tradition of festivities in India which, of course, has matched the occasions at different periods of time. We have also witnessed the courage to do away with outdated traditions. And, the transformations in the manner of celebrating these festivals according to changing times and changing social mores have been accepted and adopted very naturally.

However, we can very well discern one characteristic that this entire journey of Indian festivals, its widespread effect, its depth, its reach to each individual are all interlinked with one spirit which exhorts evolution from the ‘self’ to the ‘whole’, the ‘collective existence’. The idea is that there should be a development of individuals and their personalities, the limited scope of thinking must expand and cover not only the whole society but, in fact, the whole universe. And this is achieved through these festivals. Indian festivals at times appear like community feasts but in that also the consciousness has been to there as to what should be or should not be eaten during that particular season. What crop has been harvested by the farmers and how that yield is to be made a part of the festivities, what food habits will be appropriate in a particular season from the health point of view.

Our ancestors had very scientifically encompassed all these aspects in our festivals. Today, the whole world is talking about the environment. Destruction of nature is a matter of great concern. India’s tradition of celebrating festivals has been one to strengthen our love for nature and to develop each individual, right from childhood, as a cultured person. Festivals have evoked a sense of responsibility towards everything, be it trees, plants, rivers, animals, mountains, birds, etc. Nowadays we observe Sunday as a holiday but in our older generations, labourers, fishermen and others from such sections of society used to observe holidays on New Moon, that is Amavasya and Full Moon, that is Poornima. And science has proved that on these days changes take place impacting the sea-water; other factors affect nature and these also influence the human mind. Thus we had developed the tradition to observe our holidays also intertwined with the phenomena of the Universe keeping the scientific aspects in focus.

Now when we celebrate Diwali, as I said, each of our festivals carries a message and teaches us something. The festival of lights Deepawali conveys the message of ‘TAMSO MA JYOTIRGAMAYA’, to move from darkness to light. And, this darkness here does not merely signify the absence of light; it is also the darkness of superstition and blind-faith, darkness of ignorance, darkness of poverty and also darkness of social evils. By lighting lamps on Diwali, we try to overcome the darkness of these social shortcomings and individual blemishes – attaining freedom from this darkness is the real essence of the festival of lights Deepawali, which we celebrate by lighting an earthen lamp, a ‘diya’.

One thing that all of us know very well is that wherever in India we go, whether to the home of the richest of the rich or to the humble dwelling of the poorest of the poor, during the Diwali festival we can see a cleanliness campaign going on in every household. Every nook and corner of the house is cleaned. The less privileged also put in all their efforts to clean their modest earthen utensils because it is Diwali time. Thus, Diwali also encompasses a campaign of cleanliness. But the need of the hour is that not only individual houses but the entire premises, all the neighbourhood, the whole village be cleaned. We have to expand and spread this habit and tradition.

Now, the festival of Deepawali is not confined to the borders of India. In almost all countries of the world, Deepawali is celebrated in one way or the other. Many Governments in the world, their Parliaments and also their ruling classes are joining Deepawali festivities. From countries of the East to those of the West, from developed nations to developing nations and from countries of Africa to Ireland – everywhere we can see the glow and revelry of Deepawali. You may be aware that in America, the US Postal Service has released a special postage stamp on Deepawali this time. The Prime Minister of Canada has shared on Twitter a picture of him lighting a lamp on the occasion of Diwali. British premier Theresa May organised a reception in London involving all communities on Deepawali in which she herself participated. And, there would hardly be a city in UK where Diwali is not celebrated with a great pomp and show. The Prime Minister of Singapore has posted a picture on Instagram and has shared it proudly with the whole world. And, what is that picture about! It shows 16 women MPs of Singapore Parliament standing outside the Parliament all clad in Indian Sarees and this photo has gone viral. All this has been done on the occasion of Deepawali. In Singapore, Diwali celebrations are in full swing in almost all neighbourhoods. The Australian Prime Minister has conveyed his greetings to the Indian community and has called upon all sections of societies to join in the Diwali festivities in various Australian cities. The Prime Minister of New Zealand had recently come to India. He told me that he would have to go back soon as he had to participate in Diwali celebrations there. What I mean to say is that the festival of lights, Deepawali is becoming a festival of inspiration for the world community also to move from darkness to light.

On Deepawali people adorn good clothes, enjoy delicious food items and along with these there is also the bursting of fire-crackers in a big way. The children and the young people very much enjoy this bursting of crackers. But, at times children indulge in reckless bravado and take unnecessary risks. They unwittingly invite a mishap in trying to create a big blast by joining and bursting many crackers together. They are not even mindful of their surroundings, which might have incendiary items leading to fire accidents. News of such mishaps, fire breakouts and even tragic casualties become a cause of big concern on Deepawali. To add to these woes, there is a situation of even the doctors in big numbers being unavailable as they too are away celebrating Deepawali with their families. I specially urge the parents and guardians to be with their children with a watchful eye when they burst firecrackers, so that there is no carelessness or undue audacity and accidents and mishaps are avoided.

In India, the celebration of Diwali lasts for a number of days. It is not restricted to just one day. With a string of festive events such as Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, Laabh Panchmi till Kartik Purnima – this festival of lights goes on for quite a long period of time. Alongside the festivities of Deepawali, we also prepare to celebrate Chhathh Pooja. This Chhathh Pooja is a very important festival in the Eastern parts of our country. It is a big occasion there which lasts for four days. But this also has a unique significance in that it gives a very special message to society. Chhathh Upasana is actually an occasion to pray to the Sun God who gives us so much directly and indirectly that it cannot even be measured by us. And this Chhathh Pooja is for paying obeisance to the almighty Sun. But the adage is that people only pray to the rising sun. However, during the Chhathh Pooja, people worship the setting Sun as well. There is a very profound social message behind this tradition.

When I speak of the Deepawali festival or about the Chhathh Pooja – this is actually an occasion to convey my best wishes to you. But, there is one more thing I have to do. I have to specially thank my countrymen and express my gratitude to them. In the backdrop of the disturbing incidents taking place during the past few months, the soldiers of our defence forces have been sacrificing their all for our peace and happiness. The sacrifice, devotion and zeal of the Jawans of our security forces occupies my mind and heart, my emotional universe all the time. And from that emanated my feeling and resolve that this Diwali must be dedicated to our security forces. I invited my countrymen to join the ‘Sandesh to Soldiers’ campaign. And today, in all humility, I wish to proclaim that there would not be a single soul in India who would not have unbounded love for our Jawans, a sense of deep pride in the members of our security forces. The way these sentiments have been expressed is surely giving strength to each of our countrymen. Your messages to the Jawans of our security forces have proved to be a great morale booster which cannot be easily imagined. Schools, colleges, students, villages, the underprivileged, traders, shopkeepers, political leaders, sportspersons, people from the cine world have all lit a lamp for the country’s Jawans, have joined in this campaign of sending a message of greetings and salutation to our Jawans. The media also made this festival of lights into an opportunity and an occasion to express gratitude towards our armed forces. And why should it not be so? Our Jawans from BSF, CRPF, Indo Tibetan Border Police, Assam Rifles, Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and many more as I am not able to include all by names are valiantly facing great hardships in the line of duty. While we are celebrating Diwali in the comforts of our homes, some of these Jawans are deployed in the desert areas, others are guarding the towering Himalayan peaks, some are guarding our industrial establishments and some are maintaining security vigil at the airports. What great responsibilities they have on their shoulders! And so if we remember them also while we are in our festive mood, our remembrance gets a new vigour which gets imparted to them also and they feel a new strength. Just one message can enhance their capability and our country has shown it. I earnestly express my gratitude to all our countrymen and women for this gesture. Those who are artistically talented, have expressed themselves through their art. Some persons prepared drawings, made Rangolis, drew cartoons. Those blessed with the blessings of Goddess Saraswati composed poems and couplets. Some came up with inspiring and motivating slogans. It appears that my NarendraModiApp and MyGov have been overwhelmingly filled with emotional messages, in the shape of words, in the form of ‘Pinchhi’, colours, compositions, etc., encompassing innumerable emotions from all; I can imagine how proud our soldiers feel at this moment. Many messages and other expression forms have been received on ‘Sandesh to Soldiers’ hashtag. As a symbol of these, I would like to read a poem which has been sent by Shriman Ashwani Kumar.

Ashwani ji has written: –

I celebrate the festival, feel happy and smile

I celebrate the festival, fee happy and smile

All this is because you are there,

I want to tell you today that you are the guardian of my freedom,

My gift of joy is there just because you are there

I sleep peacefully;

I sleep peacefully, because you are guarding the borders there

The mountains, the skies and the country bow to you

The mountains, the skies and the country bow to you

I too bow in gratitude to you O brave soldier!

I too bow in gratitude to you O brave soldier!

My dear countrymen, sister Shivani, whose parental side of the family as well as her family on the side of her in- laws is full of army soldiers, has sent me a telephone message. Let’s hear what this representative of a military family says:

“Hello Mr. Prime Minister, I am Shivani Mohan calling. The “Sandesh to Soldiers” campaign has been launched on this Deepawali and is proving to be a morale booster for our brothers. I’m from an Army family. My husband is an Army officer. My Father and Father-in-law both served as Army Officers also. So we are full of soldiers on both sides of the family. Our Soldiers and Officers who are guarding our border have been receiving these affectionate messages and all in the Army circle are getting tremendous inspiration and encouragement. I would also like to say that along with Army Officers and soldiers their families and their wives also make sacrifices. Hence the entire army community is receiving a wonderful message and I would also like to wish you a Happy Diwali. Thank you. ”

My fellow citizens, it is true that military personnel guard not only our borders, but they stand as sentinels and fighters on every front of life. Be it a calamitous natural disaster or a law and order crisis or having to deal with enemies or to display courage in motivating misguided youth to return to the mainstream of life, Our Jawans are motivated by a sense of patriotism while rendering service to the nation.

One incident has been brought to my attention and I also want to tell you that how at the core of success small things gather and become a force to reckon with. You must have heard that Himachal Pradesh as a State is now Open Defecation Free, has attained the status of OFD. The first state to achieve this was Sikkim, then Himachal Pradesh accomplished it and Kerala is going to be OFD on November 1st.

But how is this success achieved? Well, I’ll tell you the reason, one of the security personnel of ITBP called Vikas Thakur is from a small village in Sirmour district of Himachal. This village is called ‘Badhana’. Now this ITBP Jawan of ours was in his village on holidays from his duty. In the village at that time there was supposed to be a meeting of the Gram Sabha, so he went to the meeting where a discussion about construction of toilets was in progress. And he found that some of the families were unable to construct toilets due to lack of funds. So, Vikas Thakur of our ITBP, brimming with patriotism felt that no! No! This stigma must be eradicated! See his patriotism for the country; it is not that he serves the nation only by firing bullets on the enemies! Out came his cheque book, and a cheque of Fifty-Seven thousand rupees was handed to the head of the village Panchayat with a request that the 57 households having no toilets be give one thousand rupees each from his side, so that 57 toilets can get constructed and Badhana becomes an Open Defecation Free village! Vikas Thakur demonstrated his heroics by contributing one thousand rupees each from his pocket to the 57 families and thus strengthening the Cleanliness Campaign. And that is how Himachal Pradesh has been empowered to become an Open Defecation Free state.

And similarly in Kerala, I really want to thank young people. It came to my attention, that in the remote forests of Kerala where there is no path to tread upon and only after walking an entire day, some villages can be reached with difficulty; a tribal village panchayat named Idmalakudi is there. It is rarely visited by people. It came to the attention of Engineering students from the nearby urban areas that this village was in dire need of the toilets. NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, Engineering students – all together decided that the toilets will be constructed by them. The building material needed to construct the toilets whether it was bricks or cement, the entire construction material was carried by the young men on their shoulders, spending an entire day walking in those forests. And they themselves worked hard to construct toilets in that village, thus achieving the goal of making a remote village in faraway forests Open Defecation Free! So that is the reason why Kerala is on the verge of being declared free from open defecation. The Municipal Councils and Corporations in Gujarat, numbering over 150 have been declared free from open defecation. 10 districts have also been declared free of open defecation. There is also good news coming from Haryana, Haryana is going to celebrate its Golden jubilee on 1st November and in next few months, Haryana as an entire state will be freed from the stigma of open defecation. As of now, seven districts in Haryana have got rid of open defecation.

Work is progressing at a very rapid pace in all of these states. I have mentioned the work being carried out in some of the places. I convey my heartfelt thanks to all the citizens in these states who have joined in the task of eliminating from our country the darkness resulting from filth.

My fellow citizens, the government plans for the welfare of the people through many of its schemes, and usually when the second scheme follows the first one then the previous scheme is supposed to be discontinued. But generally due attention is not paid to this. The old schemes continue along with the newly implemented schemes and there is also a wait for the next scheme on the anvil. This keeps on happening. Now in our country houses having a gas stove, or those having electricity in the houses do not have a requirement for Kerosene. But who bothers about such things in the government? What happens is that Kerosene is also being provided, so is cooking gas and so is electricity and then middlemen get a chance to usurp their cut from this. I wish to greet the state of Haryana, which has pioneered a method of making Haryana Kerosene free by identifying homes having cooking gas connections or electricity through ‘Aadhar’ numbers. And so far I’ve heard that Haryana has managed to make seven or eight districts absolutely Kerosene free. And with the pace at which this job has been undertaken, I believe that the entire state will soon be completely Kerosene free. Just imagine the change that would be ushered in, theft will stop, the environment would benefit, and we will save our precious foreign exchange and the common folk will get facilities. The only people feeling uncomfortable would be the dishonest persons and the middle-men.

My dear countrymen, Mahatma Gandhi is our guide forever. Even today, his words guide us in setting up the standards and determining the direction that our nation must follow. Gandhiji used to say that when you chalk out a plan, you must first recall the face of the poor and weak and then decide whether the scheme you are going to be implementing will be of any benefit to the poor or not, it should not bring any loss to him! Your decisions should be based on such a benchmark. It is the need of the times that we’ve to address the aspirations that have been arisen in the poor of our nation. We have to help them in getting freed from their troubles in a stepwise manner. Whatever the old dogmatic thinking might have been, but the society now must be freed from discrimination between our sons and daughters. Now our schools are having toilets for girls as well as for boys. For our daughters this is the opportunity to experience an India free from discrimination.

The government undertakes massive immunization programs for our children and yet millions of children are still left out from being immunized and fall prey to diseases. ‘Mission Indradhanush’ is one such operation that involves a vaccination program covering those kids who got left out during previous immunization campaigns and empowers them with immunity against serious diseases. In the twenty-first century, having darkness still prevailing in our villages is something that is not acceptable now. And the rural electrification drive to free the villages of darkness, this major campaign of electrification is proceeding successfully; in fact it is proceeding as per the time-schedule! What will happen to the health of a poor mother how has to inhale smoke equal to that from 400 cigarettes while cooking food on a Chulha which burns wood as fuel. And all this even after so many years of attaining freedom! We are trying to provide a smoke free life to 5 crore such families and we are successfully advancing in that direction.

The small trader, the small businessman, the vegetable vendor, the milk vendor, the one running a hair cutting salon has always been entrapped in the grip of the money lender, repaying interest all his life. The stand up scheme and Jan Dhan account scheme are aimed at freeing these people from the clutches of notorious moneylenders. Crediting money directly into bank accounts via Aadhar aims at directly sending money to the beneficiaries. For the common man this is an opportunity to come out of the grip of middlemen. A campaign has to be started where the target will not only be limited to bring in reforms and transformation but also to obtain freedom from the problem. And this is happening!

My dear countrymen, tomorrow, the 31st October is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the great son of India who vowed to unite India and made this the sole object of his life. On the one hand, 31st October is the birth anniversary of Sardar Saheb, the living legend of national unity and on the other; this is also the death anniversary of Smt. Gandhi. We should and do pay homage to the memories of our great personalities. But a phone call from a gentleman from Punjab and his pain touched me: –

“Pradhan Mantriji namaskar, Sir, I am Jasdeep speaking from Punjab. Sir, as you know, 31st October is Sardar Patel ji’s birthday. Sardar Patel is the great personality who devoted his whole life to unite the country and, I think, he succeeded fully in this mission of his, he brought everybody together. But we may call it the country’s misfortune that on this day itself Indira Gandhi ji was assassinated. And, as we all know, what terrible events took place after her assassination. Sir, I want to know how we can check such unfortunate events and incidents from taking place”.

My dear countrymen, this is not the pain of an individual person. One Sardar, as history goes, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the second great man after Chanakya who carried on the stupendous job of uniting our country. Bringing independent India under one banner and accomplishing such a herculean task – what a great man he was! We bow a hundred times to that great soul. But the pain remains that Sardar Patel, who lived for India’s unity, strove tirelessly for it, had to even endure some unpleasantness on account of it, but never ever abandoned the path of unity; but on the birth anniversary of this great SARDAR, thousands of Sardars, the family members of thousands of Sardars were killed in the aftermath of the assassination of Smt. Gandhi. These atrocities against Sardars on the birth anniversary of that great personality who lived for unity, that SARDAR, is a page of history, which causes pain to all of us.

But amidst all these turmoils, we have to march forward chanting the Mantra of Unity. Unity in diversity is the strength of our country. Different languages, different castes, different attires, different food habits and despite all these, unity in diversity remains our binding strength. That is India’s great characteristic quality. Each generation has this responsibility, the governments have this responsibility to explore possibilities of integration in each corner of the country and highlight the elements of our integration. We should keep away from the idea of separatism or the attitude of separatism and also guard the country from any such ideology. Sardar Saheb gave us one India, now this is our collective responsibility to develop a Great India, a Shreshtha Bharat. The Mantra of national unity is the very foundation of a strong and great India.

Sardar Saheb’s journey started with a struggle for farmers. He was the son of a farmer. Sardar Saheb had a big role in taking the Freedom movement to the farmers. Making the freedom movement a source of strength in the villages was Sardar Saheb’s big achievement, a result of his organizational capacity and capability. But, Sardar Saheb was not just a man of struggle but also a man who created great things. He believed in the cooperative movement. Today, we often hear the name AMUL. People of India and even those in other countries are familiar with every product of AMUL. But, only a few people would know that it was only through his farsightedness that Sardar Saheb envisioned the creation of a Cooperative Milk Producers Union in Khera district, which was at that time called Kaira district. He had given this idea in 1942 which now is before us in the shape of AMUL. It is a living example as to how Sardar Saheb had foreseen the way to prosperity of the farmers. I pay my respectful homage to Sardar Saheb. And on 31st October, on National Unity Day, we must remember Sardar Saheb wherever we may be and take a resolve to preserve national unity.

My dear countrymen, during Diwali festivities, Kartik Purnima is also a festival of lights called PRAKASH UTSAV. Guru Nanak Dev, his teachings and blessings are very relevant even now and are a source of inspiration for humanity as a whole. Service, truth and everybody’s well-being was the message of Guru Nanak Dev. Peace, unity and harmony were his principal teachings. Every teaching of Guru Nanak Dev preached that a campaign should be carried on to abolish superstitions, social disparities and social evils from the society. It was then an era when evils such as untouchability, casteism and the chasm between the rich and the poor were at their peak. Guru Nanak Dev picked Bhai Laalo, as his co-worker at that crucial juncture. Let us also follow the light of knowledge bestowed upon us by Guru Nanak Dev which inspires us to end social disparities, exhorts us to do our bit to fight against the evil of disparity.

In our march to achieve ‘Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas’, Co-operation from ALL, Development of ALL, we cannot have a better guiding force than Guru Nanak Dev. I pay my deeply felt respectful homage to Guru Nanak Dev on the occasion of the forthcoming Prakashotsav.

My dear countrymen, once again let us dedicate this Diwali to our Jawans. My best wishes and greetings on Diwali to all of you. I wish that all your dreams and resolves get fulfilled in every possible way! May your lives be blessed with success and happiness. Many, many thanks.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar! We recently lost 18 brave sons of our country in a terrorist attack in Uri Sector in Jammu and Kashmir. I salute these valiant soldiers and pay my tributes to them. This cowardly act has shocked the entire Nation. There are strong emotions of widespread grief as well as anger across the country. And, this is not only a loss for the families who have lost a son, a brother or a husband. In fact, it is a national loss. And, therefore, I will just reiterate to you, my countrymen, what I had said that very day, that the guilty will certainly be punished.

My dear countrymen, we have full faith in our armed forces. They will foil with their valour every such conspiracy, and they are the ones to reach the pinnacle of bravery so that we, their 1.25 billion fellow countrymen, can live peacefully and be happy. We are proud of our army. We politicians have many opportunities to speak our mind and we do speak. But, the forces do not speak, they take action.

I also wish today to specially talk to those living in Kashmir. Kashmiris are now beginning to recognize well the true face of the anti-national forces. And as they understand the truth better, they are now separating themselves from such elements and have started moving on the path of peace. Every parent wants the schools and colleges to be functioning properly at the earliest. Farmers also feel that their ripened crops and fruits should reach markets across the country. Economic activities too should be back on track. And during the last few days there has been a movement towards restoration of trading activities. We all know that peace, unity and harmony are the only way to solve our problems and also the way to our progress and development. We have to scale greater heights of development for the sake of our future generations. I am very sure that by sitting together we shall definitely find solutions to our problems, find ways to move ahead and also pave a better path for future generations in Kashmir. Providing security to people in Kashmir is the responsibility of the administration. The government has to take some steps to maintain law and order. I shall also tell the security forces that all our capabilities, power, laws, rules and regulations are basically meant to maintain law and order in order to provide a life of peace and happiness for the common people of Kashmir. We shall strictly abide by this. At times, people thinking differently from us also provide new ideas. These days I get to learn quite a lot through social media. I get an opportunity to know and understand views of different people from all corners of the country and this actually adds to the strength of our democracy. Recently, Harshvardhan, a young student of Eleventh Class has put before me a different type of thought. He has written – “I was very much distressed after the Uri attack and strongly felt like doing something. But, I did not know how to go about it as what could a young student like me possibly do. So, I was trying to find some way to be of some service to the nation. And I have resolved that I would devote three more hours daily towards my studies. I shall become a capable citizen so that I can serve the country well.

Brother Harshvardhan, I am happy to know that despite this atmosphere charged with anger, you are able to think in a healthy manner at such a young age. But, dear Harshvardhan, I shall also like to add that the anger in the hearts of our countrymen is of a very high value. It symbolises our national consciousness. This anger has the resolve to do something. Yes! You have presented that with a constructive approach. But, you must be aware that during the 1965-war, Lal bahadur Shastri Ji was leading us and then also similar feelings of rage, anger and patriotic fervour were sweeping the nation. Everyone wanted that something must happen, must be done. Then, Lal Bahadur Shashtri Ji had very aptly tried to touch the emotional universe of the country. He gave the mantra-“Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” which inspired the common people of the country to work for the nation. Lal Bahadur Shashtri Ji showed that even amidst the deafening sounds of gunfire and bombardment, there existed an alternative way for every citizen for expressing patriotism. During the freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi also used to mount highly successful experiments to divert the strong energy of that movement towards constructive social work, whenever a lull was needed amidst the extreme intensity in that movement. Now, if all of us, that is, our armed forces, people in the government, fulfill our respective responsibilities sincerely, and all of us countrymen, each citizen make some constructive contribution imbued with the feeling of patriotism, our country will most definitely scale greater heights.

My dear countrymen, Shri T.S. Kartik has written on NarendraModiApp that our athletes who participated in the Paralympics have created a new history and their performance is a triumph of the human spirit. Shri Varun Vishwanathan has also written on NarendraModiApp that our athletes did a commendable job and that I should talk about this in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Not only the two of you but each one of our countrymen has felt an emotional attachment with our athletes who participated at the Paralympics. Perhaps going beyond sporting achievements, these Paralympics and the performance by our athletes have transformed our attitude towards humanity, towards specially-abled, DIVYANG people. And, I shall never be able to forget what our victorious sister Deepa Malik had to say. When the medal was awarded to her, she said – “Through this medal I have actually defeated the disability itself.” There is great strength in this remark. This time 19 athletes, including three women, took part in Paralympics from our country. Compared to normal sporting activities, when the DIVYANG play, in addition to physical ability and sporting skills, what are needed even more are will power and resolve.

You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that our sportspersons put up their best ever performance this time and won 4 medals including two gold, one silver and one bronze. Brother Devendra Jhajharia won the gold medal in Javelin throw and repeated his gold winning performance after 12 years. One gets older over a period of 12 years and after having won the gold medal once, the passion for the same is also somewhat reduced. Yet, Devendra displayed that physical condition and increasing age could not dent his strong determination and he successfully claimed his second gold medal after a gap of 12 years. And, he was not born a DIVYANG. He lost one of his hands due to suffering electric current shock. Just think about the perseverance and the huge effort put in by him in repeating the feat of winning a second gold medal at 35 years of age 12 years after winning the first one at 23. Mariyappan Thangavelu won a gold medal in High Jump. Thangavelu had lost his right leg when he was just 5. Even poverty could not come in the way of his resolve. He is not from a big city, he does not come from a middle class or rich family. Yet despite facing all sorts of difficulties and physical challenges, at the age of 21, through his unwavering determination he won the medal for the country. As far as Athlete Deepa Malik is concerned, she has won laurels many a times by emerging victorious repeatedly.

Varun C. Bhati won a bronze medal in High Jump. Medals in Paralympics have a significance of their own, but going beyond that these medals have made a very big contribution in transforming the attitude towards our DIVYANG brothers and sisters in our country, our society and our neighborhoods. These have not only inspired our empathy but also changed the way of looking at the DIVYANG people. Only very few people might be knowing as to what stupendous feats were performed by these DIVYANG people in the Paralympics this time. Olympic Games were held at the same venue only a few days ago. Can anyone ever imagine the DIVYANG athletes breaking a record set during the general Olympic Games? It happened this time. In the 1500 meter race, Abdellatif Baka of Algeria set a new record by completing the 1500 meters race taking 1.7 seconds less than the time taken by the gold medalist in the same event at the general Olympics. Not only this, what really surprised me was the fact that the athlete, who finished fourth in this event amongst DIVYANG persons and thus missed winning any medal, actually took less time than the gold medalist of general category in completing the race. I once again congratulate all our Paralympic athletes and India is progressing in the direction of preparing an effective plan for developing our athletes and also the facilities for the Paralympics.

My dear countrymen, last week I had many wonderful experiences in Navsari, Gujarat. It was a very emotional moment for me. Government of India had organized a Mega Camp for DIVYANG persons and a number of world records were established that day. A visually challenged little girl child Gauri Shardul, hailing from far flung forest area in the Dang District, can recite the complete Ramayana epic as she has learnt it by heart. She rendered certain portions before me and when I presented her performance before other persons there, everyone was amazed. I got an opportunity to publicly release a book that day wherein success stories from the lives of some DIVYANG persons had been compiled. These were very inspiring incidents. Government of India created a world record in Navsari which I believe to be very important. The task of fitting hearing aids to 600 hearing impaired DIVYANG people in just eight hours was completed successfully. This deed found a mention in Guinness Book of World Records. Three world records in a single day by DIVYANG people is a matter of great pride for our countrymen.

My dear countrymen, we had launched ‘Swachha Bharat Mission’ two years ago on 2nd October, the birth anniversary of our revered Bapu. That day too I had said that cleanliness should become our nature, a duty for every citizen and there should be an atmosphere harbouring a sense of revulsion against filth. Now it is going to be nearly two years on 2nd October and I can confidently say that one hundred and twenty five crore people of the country have now become more aware about cleanliness. I had said ‘one step towards cleanliness’ and today we can say that each one of us has definitely tried to take one step further. This means that the country has taken 125 crore steps in the direction of achieving cleanliness. This affirms that the direction we have taken is correct and also fruits of the action are very sweet. It has also been seen as to how much can be achieved through making small efforts. Everyone, be it a common citizen, an administrator, in Government offices or roads, bus stops or railways, schools or colleges, religious places, hospitals, from children to old persons, rural poor, farming women- everyone is contributing something in achieving cleanliness. Friends in the media have also played a constructive role. I also know that we still have to go much farther. Yet, the beginning has been good so far. Whole-hearted efforts have been made and a conviction has now set in that we shall indeed succeed. This conviction is important. If we talk of rural India, so far 2 crore 48 lakh or say about two and a half crore toilets have been constructed and we intend to build another one and a half crore toilets in the coming one year. From the point of view of sanitation and keeping in mind the dignity of our citizens, especially the dignity of our mothers and sisters, it is necessary to put an end to the habit of defecating in the open. And, with this in view ‘Open Defecation Free’ or ODF Campaign has been launched. A healthy competition towards achieving liberation from the habit of defecating in open has started at the levels of states, districts and the villages. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala will achieve very soon cent percent ODF targets. I visited Gujarat recently and the officers there informed me that Porbandar, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, will achieve the target of total ODF on 2nd October, 2016. My congratulations to those who have made it possible, and best wishes to those who are trying to reach the target. I appeal to all of my countrymen that to maintain the dignity of our mothers and sisters and for the sake of health of our children, our country needs to get rid of this scourge. Let us forge ahead with a strong resolution. I specially want to suggest a scheme to my young friends who are currently technology savvy. Every citizen has a right to know about the status of the cleanliness mission in his city and the Government of India has provided a dedicated telephone number – 1969 for this purpose. We know that Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869. In 1969, we celebrated his birth centenary and in 2019 we are going to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. By dialing this number 1-9-6-9 you will be able to know the progress of construction of toilets in your city and will also be able to submit an application for construction of a toilet. You must avail this facility. Not only this, a cleanliness, that is Swachchhata App has been launched for people to lodge complaints concerning cleanliness and also to know about the progress in resolving these complaints. Please make full use of this facility; especially the younger generation must utilize it optimally. Government of India has also appealed to the corporate world to come forward in this endeavour. They can sponsor young professionals willing to work for Swachchhata Mission. They can also be sent to various districts as Swachchha Bharat Fellows.

It will not be sufficient to keep this Cleanliness Campaign confined to beliefs and habits. Imbibing cleanliness as a nature is not enough. In this age, just as cleanliness is related to health, connecting cleanliness to a revenue model is also equally necessary. Waste to wealth should also be one of its components. It is, therefore, imperative that we need to move towards ‘Waste to Compost’ along with the Cleanliness Mission. Solid waste should be processed and be converted into Compost and the government has initiated a policy intervention in this regard. Fertilizer companies have been asked to buy the Compost made out of waste. They should supply this to the farmers who are willing to adopt organic farming. This should also be supplied to those farmers who care about the health of their soil and are willing to improve its quality and also to those farmers whose soil quality has deteriorated because of over use of chemical fertilizers. And for this, Shrimaan Amitabh Bachchan Ji is making a significant contribution as a brand ambassador. I invite youngsters to set up new ‘start ups’ also in this ‘Waste to Wealth’ movement to develop the means and processes, to develop the suitable technology and accomplish mass production at an affordable cost. This is a task worth doing. There is also a big scope of employment generation and an opportunity for tremendous economic activity and wealth creation from waste is achievable. This year a special programme ‘INDOSAN’ – India Sanitation Conference is being organized from 25th September to 2nd October. Ministers, Chief Ministers as also Mayors and Commissioners of metropolitan cities will participate in brainstorming sessions on the sole issue of cleanliness. What can be achieved with technology? What can be the financial model? How to mobilize public participation? How can employment opportunities be increased in this sphere? All these topics will be discussed. And I see clearly that the news about cleanliness keeps pouring in. I recently read in a newspaper that students of Gujarat Technological University launched a Jagran Abhiyan (Awereness Campaign) to build toilets in 107 villages. They themselves put in physical labour and contributed significantly in constructing around 9000 toilets. It might have come to your notice some time ago that under the leadership of Wing Commander Param Veer Singh, a team covered a distance of 2800 kilometres by swimming in Ganga from Dev Prayag to Ganga Sagar to spread the message of cleanliness. Government of India has also chalked out an annual calendar for its departments. Each department is to focus exclusively on cleanliness for a period of 15 days. In the coming October month, from 1st October to 15th October, Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, Panchayati Raj Department and Rural Development Department – these three are going to work under a designated roadmap in their respective areas. Then during last two weeks of October from 16th October to 31st October, three more departments, namely – Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Food Processing Industries and Consumer Affairs are going to take up cleanliness campaigns in the concerned areas. I request the citizens also to get involved, wherever they feel that they too can pitch in these programmes. You might have seen that a cleanliness survey campaign is also carried out these days. Earlier, the cleanliness status was presented before the countrymen after conducting a survey of 73 cities. Now, this survey will be conducted in about 500 cities with a population of more than 1 lakh. Each city will imbibe a sense of confidence that, well, we have lagged behind but we will surely perform better next time. In this manner an atmosphere of competition for cleanliness has been created. I expect that all of us citizens should contribute as much as we can in the cleanliness mission. 2nd October is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji. Swachchh Bharat Mission is completing two years on this day. I keep on urging everyone to buy some khadi items between Gandhi Jayanti to Diwali. This year also I request that each family should buy one or the other khadi item so that the poor may also be able to light an earthen lamp and celebrate Diwali. This year 2nd October is a Sunday so can we involve ourselves in the cleanliness mission in some way? You involve yourself physically for 2 hours, 4 hours with cleaning work and I request you to share your cleanliness drive photo on NarendraModiApp. If it is a video, then share the video. You will see that with our joint efforts, this movement will get a fresh boost, a new dynamism. Let us all remember Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri and take a pledge to do something for the country.

My dear countrymen, one gets a special pleasure in giving, one may not realize it, but the pleasure of giving is divine. I witnessed it some time back when I asked the countrymen to give up their cooking gas subsidy and they responded whole-heartedly. This in itself was a very inspirational event in India’s national life. Now, many youngsters, small groups, people from the corporate world, schools and some NGOs are jointly going to organize ‘Joy of Giving Week’ from 2nd October to 8th October. Under this campaign, food items and clothes will be collected and supplied to the needy persons. When I was in Gujarat, all our workers used to walk the streets seeking donations of old toys from families and then presented these toys to Anganwadis in poor neighbourhoods. These toys provided great pleasure to the poor children, which was a great sight to behold. I feel that we should encourage and help these young people who are organising ‘Joy of Giving Week’ in many cities. This is a kind of a ‘Donation Festival’, a Daan Utsav. I convey my best wishes to all those young persons who are undertaking this mission.

My dear countrymen, today is 25th September, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Ji and his birth centenary year commences from today. Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay undertook the tremendous task of defining and elaborating upon the political ideology being followed by lakhs and lakhs of workers like me. He was a supporter of a political ideology connected with the roots of India, he presented his own soul stirring political philosophy, the EKAATM-MAANAV DARSHAN alongside the ideology to uphold India’s great cultural heritage. The centenary year of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay is commencing from today. ‘Sarvajan Hitay – Sarvajan Sukhay’, the principle of ANTYODAY – these are his gifts to us. Mahatma Gandhi also talked about the last man standing in the queue. How can the poorest of the poor avail of benefits of development? ‘Work for every hand, water to every field’ – through only these two words he presented his entire economic agenda. The country should celebrate his centenary year as GARIB KALYAN VARSH, ‘Year for Welfare of the Poor’. We can alleviate poverty when everyone including society and governments focuses attention on measures to provide benefits of development to the poor. The place where I live was known as Race Course Road since British rule but now in the centenary year of Pandit Deen Dayal Updhyay this has been named ‘Lok Kalyan Marg’. This is a symbolic representation of the ‘Year for the Welfare of the Poor’, the centenary year of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay. I respectfully pay my homage to revered Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, who has been a source of inspiration to all of us, and an embodiment of our intellectual heritage.

My dear countrymen, I had started ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Vijayadashmi two years ago. My sincere effort was that ‘Mann Ki Baat’ should not become a programme of praising and highlighting only government’s achievements; Mann Ki Baat should not become a programme of political oneupmanship, allegations and counter allegations. and sometimes passionate advocacy. Despite numerous pressures during these past two years – sometimes being tempted due the surrounding atmosphere, at times with provocations to say something with indignation – overcoming all such impulses over these two years with your blessings, I have moved through these obstacles and earnestly tried to connect with the common man through Mann Ki Baat. How the common man of this country keeps on inspring me all the time? What are the hopes and aspirations of the common man in the country? And this common man, who occupies my mind all the time, always gets projected in Mann Ki Baat. For our countrymen, Mann Ki Baat may be a source of information. For me, Mann Ki Baat has been the means to feel the strength of my 1.25 billion countrymen, to recall their great capabilities and power and to draw inspiration from the same for my own endeavours and initiatives. On completion of two years of Mann Ki Baat this week, I wish to express my sincere gratitude from the core of my heart to all you listeners who appreciated it, who contributed to improving it and thus blessed me. I am grateful to All India Radio also which not only broadcast my views but also put in their best efforts to transmit it in all languages. I am also thankful to those countrymen who knocked on the doors of the government by writing letters and by sending in suggestions and highlighting shortcomings of the government and All India Radio mounted special programmes on these letters by inviting concerned government functionaries and thus provided a platform to address the problems. Thus, Mann Ki Baat became a new opportunity of social transformation rather than just remaining a mere talk show of 15-20 minutes. What can be more satisfying than this for any one? And therefore, I thank everyone and express my gratitude to all who contributed in making it a successful programme.

My dear countrymen, from next week festive season will be ushered in with Navratri and Durga Puja, Vijayadashmi, preparations for Deepavali and all such activities. This is an occasion for praying to SHAKTI, Unity in society is the power or SHAKTI of the country. Be it Navratri or Durga Puja – how can this SHAKTI-UPASANA become the festival of celebrating social unity? How to make it a festival of social bonding? And that would be the true prayer to Shakti, only then can we celebrate together the festival of victory. Let us bow before Shakti, nurture it, march forward with the mantra of unity. Come, let us celebrate Navratri and Durga Puja festivals with peace, unity and harmony to enable our nation to scale newer heights. Let us celebrate victory on Vijayadashmi.

Thank you very much.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar,

Tomorrow, 29th August is the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand. This occasion is celebrated as ‘National Sports Day’ throughout the country. I offer my tributes to Dhyan Chand ji and wish to remind you all about his invaluable contribution. He played a pivotal role in helping India win Hockey Gold Medals in Olympic Games of 1928, 1932 and 1936. All of us cricket lovers know Bradman’s name very well. He had complimented Dhyan Chand ji by saying that ‘he scores goals like runs’. Dhyan Chand ji was a living example of sportsman spirit and nationalism. During a match in Kolkata one player from the opposite team hit him on the head with the hockey stick. At that point, only 10 minutes were left in the game. And, Dhyan Chand ji scored three goals in just those ten minutes and said – “I avenged the hit by scoring goals”.

Dear countrymen, as the time of Mann Ki Baat draws near, a very large number of suggestions are received on MyGov or NarendraModiApp. These are on diverse topics. But, I saw that this time in most of these suggestions, people had asked me to say something about the Rio Olympics. I find it a very positive sign that our common people have such attachment and awareness about Rio Olympics and they are insisting that the Prime Minister of the country says something on this matter. It shows that besides Cricket, our people have so much involvement in and awareness and knowledge about other sports and games also. For me, even reading these messages proved to be a source of inspiration. One Shri Ajit Singh ji has written on NarendraModiApp – “Please, this time in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ do talk about the education of our daughters, our ‘Betis’ and their participation in sports because they have brought laurels for the country by winning medals at the Rio Olympics.” One Shri Sachin has written to urge that in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ this time a mention may please be made about Sindhu, Saakshi and Deepa Karmakar. Whatever medals we got have been earned by our daughters. These Betis have once again proved that they are second to none in any respect. One of these daughters is from North India while there is one who belongs to South India and then there is one from the Eastern part. All in all, they represent all corners of our country. It seems that our daughters in the whole of India have decided to take up the responsibility of bringing glory to the nation.

Shikhar Thakur has written on MyGov that we could have performed better at the Olympics. He has written – “Respected Modi Sir, first of all, congratulations on our winning two medals at Rio. However, I want to draw your attention to the question – was our performance really good? And, the answer is ‘No’. We have to go a long way in the field of sports. Our parents, even today, insist on focusing on studies and academics. Sports are considered a waste of time in our society. We need to change this mindset. Society needs motivation for this. And, no one can do this better than you.”

Similarly, one Shri Satya Prakash Mehra ji has written on NarednraModiApp – “In Mann Ki Baat, there is a need to focus on extra-curricular activities, especially on encouraging children and youth to play.” Thousands of people have expressed similar sentiments. There is no denying the fact that we could not perform up to the expectations. Some of our players could not even touch during these Games their own performance level which they had achieved during the domestic events in India. In the medals chart, our tally was only two medals. However, it is also a fact that if we look closely, we shall find that despite missing medals, Indian players gave a very good account of themselves for the first time in some of the events.

See, our Abhinav Bindra very narrowly missed the medal and got fourth place in Shooting. Dipa Karmakar produced a superb performance in Gymnastics, although she remained at the fourth place and missed a Bronze by a very narrow margin. But, how can we forget that she is India’s first daughter to qualify in Gymnastics for the Olympics and also to reach the final round. The pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna met almost a similar fate in Tennis. Our athletes this time gave a creditable performance. After 32 years of P.T. Usha’s feat, Lalita babar qualified for the finals in track and field. Our Women’s Hockey Team qualified for the Olympic Games after a space of 36 long years. Men’s Hockey Team reached knock out stage after 36 years. Our team is quite strong. And the interesting part is that Gold Medalist Argentina lost just one match in the entire tournament and the team which defeated them was INDIA. Thus, the future surely seems bright for us.

Vikas Krishna Yadav reached the quarter finals in Boxing but could not win Bronze. Many players like Aditi Ashok, Dattu Bhokanal, Atanu Das gave a very good performance. But my dear countrymen, we do have to go a long way. And if we stick to the same routine, we may perhaps keep facing the same disappointment. I have announced setting up of a committee. The Government of India will make an in depth in-house analysis and will study the practices being followed around the world. We shall prepare a roadmap on how we can do better. We have to prepare a far reaching plan keeping in view the Olympics in 2020, 2024, 2028. I urge the State Governments also to set up similar committees to find out as to what we can do in sports. What can each state do? The states can take up one or two sports of their choice and display their strength.

I urge our sports associations also to do objective and impartial brainstorming on this. And, I also request all citizens of the country who have interest in this matter to mail their suggestions on NarendraModiApp. They may write to the government; associations may discuss these issues and submit their memoranda to the government. State governments too should deliberate on this matter and provide their suggestions. But, we must prepare ourselves fully and thoroughly. And, I am confident that we, the nation of 125 crore people comprising 65 percent youth population can reach an exalted status in the world of sports too. We have to move ahead with this resolve.

My dear countrymen, 5th September is ‘Teachers Day’. For many years, I have been spending a lot of time with students on Teachers Day and that too as a student myself. I used to learn quite a lot from those young children. For me, 5th September was Teachers Day as well as an Education Day. But, this time I have to leave for G-20 Summit and so felt in my heart that I should express my feelings in this regard in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ today.

In our life, a teacher holds the same place which a mother does. We have also seen such teachers who care more for their pupils than for themselves. They devote their lives for their disciples, their students. These days, after Rio Olympics, Pulela Gopi Chand ji is being talked about everywhere. He is a player first but he has set up a glorious example of what a good coach, that is, a teacher should be. I see Gopi Chand ji today as an excellent teacher besides being a very accomplished player. And, on Teachers Day, I salute Pulela Gopi Chand ji for his hard work, his dedication towards sports and his manner of finding happiness in the success of his disciples. We always feel the contribution of our teachers in our lives. 5th September happens to be the birthday of India’s former President Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan ji and the country celebrates this as Teachers Day. Whatever post he held in his life, he always tried to live like a teacher, an educator. Not only this, he always said that “a good teacher can only be one who keeps the student within always alive”. Dr. Radhakrishnan ji showed this by living as a teacher and by keeping alive the student within him despite holding the highest office of the President.

Some times when I think of it, I remember so many incidents related with my teachers because they were our heroes in our small village. However, I can happily say that even now I receive a hand written letter every month from one of my teachers, who has turned 90 now. In this letter, he mentions books read by him during that month along with quotations. He also gives his comments on what he deems correct or otherwise in whatever I have done during the month. It is as if he is, even now, teaching me in the class room. In a way, he is conducting a correspondence course for me even today. And, about his handwriting even at the age of 90, I marvel that he writes so beautifully whereas my own handwriting is very poor. That is why, whenever I look at somebody’s good handwriting, I have a great respect for it. You may also be having similar experience. If you tell the world about whatever good has happened in your life because of your teachers, people’s attitude towards teachers would change. It will be a matter of pride and it is our duty to enhance the honour of our teachers in the society. If you have a photograph with your teacher or an incident connected with your teacher or an inspirational thing associated with your teacher, please do share the same on NarendraModiApp. Looking at the contribution of teachers in the country from the point of view of students is also immensely valuable in itself.

My dear countrymen, Ganesh Utsav is drawing near. Ganesh ji removes all obstacles and let us all wish that our country, our society, our families, and each one of us may lead a life free of obstacles. But, when we mention Ganesh Utsav, it is natural to remember Lokmanya Tilak ji. The tradition of public celebration of Ganesh Utsav is Lokmanya Tilak’s gift to us. By publicly celebrating Ganesh Utsav, he turned this religious occasion into a festival of national awakening and social refinement. These Ganesh festivities included holding wide-ranging discussions on the issues that touched our lives and society, and comprised such programmes which provided a new vigour and vitality to our social fabric. Also, his mantra “Swaraj, that is, freedom is my birthright” should have the main focus thereby strengthening the freedom movement. Now, not in Maharashtra alone but in each corner of India, Ganesh Utsav is celebrated publicly. Young people make elaborate preparations, they are full of vigour. Some people even now try to follow the path shown by Lokmanya Tilak ji. They organise debates on topics of public interest, and hold essay competitions and rangoli competitions. Tableus depict the issues of social concern in a very artistic manner. In a way, a mass campaign of public education gets underway through these Ganesh festivities. Lokmanya Tilak ji gave us the inspirational mantra – “Swaraj, that is, freedom is our birthright.” But now we live in independent India. So do we through these public Ganesh festivals move now to SURAAJ, that is, good governance by proclaiming ‘SURAAJ is my birthright’. Good governance, SURAAJ, should be our priority; can we not recite this mantra and give a message for it in the public Ganesh festival celebrations? Come on, I invite you all.

It is true that festivals express the vitality of a society. Festivals infuse new life into individuals as well as the society. Life seems to be impossible without festivals but these have to be moulded according to the needs of the changing times. I have seen that this time, many people have written to me mentioning Ganeshotsav and Durga Puja. They are worried about environment. One Shri Shankar Narayan Prashant has strongly urged –“Modi ji, kindly tell the people through your Mann Ki Baat that they should not use Ganesh idols made of Plaster of Paris. Why should we not use Ganeshji idols made of the clay from the village pond. POP idols are not environment friendly”. He has expressed a great pain, others have also. I request you all as to why should we not use clay in making Ganesh and Durga idols and revert to our old tradition. This will help in environment preservation, prevent pollution of our rivers and ponds and also provide protection to small creatures living in water. This is also the service of God. Ganesh ji removes obstacles. So, we should not make such Ganeshji idols, which create problems. I do not know how you will take my suggestions but it is not just me but many other people saying the same thing. I have heard about many such people including Pune based sculptor Shri Abhijit Dhondphale, Kolhapur institutions Nisarg-Mitra and Vigyan Prabodhini, Nisarg Katta in Vidarbh, Gyan Prabodhini of Pune, and Girgaoncha Raja of Mumbai. Many such institutions work hard to promote Ganesh idols made from clay and they also propagate it. Eco-friendly Ganeshotsav is also social service. There is still time left before the start of Durga Pooja festivities. If we resolve now, our efforts will lead to employment generation for those families which traditionally used to make clay idols in the past. Also the clay will go back and get dissolved in the pond or the river and will thus help in protecting the environment. I offer my best wishes to you all for Ganesh Chaturthi.

My dear countrymen, Bharat Ratna Mother Teresa will be canonized, that is, accorded sainthood on 4th September. Mother Teresa devoted her entire life to the service of the poor in India. Though she was born in Albania and her mother tongue was not English, yet she transformed her life and did everything to be able to serve the poor. When Mother Teresa, who served the poor in India all through her life, is accorded Sainthood, it is quite natural for we Indians to feel proud. Indian government will send an official delegation under the leadership of our External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to represent 125 crore Indians at the canonization ceremony to be held on 4th September. We keep learning something or the other from great men and women, saints, sages, holy people. We shall continue to receive something, learn something from them and keep on doing some good things.

My dear countrymen, when development becomes a mass movement, a big transformation takes place. Peoples’ power is, in a way, considered to be a divine incarnation. Government of India has made a successful effort to clean the Ganga and involve the people for this project with the cooperation of five State governments. Pradhans of villages situated on the banks of the river Ganga were invited to Allahabad on the 20th of this month. They included men as well as women. They came to Allahabad and took an oath before Mother Ganga that they will make all out efforts to immediately stop the practice of open defecation in their villages situated on the banks of Ganga, start a campaign of building toilets and also that these villages will make their full contribution in cleaning up Ganga and will ensure that Ganga is not polluted now. I congratulate all the Pradhans who had assembled in Allahabad with this resolve from different States; they had come from Uttrakhand, from Uttar Pradesh, from Bihar, from Jharkhand and from West Bengal. I also congratulate all those Ministries of the Government of India and also those ministers who turned this vision into reality. I also want to thank the Chief Ministers of these five States for taking the vital step in the direction of making Ganga clean by involving people’s power.

My dear countrymen, certain things touch me very deeply and my heart bows in respect to those who visualize such heartwarming initiatives. In Kabirdham district of Chhatisgarh more than 1.25 lakh students from about 1700 schools collectively wrote letters to their parents. Some students wrote in English, some wrote in Hindi and some in Chhatisgarhi to their parents telling them that there should be toilets in their houses. They demanded building toilets. Some students even wrote that they would rather go without celebrating birthday but the toilet must be constructed.

Students of age between seven to seventeen took up this task. And this had such an impact, such an emotional impact that while the students were going to school the next day, their parents handed over reply letters to them addressed to the teacher in which they promised to build toilets by a certain date positively. My compliments to those who visualized this idea, compliments to these students and special compliments to those parents who took their childrens’ letters so seriously and also took a decision to construct a toilet. This is what inspires us.

In Koppal district of Karnataka, a sixteen year old girl Mallamma started a Satyagrah against her own family. She launched the Satyagrah and stopped eating and she did that not to ask something for herself, not to demand good clothes or have sweets. This daughter Mallamma was adamant to have a toilet built in her house. But, the family was not in a good position economically. The daughter stuck to her demand and was not prepared to end her Satyagrah. The village pradhan Mohammad Shafi came to know about this. He was told that Mallamma had protested to press for her demand for getting a toilet built in her house. Now, look at the gesture of village Pradhan Mohammad Shafi, he arranged eighteen thousand rupees and got a toilet built within a week. Just see the power and strength in Mallamma’s protest, and also consider the grand gesture of a village Pradhan like Mohammad Shafi. Look how the solutions to problems are found, this is the power of the people.

My dear countrymen, Swachha Bharat has become the dream of each Indian. Some Indians have made it their resolve. Some Indians have made it their aim and purpose. But, each one is connected to it in one or the other way and everyone is making a contribution. Daily we hear about the various innovative efforts in this direction. Acting on one such idea, the Government of India has called upon the people to make short films of 2 to 3 minutes duration on Swachhta, that is, cleanliness and send these to the Government. You can find details of this plan on website. A competition will be held and the winners will be awarded prizes on Gandhi Jayanti Day on 2nd October. I request TV channels also to invite such films and hold a competition. Creativity can give a new strength to Swachhata Abhiyan or cleanliness campaign. New slogans will emerge, newer methods will come to knowledge, a new inspiration will be generated and all this will happen with the great support of the people. Lesser known artists could be taken and it is not necessary to have a big studio and a big camera. You can even shoot a film these days using your mobile phone camera. I call upon you all to come forward and participate.

My dear countrymen, India has always tried its best to have close, cordial and vibrant relations with its neighbours. A very important event took place recently. The Honourable President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated a new radio channel named ‘Akashvani Maitree Channel’ at Kolkata. Now, some people may wonder whether Honourable President should inaugurate a Radio Channel? But this is no ordinary Radio Channel, it is a very big and very important step. We have Bangladesh as our neighbour. We know that both Bangladesh and West Bengal continue to have a common cultural heritage. So, Akashvani Maitree on this side and Bangladesh Betaar on that side will mutually share the content and Bengali speaking people on both sides will enjoy the programmes of Akashvani, that is, All India Radio. This people to people contact is a big contribution of Akashvani. The President launched this radio channel. I extend my thanks to Bangladesh also for collaborating with us in this initiative. I congratulate the friends in All India Radio too for making their contribution in our foreign policy also.

My dear countrymen, although you have entrusted me with the responsibilities of Prime Minister but I also am a human being just like you. At times, sensitive events touch me a little too deeply. Such sentimental incidents generate new energy, give new inspiration and this is what motivates us Indians to do some remarkable things. I received a letter recently which touched my heart. A motherly lady of about 84 years of age who is a retired teacher wrote that letter to me. If she had not forbidden me from revealing her name, I from the core of my heart wanted to announce her name while talking to you. She wrote in her letter that after my appeal to the people to forego their cooking gas subsidy, she had given up her subsidy and then she even forgot about it. However, a few days ago a person on my behalf went to her and delivered a letter in which she was thanked for her giving up the subsidy. And, she has said that a letter from the Prime Minister was no less than a Padma Shree honour for her.

Dear countrymen, you may be knowing that I have tried to send a letter, to be delivered personally through my representatives, to all those who surrendered their cooking gas subsidy on my appeal. My effort is to send letters to more than one crore people. Under this plan my letter had reached this mother who wrote back to me saying that I was doing a good work under the campaign of providing relief to those poor ladies who are getting freedom from the smoke of a Chulha. I am a retired teacher and will cross the age of 90 years within a few years and I am sending you a donation of fifty thousand rupees which you can use in this mission of providing relief from the Chulha smoke to the poor women. You may well imagine the missionary spirit of this retired teacher living on pension and donating an amount of fifty thousand rupees for the sake of provision of gas connection to the other poor mothers and sisters, in order to save them from the ill effects of Chulha smoke. It is not a question of 50 thousand rupees but the basic question is of the empathy in this old lady and it is because of the blessings of this lady and of crores of our other mothers and sisters which strengthens my confidence in the future of the country. And, she did not write to me this letter as a Prime Minister but she straightforwardly wrote – “Modi Bhaiya!” I salute this wonderful mother and I also salute crores of similar mothers in India who keep doing something or the other all the time for the benefit of others despite facing many difficulties themselves.

My dear countrymen, we were struggling with drought-like conditions last year but this August we have been facing the fury of floods all through. In some parts of the country, there have been repetitive floods. State governments, Union government, local self-government bodies, social organisations and the citizens did whatever best could be done. Yet, even amidst the reports of these floods, some such events happened which should be remembered. Which show the power of unity, and how big results can be achieved by working together? The month of August this year has become memorable. In August 2016, about 90 political parties in the country, many of these parties in the Parliament, which were staunch opponents of each other and which do not miss the slightest opportunity against each other, all these parties got united and passed the GST Act. The credit for this goes to all the parties. And, this is an example which shows that great tasks can be accomplished by working in unison to move ahead. Similarly, about the incidents that took place in Kashmir and all that happened in Kashmir, all political parties in the country collectively expressed their views in one voice. A massage was sent to the whole world, a massage also went to the separatist forces and our sympathy was expressed towards the people of Kashmir. Whatever interaction with whomsoever I had on Kashmir resounded with these views quite prominently and if I may try to summarise these views and comments, the gist and essence were unity and affection; these two were the fundamental points. And, we all are of the view, and this is the view of all 125 crore Indians, right from the village Pradhan to the Prime Minister that every loss of life in Kashmir – whether it is of a young man or of a security personnel – it is our own loss, a loss of our people, a loss for the nation! Those trying to disturb peace in Kashmir by putting small children in the front and hiding behind them will have to be answerable to these very innocent children some day.

My dear countrymen, ours is a vast nation, full of diversities. To keep this country of manifold diversities united, we all as citizens, as society and as the government, have a responsibility to encourage things which strengthen our national unity and highlight these with full vigour, only then we can make our country’s future bright, and, of course, this will be achieved. I have full faith in the power of my 125 crore countrymen. That is all for today, many many thanks.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar!

Early this morning, I had an opportunity to spend some time with some young people from Delhi. And I believe, in the days to come, the spirit and fervor of sports will envelop every young person in the country. All of us know that in a few days time, the world’s largest sports event, the biggest sports carnival will take place. RIO is going to resound in our ears time and again. The entire world will be at play… every country in the world will keep a close watch on the performance of its sportspersons; you too will be doing the same. All of us harbour a lot of hopes and expectations, but keeping the morale of our sports contingent at RIO high is also the solemn duty of us 1.25 billion countrymen. In Delhi this morning, the Government of India had organised a very good event, ‘Run for RIO’, ‘Play and Live’, ‘Play and Blossom’. In the days to come, wherever we are, let us do our bit to encourage our sportspersons. A sportsperson, who makes it to this stage, does so after putting in a lot of hard work. It’s a kind of severe and dedicated ‘tapasya’. However much one cherishes all kinds of food, one has to sacrifice that. However much one would like to snuggle up in warmth during a harsh winter, one has to just get up and leave for the track and field. And this happens not just to the players. Even their parents leave no stone unturned for the sake of their children. Sportsperson are not made overnight; it takes long and sustained perseverance to attain that stature. Victory and defeat are certainly important, but what is even more important is reaching this level in a game or sports discipline and, therefore, let all of us Indians join hands in wishing our RIO contingent the very best. I’m also ready to do this on your behalf; the prime minister of the country is ready to be a postman to convey your good wishes to these players. Do send your best wishes to our sportspersons in Rio on the ‘NarendraModi App’. I’ll convey these to our contingent. Just like 1.25 billion Indians I too as a citizen would like to join you in encouraging them, cheering them up. Come, over the next few days, let us try to the fullest extent possible to make each one of our sportspersons feel proud, to reward them for their endeavours and exertions; and today, as I speak on the Rio Olympics, I would like to mention the name of a poetry lover, Suraj Prakash Upadhyay a student of the Punjab Central University, who has sent me a poem. It’s possible that many poets would have written poems, some may be planning to write, some may even compose their verses into songs, in all languages. But here I would like to share with you the poem sent by Suraj Ji.

”The games bugle’s been sounded
The festivities of competitions
In this mega sporting odyssey
Amidst the melodious chimes of RIO
May India commence on a grand note
May it rain gold, silver and bronze!
May India commence on a grand note
May it rain gold, silver and bronze!
May the turn be ours also this time
May we be amply prepared this time
Set your sight straight at the Gold
But let a loss not deject you
You are a hero to a billion hearts
You are the heartbeat of your sport
March ahead and set records
Let our tricolour flutter with pride in RIO
Let our tricolour flutter with pride in RIO.

Suraj Ji, I dedicate your sentiments to all our sportspersons and extend to them the warmest and heartiest wishes from my side and on behalf of us 1.25 billion countrymen, that our tricolour indeed flutters with joy and pride in the skies of RIO.

A young man Mr. Ankit has reminded me of the death anniversary of President Abdul Kalamji, which was observed last week. The country, in fact the world paid glowing tributes to him. The mere mention of Abdul Kalamji’s name brings to mind vivid images of science, technology, missiles – in fact the entire spectrum of strengths and capabilities of India in the days to come. And that’s why Ankit asks me… What is your government doing to ensure that Abdul Kalamji’s dreams come true? You are right. The future is going to be technology driven. And technology is extremely dynamic. Day by day, technology keeps updating, changes form, transforms its impact. You cannot shackle technology. If you strive to hold it still, it would move beyond your grasp assuming new looks and forms. If we have to match its strides and move ahead, research and innovation are the keys, these are its lifelines and moving spirit. In the absence of research and innovation, technology will become a burden, just as still water stagnates and even stinks. And if we go on just using old technology without recourse to research and innovation, we will become outdated in this rapidly changing world and age. And that is why the government too has taken steps to attract the new generation toward science and research & innovation in the field of technology. And that is why I say ‘let us aim to innovate’. And when I say “let us aim to innovate’ my AIM stands for “Atal Innovation Mission’. This Mission is being promoted by the Niti Aayog. The purpose is to create an eco-system in the entire country through the Atal Innovation Mission, to forge a vibrant chain of innovation, experiment and entrepreneurship, which would also enhance the possibilities of new employment generation. If we have to develop the next generation innovators, we shall have to link our children with it. And that is why the Government of India has taken the initiative of ‘Atal Tinkering Labs’. Wherever such Tinkering Labs are established in schools, those would be given 10 Lakh rupees and further 10 Lakh rupees will be provided for maintenance during the period of five years. Similarly, innovations are directly connected to Incubation Centres. If we have strong and well-equipped Incubation Centres, a system comes into place for innovations, for start-ups, for experimentation and to bring these efforts to a certain level. Creation of new Incubation Centres is essential just as it is necessary to strengthen the older Incubation Centres. And when I talk of Atal Incubation Centres, the government has considered allocating the huge sum of 10 crore rupees for this also. India is grappling with diverse challenges. We see problems in daily life. We shall now have to look for technological solutions for these. Through the ‘Atal Grand Challenges’ we have exhorted the young generation of the country that if they see problems, they should search for solutions taking the path of technology, doing research, applying innovations and bring those on board. The Government of India wants to specially reward technology developed to find solutions to our problems. And I am happy that people have evinced interest in these things. When we spoke of Tinkering Labs, about 13 thousand schools applied and when we talked of Incubation Centres, over four thousand academic and non-academic institutions came forward. I firmly believe that the real tribute to Abdul Kalamji will consist of harnessing research and innovation for developing technology to find solutions to problems we face in day to day life, and ridding us of the difficulties we face to make things easier for us all. The more the new generation devotes itself to this task, the greater will be their contribution with immense significance for the modern India of the 21st century. That will be the real tribute to Abdul Kalamji.

My dear countrymen, while some time ago, we were concerned about a drought like situation, these days, on the one hand, we are enjoying the rains, but on the other, reports of floods are also coming in. Central government and State Governments are working hand in hand with their utmost efforts to provide relief and assistance to the flood-affected. Despite causing some hardships, rains make every human heart rejoice since rains, and agriculture, are the focal point of our entire sphere of economic activities.

There are times when one has to face an illness that leaves a scar for a lifetime. But if we are aware, alert and active, the prevention is also very easy. Take the case of Dengue. It is preventable. Pay attention to cleanliness, be alert, try and be safe and take special care of children. And the mindset that such diseases strike poor neighborhoods only, is not valid in the case of Dengue. Dengue first enters affluent localities and we should try and understand it. You must be watching advertisements on TV but there are times when we neglect taking proactive and informed action on it. The government, hospitals, doctors will of course do their job, but I urge that we should also be alert in ensuring that Dengue doesn’t enter our homes, locality, family, for that matter, any illness connected with stagnant water.

I would like to draw the attention of my dear countrymen to another menace. In today’s fast paced, rat race of life, at times we don’t have time to think about ourselves. When we fall sick, we want to get well as soon as possible and as a result pop in just any antibiotic that we can lay our hands on. It may give you instant relief, but my dear countrymen, this random pill popping habit can land you in deep trouble. It may give you temporary succor, but we should completely stop taking antibiotics without the advice of a doctor. Avoid it till a doctor gives you a prescription. Do not use the short cut method; it can lead to serious complications. Although random and rampant use of antibiotics gives immediate relief to the patient, but gradually the disease causing bacteria get accustomed to that drug. The drug then loses its efficacy and one has to fight the battle anew, develop new medicines, do new research; it takes years and till then these diseases create other complications. That’s why we have to be very aware about that. One more problem has presented itself. Suppose the doctor advises that brother, take this antibiotic and he tells that 15 tablets of that to be taken over a period of five days. I urge you to complete the entire course of medication as prescribed by the doctor. Because if the treatment is abandoned halfway, it would benefit the bacteria. If the medicine is taken more than what is required, that too would be in the favour of the bacteria. And that is why, it is utmost essential to take the entire course of antibiotic medicine in terms of number of tablets as well as days. If we leave the treatment halfway due to improvement in our condition, we are only helping that bacteria getting more sturdy and difficult to treat. Microbes spreading TB and malaria are bringing about rapid mutations in themselves, rendering medicines ineffective. In medical parlance it is called antibiotic resistance. Hence it is indeed necessary to follow rules in the administration of antibiotics. The government is committed to prevent antibiotic resistance. You must have seen, these days, on the antibiotic medicine strips there is a red line to make you aware. You must pay attention to that.

While we are on the subject of health, I would like to talk about one more issue. I feel very concerned about the lives of pregnant women of our country. In our country, close to 3 crore women become pregnant every year but some of these mothers die during childbirth. Sometimes the mother loses her life, at times the infant does. There are times when both die. It is true that in the last decade there has been a decline in maternal mortality rates but even now, we are not able to save the lives of a large number of pregnant women. Anemia during or after pregnancy, pregnancy related infections, high BP, any such complication can have devastating effect. Keeping in view these issues, in the last few months, the Government of India has launched a new campaign ‘Prime Minister Safe Motherhood Campaign’. Under this, on the 9th of every month, all pregnant women will get a check-up at government health centers free of cost. I urge all poor families to ensure that all pregnant women avail of this benefit on the 9th of every month, so that if by the time they reach the 9th month any complication arises, it can be dealt with suitably in time and the lives of both mother and child can be saved. I have specially asked the gynecologists whether they could offer their services free on the 9th of every month, for the sake of under privileged mothers! Can’t my doctor brothers and sisters spare just 12 days in a year for this service to the under privileged? Over the last few days, many have written to me. There are thousands of doctors who have implemented what I said. But India is such a vast country. We need lakhs of doctors to join this campaign. I do believe that you will indeed do so.

My dear countrymen, today, the whole world is concerned deeply about climate change, global warming and the environment. These are discussed collectively in the country and across the world. In India, this has been accorded great importance for centuries. In the battlefield of Kurukshetra too, Bhagwan Shri Krishna talks of trees. Showing concern towards trees even in the midst of a battle, underlines how much importance was attached to trees. In the Gita, Bhagwan Shri Krishna says, ‘ashwatth sarvvrikshanam’ which means amongst all trees, I am the Peepal Tree. It is proclaimed in Shukracharya Neeti that ‘naastimulam anaushadham’ meaning that there is no plant that does not have medicinal values; the Anushasan Parv of the Mahabharta elaborates this concept at greater length. It is stated in the Anushasan Parv that whosoever plants a tree begets an offspring in the form of that tree. There can be no doubt about this fact. He who donates a tree, that tree in return becomes a ladder to salvation just like children. Therefore it is appropriate that parents desiring their well-being should plant tree and rear them like their own children.
Our scriptures like Gita, Shukracharya Niti and Anushasan Parv of the Mahabharta contain such lofty ideals. However, there are certain individuals in the present generation also, who live up to these ideals. A few days ago, I came across a mention of Sonal, a young daughter from Pune. It touched my heart. It is mentioned in Anushasan Parv in Mahabharata that a tree is like an offspring and becomes means of salvation in after life, Sonal has not only taken it upon herself to fulfill her parents’ wishes but society’s expectations also. Shri Khandu Maruti Mhatre, a farmer of Narayanpur village of of Junner Taluka of Pune got his granddaughter Sonal married in a very inspiring manner. What did Mhatre Ji do in Sonal’s marriage? He gifted all his relatives, guests and friends with a sapling of ‘Kesar’ variety of mango. I saw a picture of this marriage in social media. I was surprised to see that in the marriage festivities, instead of members of the wedding party, saplings were more visible! That picture really touches one’s heart. I think that Sonal, who herself is an agriculture graduate, came upon this idea. And to present Mango saplings in the marriage, just think, reflects the love for nature in a brilliant manner. In a way, Sonal’s marriage in an everlasting story of love for nature, I congratulate Sonal and Shriman Mhatre Ji for this innovative effort. And such experiments are done by many people. I remember, when I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat – the temple of Ambaji there is visited in the month of Bhadrapad by lakhs of devotees travelling by foot. A certain NGO decided to distribute saplings as ‘Prasad’ to the devotees, and the devotees were told that Mata Ambaji will keep on showering her grace, if they took care of the saplings, till their maturity into trees in their homes and villages. And lakhs of such saplings were distributed to the devotees traveling on foot to Ambaji temple that year. Other temples too can start the practice of distributing saplings instead of ‘prasad’ during this rainy season. It can easily grow into a people’s movement for planting trees. I repeatedly tell my farmer brethren that instead of wasting our land in building fences around our fields, why don’t we start planting timber trees there. Today India has to spend billions and trillions of rupees to import timber wood from abroad for construction of houses and furniture. If we plant on the boundaries of our fields timber trees that can be utilised for construction of homes and furniture and which can also be cut and sold after 15 to 20 years with the permission of the government. This way, not only can these become a new source of your income, but can also save India from importing timber.

Some days ago, a few states taking advantage of this weather have started many campaigns in this direction and the Government of India has also passed CAMPA law, under which about 40 thousand crores rupees will go to the states for planting trees. I have been told that the Maharashtra government planted about 2 crores sapling in the entire state on 1st July and next year they have taken a pledge to plant about 3 crores trees. The Maharashtra government has transformed this activity into a people’s movement. Rajasthan, desert area, has celebrated Van Mahotsav in a very big way and pledged to plant 25 lakhs trees. To plant 25 lakhs of sapling in Rajasthan is not a small matter! Those who know the soil conditions of Rajasthan would know how mammoth this task is going to be. Andhra Pradesh, too has decided to increase its green cover by 50% by the year 2029. Under the central government’s ongoing ‘Green India Mission’, Railways too have joined in this endeavour. Gujarat too has an illustrious tradition of observing Van Mahotsav. This year Gujarat has undertaken many projects like ‘Aamra Van’, ‘Ekata Van’ and ‘Shaheed Van’ as a part of Van Mahotsav and launched a campaign to plant crores of trees. I am not able to mention every state but all deserve to be appreciated.

My dear countrymen, I had the opportunity to visit South Africa for the first time some time back. During a foreign visit, diplomacy is practiced, there are trade deliberations, discussions about security and as is customary, many MoUs are concluded. But for me the visit to South Africa was more like a pilgrimage. When we think of South Africa, it is very natural to remember Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Whenever we hear the words – non-violence, love and forgiveness, the inspiring faces of Gandhi and Mandela appear before us. During my South Africa tour, I visited Phoenix settlement where Mahatma Gandhi’s home is known as ‘Sarvodaya’. I also had the good fortune of traveling from Pietermaritzburg station in the train in which Mahatma Gandhi had travelled, and which was the site of the incidence that sowed the seed of the transformation of a Mohandas into Mahatma Gandhi. But what I want to tell you is the fact that this time I had an opportunity to meet those great men who had devoted their young lives for society fighting shoulder to shoulder with Nelson Mandela for the ideals of equality and equal opportunity; who had spent 20 to 22 years of their lives in prison with Nelson Mandela, effectively sacrificing the entire period of their youth for the society. I had the privilege of meeting these grat personalities, these close associates of Nelson Mandela such as Shriman Ahmed Kathrada, Shriman Laloo Chiba, Shriman George Bizos and Ronnie Kasrils. All were Indian by origin but dedicated themselves to wherever they settled and decided to offer their lives for those amidst whom they lived. So much strength they had! And the greatest thing was that while I was talking to them and listening about the experiences of their imprisonment, they had no bitterness or ill will for anyone. There was not a single trace of desire, to get something, to become somebody even after living such a great life of ‘Tapasaya’. The essence of performing one’s duty as explained in Gita was embodied in their persona. I will remember that meeting forever. Equality and equal opportunity are the two biggest ‘mantras’ for any society and government. Equality and equal opportunity, compassion and fraternity, these are the paths leading us to a bright future. We all want a good future for our children. Everybody has different needs and different priorities but there is one common path of development, equality, compassion and fraternity. Come, let us be proud about these Indians who have lived their lives in South Africa embodying our highest and fundamental ideals.

My dear countrymen, I have received a message from Shilpi Varma, to whom I am grateful. Her concern is very genuine. She has made me aware of an incident: –

“Pradhan Mantri Ji, I am Shilpi Varma speaking from Bengaluru. Some days ago, I read in a news article that a lady became a victim of fraud and cheat email, lost 11 lakh rupees and committed suicide. Being a woman, I feel an empathy with her family. What is your opinion about such cheat and fraud emails.”

She has pointed a certain incident, and you must also be aware that we get messages on our mobile phones and emails, proclaiming attractive offers that you have won a jackpot of so many rupees; if you pay a certain amount then you become eligible for the greater amount. People get duped by this money trap. These are new methods of technology that are spreading in the entire world for cheating people. And just as technology plays an increasingly bigger role in our economic system, it also invites those who misuse it. A retired gentlemen, who not only had to get his daughter married but also to build his home, one day he received an SMS, that there was a gift that had arrived from abroad and could be obtained if he deposited 2 lakh rupees as custom duty in a bank account and this gentlemen without giving any thought took out 2 lakh rupees from his hard earned life savings and sent it to some stranger. That too on the strength of just an SMS! And in very little time, he understood that he had been looted! You too must be getting similarly confused sometimes! These people write a letter in such style that it seems perfect. They use fake letter pads while sending these letters. They obtain your credit card number and debit card number and empty your bank account through technology. And this new means of fraud is digital fraud. I believe that we must be aware against such lure, must remain cautious and if such false communications come to our notice, then we must share them with our friends and make them aware also. Shilpi Varma has brought this important thing to my notice, which although even you must have encountered, but may be you did not take it that seriously, but I feel there is need to look at it seriously.

My dear countrymen these days, the Parliament Session is going on, and during the Parliament Session, I get to meet many people from across our nation. Our MPs also bring people from their constituencies and introduce them to me; they tell me many things, their difficulties also. But recently I had a pleasant experience, real pleasant experience! Student from Aligarh had come to meet me. You should have seen the enthusiasm of those boys and girls. They had brought a big photo album with them and their faces were lit with joy. They showed me the pictures of how they had beautified the Aligarh railway station! These were artistic painting done on the station. What is more, they had searched for and collected the plastic bottles and oil cans lying in the garbage in the villages and by filling those with soil and planting saplings, they have transformed those pots into a vertical garden. And by creating this vertical garden on the site of railway station, they have given it a new look. If you go to Aligarh, do visit the railway station. I am receiving news from many railway stations in the country where the local populace has taken to depicting on the walls of the railway stations, their area’s identity, through means of their arts. They have brought about a refreshing feeling. This is a prime example of the great transformation, which can be brought about through people’s participation. I felicitate all such citizens involved in these kinds of activities and especially congratulate friends from Aligarh.

My dear countrymen, with the onset of rainy season, there is also an onset of festival season in our country. There would be fairs everywhere, festivities would be observed in temples and places of worship. You too will become a participant at home and outside during the festive celebrations. The festival of Raksha Bandhan is a festival of special significance. Just like last year, can’t you gift on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna or Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna to mothers and sisters of our country. Think about it, we should gift such a present to our sisters, which really provides her security in future. Not only that, we may be having in our homes a lady making food for us or a lady who cleans our house, a daughter of an impoverished mother! To them also, you can gift Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna or Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna on this festival of Raksha Bandhan. And this is what social security in reality is all about; this is the true meaning of Raksha Bandhan.

My dear countrymen there are many among us who were born after independence. And I am the first Prime Minister of this nation who was born in free India. ‘Quit India movement’ started on 8th august, and this year would be the 75th year of ‘Quit Hind -Quit Bharat” and on 15th august, it would be 70th year of our independence. We are enjoying our independence and are proud to be free citizens, but this is an occasion to remember those who sacrificed their all for winning our independence. The 75th year of Quit India and 70th year of Independence can be source of new inspiration, source of new enthusiasm and an occasion to take a pledge to do something for our nation. The whole nation should be imbued with the spirit of those great patriots and we should once again experience anew the fragrance of freedom. Let us all create such an atmosphere. Independence Day should not be a government event, it should be the celebration of the entire people. Just like Diwali, it should be our own festival. I hope that you too become inspired with the spirit of patriotism and do something good in that vein. Do send a picture of it on ‘Narendra Modi app. Let us create such an atmosphere in the nation.

Dear countrymen, I have the good fortune to talk to the nation from ramparts of Red Fort on 15thAugust, it is a tradition. You too must be having certain thoughts that you wish were proclaimed from Red Fort. I invite you to write to me about your thoughts that I, as your representative, as your Pradhan Sevak should talk about from the Red Fort. Send me suggestions, your advice and new thoughts, I will try to convey your thoughts to rest of the countrymen. I do not wish that whatever I speak from the ramparts of Red Fort should just be the opinion of the Prime Minister; it should be the collective voice of 125 crores countrymen. Do send me something, either on ‘Narendra Modi app’ or on MYGOV.IN. Today the platforms of technology are such that your message can reach me very easily. I invite you once again, come, let us remember and salute our great freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for India and let us move ahead with the pledge to do something for our nation. My best wishes to you all and many thanks.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar!

Early this morning, I had an opportunity to spend some time with some young people from Delhi. And I believe, in the days to come, the spirit and fervor of sports will envelop every young person in the country. All of us know that in a few days time, the world’s largest sports event, the biggest sports carnival will take place. RIO is going to resound in our ears time and again. The entire world will be at play… every country in the world will keep a close watch on the performance of its sportspersons; you too will be doing the same. All of us harbour a lot of hopes and expectations, but keeping the morale of our sports contingent at RIO high is also the solemn duty of us 1.25 billion countrymen. In Delhi this morning, the Government of India had organised a very good event, ‘Run for RIO’, ‘Play and Live’, ‘Play and Blossom’. In the days to come, wherever we are, let us do our bit to encourage our sportspersons. A sportsperson, who makes it to this stage, does so after putting in a lot of hard work. It’s a kind of severe and dedicated ‘tapasya’. However much one cherishes all kinds of food, one has to sacrifice that. However much one would like to snuggle up in warmth during a harsh winter, one has to just get up and leave for the track and field. And this happens not just to the players. Even their parents leave no stone unturned for the sake of their children. Sportsperson are not made overnight; it takes long and sustained perseverance to attain that stature. Victory and defeat are certainly important, but what is even more important is reaching this level in a game or sports discipline and, therefore, let all of us Indians join hands in wishing our RIO contingent the very best. I’m also ready to do this on your behalf; the prime minister of the country is ready to be a postman to convey your good wishes to these players. Do send your best wishes to our sportspersons in Rio on the ‘NarendraModi App’. I’ll convey these to our contingent. Just like 1.25 billion Indians I too as a citizen would like to join you in encouraging them, cheering them up. Come, over the next few days, let us try to the fullest extent possible to make each one of our sportspersons feel proud, to reward them for their endeavours and exertions; and today, as I speak on the Rio Olympics, I would like to mention the name of a poetry lover, Suraj Prakash Upadhyay a student of the Punjab Central University, who has sent me a poem. It’s possible that many poets would have written poems, some may be planning to write, some may even compose their verses into songs, in all languages. But here I would like to share with you the poem sent by Suraj Ji.

”The games bugle’s been sounded
The festivities of competitions
In this mega sporting odyssey
Amidst the melodious chimes of RIO
May India commence on a grand note
May it rain gold, silver and bronze!
May India commence on a grand note
May it rain gold, silver and bronze!
May the turn be ours also this time
May we be amply prepared this time
Set your sight straight at the Gold
But let a loss not deject you
You are a hero to a billion hearts
You are the heartbeat of your sport
March ahead and set records
Let our tricolour flutter with pride in RIO
Let our tricolour flutter with pride in RIO.

Suraj Ji, I dedicate your sentiments to all our sportspersons and extend to them the warmest and heartiest wishes from my side and on behalf of us 1.25 billion countrymen, that our tricolour indeed flutters with joy and pride in the skies of RIO.

A young man Mr. Ankit has reminded me of the death anniversary of President Abdul Kalamji, which was observed last week. The country, in fact the world paid glowing tributes to him. The mere mention of Abdul Kalamji’s name brings to mind vivid images of science, technology, missiles – in fact the entire spectrum of strengths and capabilities of India in the days to come. And that’s why Ankit asks me… What is your government doing to ensure that Abdul Kalamji’s dreams come true? You are right. The future is going to be technology driven. And technology is extremely dynamic. Day by day, technology keeps updating, changes form, transforms its impact. You cannot shackle technology. If you strive to hold it still, it would move beyond your grasp assuming new looks and forms. If we have to match its strides and move ahead, research and innovation are the keys, these are its lifelines and moving spirit. In the absence of research and innovation, technology will become a burden, just as still water stagnates and even stinks. And if we go on just using old technology without recourse to research and innovation, we will become outdated in this rapidly changing world and age. And that is why the government too has taken steps to attract the new generation toward science and research & innovation in the field of technology. And that is why I say ‘let us aim to innovate’. And when I say “let us aim to innovate’ my AIM stands for “Atal Innovation Mission’. This Mission is being promoted by the Niti Aayog. The purpose is to create an eco-system in the entire country through the Atal Innovation Mission, to forge a vibrant chain of innovation, experiment and entrepreneurship, which would also enhance the possibilities of new employment generation. If we have to develop the next generation innovators, we shall have to link our children with it. And that is why the Government of India has taken the initiative of ‘Atal Tinkering Labs’. Wherever such Tinkering Labs are established in schools, those would be given 10 Lakh rupees and further 10 Lakh rupees will be provided for maintenance during the period of five years. Similarly, innovations are directly connected to Incubation Centres. If we have strong and well-equipped Incubation Centres, a system comes into place for innovations, for start-ups, for experimentation and to bring these efforts to a certain level. Creation of new Incubation Centres is essential just as it is necessary to strengthen the older Incubation Centres. And when I talk of Atal Incubation Centres, the government has considered allocating the huge sum of 10 crore rupees for this also. India is grappling with diverse challenges. We see problems in daily life. We shall now have to look for technological solutions for these. Through the ‘Atal Grand Challenges’ we have exhorted the young generation of the country that if they see problems, they should search for solutions taking the path of technology, doing research, applying innovations and bring those on board. The Government of India wants to specially reward technology developed to find solutions to our problems. And I am happy that people have evinced interest in these things. When we spoke of Tinkering Labs, about 13 thousand schools applied and when we talked of Incubation Centres, over four thousand academic and non-academic institutions came forward. I firmly believe that the real tribute to Abdul Kalamji will consist of harnessing research and innovation for developing technology to find solutions to problems we face in day to day life, and ridding us of the difficulties we face to make things easier for us all. The more the new generation devotes itself to this task, the greater will be their contribution with immense significance for the modern India of the 21st century. That will be the real tribute to Abdul Kalamji.

My dear countrymen, while some time ago, we were concerned about a drought like situation, these days, on the one hand, we are enjoying the rains, but on the other, reports of floods are also coming in. Central government and State Governments are working hand in hand with their utmost efforts to provide relief and assistance to the flood-affected. Despite causing some hardships, rains make every human heart rejoice since rains, and agriculture, are the focal point of our entire sphere of economic activities.

There are times when one has to face an illness that leaves a scar for a lifetime. But if we are aware, alert and active, the prevention is also very easy. Take the case of Dengue. It is preventable. Pay attention to cleanliness, be alert, try and be safe and take special care of children. And the mindset that such diseases strike poor neighborhoods only, is not valid in the case of Dengue. Dengue first enters affluent localities and we should try and understand it. You must be watching advertisements on TV but there are times when we neglect taking proactive and informed action on it. The government, hospitals, doctors will of course do their job, but I urge that we should also be alert in ensuring that Dengue doesn’t enter our homes, locality, family, for that matter, any illness connected with stagnant water.

I would like to draw the attention of my dear countrymen to another menace. In today’s fast paced, rat race of life, at times we don’t have time to think about ourselves. When we fall sick, we want to get well as soon as possible and as a result pop in just any antibiotic that we can lay our hands on. It may give you instant relief, but my dear countrymen, this random pill popping habit can land you in deep trouble. It may give you temporary succor, but we should completely stop taking antibiotics without the advice of a doctor. Avoid it till a doctor gives you a prescription. Do not use the short cut method; it can lead to serious complications. Although random and rampant use of antibiotics gives immediate relief to the patient, but gradually the disease causing bacteria get accustomed to that drug. The drug then loses its efficacy and one has to fight the battle anew, develop new medicines, do new research; it takes years and till then these diseases create other complications. That’s why we have to be very aware about that. One more problem has presented itself. Suppose the doctor advises that brother, take this antibiotic and he tells that 15 tablets of that to be taken over a period of five days. I urge you to complete the entire course of medication as prescribed by the doctor. Because if the treatment is abandoned halfway, it would benefit the bacteria. If the medicine is taken more than what is required, that too would be in the favour of the bacteria. And that is why, it is utmost essential to take the entire course of antibiotic medicine in terms of number of tablets as well as days. If we leave the treatment halfway due to improvement in our condition, we are only helping that bacteria getting more sturdy and difficult to treat. Microbes spreading TB and malaria are bringing about rapid mutations in themselves, rendering medicines ineffective. In medical parlance it is called antibiotic resistance. Hence it is indeed necessary to follow rules in the administration of antibiotics. The government is committed to prevent antibiotic resistance. You must have seen, these days, on the antibiotic medicine strips there is a red line to make you aware. You must pay attention to that.

While we are on the subject of health, I would like to talk about one more issue. I feel very concerned about the lives of pregnant women of our country. In our country, close to 3 crore women become pregnant every year but some of these mothers die during childbirth. Sometimes the mother loses her life, at times the infant does. There are times when both die. It is true that in the last decade there has been a decline in maternal mortality rates but even now, we are not able to save the lives of a large number of pregnant women. Anemia during or after pregnancy, pregnancy related infections, high BP, any such complication can have devastating effect. Keeping in view these issues, in the last few months, the Government of India has launched a new campaign ‘Prime Minister Safe Motherhood Campaign’. Under this, on the 9th of every month, all pregnant women will get a check-up at government health centers free of cost. I urge all poor families to ensure that all pregnant women avail of this benefit on the 9th of every month, so that if by the time they reach the 9th month any complication arises, it can be dealt with suitably in time and the lives of both mother and child can be saved. I have specially asked the gynecologists whether they could offer their services free on the 9th of every month, for the sake of under privileged mothers! Can’t my doctor brothers and sisters spare just 12 days in a year for this service to the under privileged? Over the last few days, many have written to me. There are thousands of doctors who have implemented what I said. But India is such a vast country. We need lakhs of doctors to join this campaign. I do believe that you will indeed do so.

My dear countrymen, today, the whole world is concerned deeply about climate change, global warming and the environment. These are discussed collectively in the country and across the world. In India, this has been accorded great importance for centuries. In the battlefield of Kurukshetra too, Bhagwan Shri Krishna talks of trees. Showing concern towards trees even in the midst of a battle, underlines how much importance was attached to trees. In the Gita, Bhagwan Shri Krishna says, ‘ashwatth sarvvrikshanam’ which means amongst all trees, I am the Peepal Tree. It is proclaimed in Shukracharya Neeti that ‘naastimulam anaushadham’ meaning that there is no plant that does not have medicinal values; the Anushasan Parv of the Mahabharta elaborates this concept at greater length. It is stated in the Anushasan Parv that whosoever plants a tree begets an offspring in the form of that tree. There can be no doubt about this fact. He who donates a tree, that tree in return becomes a ladder to salvation just like children. Therefore it is appropriate that parents desiring their well-being should plant tree and rear them like their own children.
Our scriptures like Gita, Shukracharya Niti and Anushasan Parv of the Mahabharta contain such lofty ideals. However, there are certain individuals in the present generation also, who live up to these ideals. A few days ago, I came across a mention of Sonal, a young daughter from Pune. It touched my heart. It is mentioned in Anushasan Parv in Mahabharata that a tree is like an offspring and becomes means of salvation in after life, Sonal has not only taken it upon herself to fulfill her parents’ wishes but society’s expectations also. Shri Khandu Maruti Mhatre, a farmer of Narayanpur village of of Junner Taluka of Pune got his granddaughter Sonal married in a very inspiring manner. What did Mhatre Ji do in Sonal’s marriage? He gifted all his relatives, guests and friends with a sapling of ‘Kesar’ variety of mango. I saw a picture of this marriage in social media. I was surprised to see that in the marriage festivities, instead of members of the wedding party, saplings were more visible! That picture really touches one’s heart. I think that Sonal, who herself is an agriculture graduate, came upon this idea. And to present Mango saplings in the marriage, just think, reflects the love for nature in a brilliant manner. In a way, Sonal’s marriage in an everlasting story of love for nature, I congratulate Sonal and Shriman Mhatre Ji for this innovative effort. And such experiments are done by many people. I remember, when I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat – the temple of Ambaji there is visited in the month of Bhadrapad by lakhs of devotees travelling by foot. A certain NGO decided to distribute saplings as ‘Prasad’ to the devotees, and the devotees were told that Mata Ambaji will keep on showering her grace, if they took care of the saplings, till their maturity into trees in their homes and villages. And lakhs of such saplings were distributed to the devotees traveling on foot to Ambaji temple that year. Other temples too can start the practice of distributing saplings instead of ‘prasad’ during this rainy season. It can easily grow into a people’s movement for planting trees. I repeatedly tell my farmer brethren that instead of wasting our land in building fences around our fields, why don’t we start planting timber trees there. Today India has to spend billions and trillions of rupees to import timber wood from abroad for construction of houses and furniture. If we plant on the boundaries of our fields timber trees that can be utilised for construction of homes and furniture and which can also be cut and sold after 15 to 20 years with the permission of the government. This way, not only can these become a new source of your income, but can also save India from importing timber.

Some days ago, a few states taking advantage of this weather have started many campaigns in this direction and the Government of India has also passed CAMPA law, under which about 40 thousand crores rupees will go to the states for planting trees. I have been told that the Maharashtra government planted about 2 crores sapling in the entire state on 1st July and next year they have taken a pledge to plant about 3 crores trees. The Maharashtra government has transformed this activity into a people’s movement. Rajasthan, desert area, has celebrated Van Mahotsav in a very big way and pledged to plant 25 lakhs trees. To plant 25 lakhs of sapling in Rajasthan is not a small matter! Those who know the soil conditions of Rajasthan would know how mammoth this task is going to be. Andhra Pradesh, too has decided to increase its green cover by 50% by the year 2029. Under the central government’s ongoing ‘Green India Mission’, Railways too have joined in this endeavour. Gujarat too has an illustrious tradition of observing Van Mahotsav. This year Gujarat has undertaken many projects like ‘Aamra Van’, ‘Ekata Van’ and ‘Shaheed Van’ as a part of Van Mahotsav and launched a campaign to plant crores of trees. I am not able to mention every state but all deserve to be appreciated.

My dear countrymen, I had the opportunity to visit South Africa for the first time some time back. During a foreign visit, diplomacy is practiced, there are trade deliberations, discussions about security and as is customary, many MoUs are concluded. But for me the visit to South Africa was more like a pilgrimage. When we think of South Africa, it is very natural to remember Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Whenever we hear the words – non-violence, love and forgiveness, the inspiring faces of Gandhi and Mandela appear before us. During my South Africa tour, I visited Phoenix settlement where Mahatma Gandhi’s home is known as ‘Sarvodaya’. I also had the good fortune of traveling from Pietermaritzburg station in the train in which Mahatma Gandhi had travelled, and which was the site of the incidence that sowed the seed of the transformation of a Mohandas into Mahatma Gandhi. But what I want to tell you is the fact that this time I had an opportunity to meet those great men who had devoted their young lives for society fighting shoulder to shoulder with Nelson Mandela for the ideals of equality and equal opportunity; who had spent 20 to 22 years of their lives in prison with Nelson Mandela, effectively sacrificing the entire period of their youth for the society. I had the privilege of meeting these grat personalities, these close associates of Nelson Mandela such as Shriman Ahmed Kathrada, Shriman Laloo Chiba, Shriman George Bizos and Ronnie Kasrils. All were Indian by origin but dedicated themselves to wherever they settled and decided to offer their lives for those amidst whom they lived. So much strength they had! And the greatest thing was that while I was talking to them and listening about the experiences of their imprisonment, they had no bitterness or ill will for anyone. There was not a single trace of desire, to get something, to become somebody even after living such a great life of ‘Tapasaya’. The essence of performing one’s duty as explained in Gita was embodied in their persona. I will remember that meeting forever. Equality and equal opportunity are the two biggest ‘mantras’ for any society and government. Equality and equal opportunity, compassion and fraternity, these are the paths leading us to a bright future. We all want a good future for our children. Everybody has different needs and different priorities but there is one common path of development, equality, compassion and fraternity. Come, let us be proud about these Indians who have lived their lives in South Africa embodying our highest and fundamental ideals.

My dear countrymen, I have received a message from Shilpi Varma, to whom I am grateful. Her concern is very genuine. She has made me aware of an incident: –

“Pradhan Mantri Ji, I am Shilpi Varma speaking from Bengaluru. Some days ago, I read in a news article that a lady became a victim of fraud and cheat email, lost 11 lakh rupees and committed suicide. Being a woman, I feel an empathy with her family. What is your opinion about such cheat and fraud emails.”

She has pointed a certain incident, and you must also be aware that we get messages on our mobile phones and emails, proclaiming attractive offers that you have won a jackpot of so many rupees; if you pay a certain amount then you become eligible for the greater amount. People get duped by this money trap. These are new methods of technology that are spreading in the entire world for cheating people. And just as technology plays an increasingly bigger role in our economic system, it also invites those who misuse it. A retired gentlemen, who not only had to get his daughter married but also to build his home, one day he received an SMS, that there was a gift that had arrived from abroad and could be obtained if he deposited 2 lakh rupees as custom duty in a bank account and this gentlemen without giving any thought took out 2 lakh rupees from his hard earned life savings and sent it to some stranger. That too on the strength of just an SMS! And in very little time, he understood that he had been looted! You too must be getting similarly confused sometimes! These people write a letter in such style that it seems perfect. They use fake letter pads while sending these letters. They obtain your credit card number and debit card number and empty your bank account through technology. And this new means of fraud is digital fraud. I believe that we must be aware against such lure, must remain cautious and if such false communications come to our notice, then we must share them with our friends and make them aware also. Shilpi Varma has brought this important thing to my notice, which although even you must have encountered, but may be you did not take it that seriously, but I feel there is need to look at it seriously.

My dear countrymen these days, the Parliament Session is going on, and during the Parliament Session, I get to meet many people from across our nation. Our MPs also bring people from their constituencies and introduce them to me; they tell me many things, their difficulties also. But recently I had a pleasant experience, real pleasant experience! Student from Aligarh had come to meet me. You should have seen the enthusiasm of those boys and girls. They had brought a big photo album with them and their faces were lit with joy. They showed me the pictures of how they had beautified the Aligarh railway station! These were artistic painting done on the station. What is more, they had searched for and collected the plastic bottles and oil cans lying in the garbage in the villages and by filling those with soil and planting saplings, they have transformed those pots into a vertical garden. And by creating this vertical garden on the site of railway station, they have given it a new look. If you go to Aligarh, do visit the railway station. I am receiving news from many railway stations in the country where the local populace has taken to depicting on the walls of the railway stations, their area’s identity, through means of their arts. They have brought about a refreshing feeling. This is a prime example of the great transformation, which can be brought about through people’s participation. I felicitate all such citizens involved in these kinds of activities and especially congratulate friends from Aligarh.

My dear countrymen, with the onset of rainy season, there is also an onset of festival season in our country. There would be fairs everywhere, festivities would be observed in temples and places of worship. You too will become a participant at home and outside during the festive celebrations. The festival of Raksha Bandhan is a festival of special significance. Just like last year, can’t you gift on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna or Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna to mothers and sisters of our country. Think about it, we should gift such a present to our sisters, which really provides her security in future. Not only that, we may be having in our homes a lady making food for us or a lady who cleans our house, a daughter of an impoverished mother! To them also, you can gift Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna or Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna on this festival of Raksha Bandhan. And this is what social security in reality is all about; this is the true meaning of Raksha Bandhan.

My dear countrymen there are many among us who were born after independence. And I am the first Prime Minister of this nation who was born in free India. ‘Quit India movement’ started on 8th august, and this year would be the 75th year of ‘Quit Hind -Quit Bharat” and on 15th august, it would be 70th year of our independence. We are enjoying our independence and are proud to be free citizens, but this is an occasion to remember those who sacrificed their all for winning our independence. The 75th year of Quit India and 70th year of Independence can be source of new inspiration, source of new enthusiasm and an occasion to take a pledge to do something for our nation. The whole nation should be imbued with the spirit of those great patriots and we should once again experience anew the fragrance of freedom. Let us all create such an atmosphere. Independence Day should not be a government event, it should be the celebration of the entire people. Just like Diwali, it should be our own festival. I hope that you too become inspired with the spirit of patriotism and do something good in that vein. Do send a picture of it on ‘Narendra Modi app. Let us create such an atmosphere in the nation.

Dear countrymen, I have the good fortune to talk to the nation from ramparts of Red Fort on 15thAugust, it is a tradition. You too must be having certain thoughts that you wish were proclaimed from Red Fort. I invite you to write to me about your thoughts that I, as your representative, as your Pradhan Sevak should talk about from the Red Fort. Send me suggestions, your advice and new thoughts, I will try to convey your thoughts to rest of the countrymen. I do not wish that whatever I speak from the ramparts of Red Fort should just be the opinion of the Prime Minister; it should be the collective voice of 125 crores countrymen. Do send me something, either on ‘Narendra Modi app’ or on MYGOV.IN. Today the platforms of technology are such that your message can reach me very easily. I invite you once again, come, let us remember and salute our great freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for India and let us move ahead with the pledge to do something for our nation. My best wishes to you all and many thanks.

My dear countrymen, namaskar!

Once again I have got an opportunity to talk to you about matters close to my heart, through ‘Mann Ki Baat’. For me, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is not a matter of ritual; I myself am very eager to talk to you. And I am really happy that I am able to connect with you all in every corner of India, through this programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’. I am grateful to All India Radio that they have also been successfully broadcasting ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in regional languages at 8 pm. I am also very happy that the people who listen to me, later communicate their feelings to me through letters, telephone calls, the website MyGov.in and also through the NarendraModiApp. A lot of what you say is of great help to me in the functioning of the government. How active should the government be in terms of public service? How much priority should be given to public welfare activities? In terms of these matters, this dialogue, this link that I have with you all, is of great use. I hope that you will now be even more actively and enthusiastically involved in ensuring that our democracy should function with people’s participation.

The summer heat is increasing day by day. We were hoping for some respite, instead we are experiencing continual rise in temperature. And in the midst of this came the information that the monsoon will perhaps be delayed by a week, which has added to the worry. Almost the entire country is reeling under the scorching impact of severe heat. The mercury continues to soar. Be it animals, birds or humans…everyone is suffering. These problems have been getting increasingly worse due to environmental degradation. Forest cover has kept receding due to indiscriminate felling of trees. In a way, the human race itself has paved the way for self-annihilation by destroying the environment.

5th June is World Environment Day. On this day, discussions expressing concern on the issue are held all over the world for saving the environment. This time on the occasion of World Environment Day, the United Nations has given the theme “Zero Tolerance for Illegal Wildlife Trade”. This topic will, of course, be discussed, but we also must talk about saving our flora and fauna, conserving water, and how to expand our forest cover. You must have seen in the last few days how forest fires raged in the lap of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The main cause of these forest fires was dry leaf littering combined with carelessness, which led to the massive inferno. And so, it becomes the bounden duty of each one of us, to save forests and save water.

Recently, I convered at length with the Chief Ministers of eleven states, reeling under severe drought- Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and, Odisha.

As per the conventional Government precedent, I could have had a combined meeting with all the drought affected states, but I chose not to do so. I had a one-on-one meeting with each state, devoting about two to two and a half hours with each one. I carefully heard what each state had to say. Usually such talks do not go beyond discussion on how much money was granted by the Central Government state-wise, and how much money was actually spent by each state. Thus, it came as a surprise even to the officers of the Central Government that some states have indeed made some very commendable efforts related to water, environment, tackling drought, caring for animals as well as affected human beings. Based on inputs from all corners of the country, irrespective of the ruling party there, we found that we had to give a thought to finding not only permanent solutions but also devising practical ways and means to deal with this long-standing problem. In a way, It was a kind of a learning experience too for me. And I have told the Niti Aayog that they should work on how to incorporate the best practices across all the states.

Some states, especially Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have made full use of technology. I would like that in future, through the Niti Aayog, the exceptionally successful efforts of these states should be applied to other states also. People’s participation is a strong base for solving such problems. And for this, I believe that if there is a confluence of perfect planning, use of appropriate technology, and time-bound action, then we can achieve optimum results in drought management, for water conservation, to save every single drop of water. My faith is that water is a Gift from God. When we go to a temple, we are given an offering of Prasad and even if a small bit of that spills, we feel bad in our hearts. We not only pick it up but also pray five times for God’s forgiveness. Water is also an offering form the God. Even if a drop of water is wasted, then we should feel remorse and pain. And so water storage, water conservation and proper water irrigation are all of equal importance. And so there is need for implementing the maxim ‘Per Drop More Crop’ through Micro-Irrigation and cultivating crops that require minimal water intake. At present, it is indeed good news that in many states, even sugarcane farmers are using micro irrigation, some are using drip irrigation and some are using sprinklers. When I discussed with the eleven states, I noticed that even for cultivating paddy for production of rice, some of them had employed drip irrigation successfully and got higher yields, thereby also reducing the requirement for water as well as for labour. I also found that there were many states which had taken on very big targets, especially, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat- these three states have done massive work in the field of drip irrigation. And they are striving to bring every year 2 to 3 lakh hectares additional land under micro- irrigation. If this campaign gets underway in all the states, then not only will it benefit cultivation, but more water will also be conserved. Our farmer brothers in Telangana, through ‘Mission Bhagirathi’ have made a commendable effort to optimally use the waters of Godavari and Krishna rivers. In Andhra Pradesh, ‘Neeru Pragati Mission’ has been using technology for ground water recharging. People are devoting hard work and contributing financially as well to the mass movement that has been started in Maharashtra,. ‘Jal Yukt Shivir’ is one such people’s movement which is really going to be of great help in saving Maharashtra from water crisis in the future- this is what I feel. Chhattisgarh has started the ‘Lok-Suraj, Jal-Suraj’ campaign. Madhya Pradesh has started the ‘Balram Talaab Yojana’- and dug nearly 22,000 ponds, which is no small figure, work is also being carried out on their ‘Kapil Dhara Koop Yojana.’ In Uttar Pradesh there is ‘Mukhya Mantri Jal Bachao Abhiyaan’. In Karnataka water conservation efforts are in the form of ‘Kalyani Yojana’, under which they are trying to revive wells once again. In Rajasthan and Gujarat there are many ancient baodis – deep tanks or masonry wells with steps going down to the water. These states are making a very big effort to revive these as ‘water temples’. Rajasthan has started the Chief Minister’s Jal Swawalamban Abhiyan – Water Self Sufficiency Campaign. Jharkhand, although being a predominantly forest area, still has some parts which face water problem. They have launched a very big campaign for building ‘Check Dams’. They have started an exercise to check and stop the flow of water. Some states have started a campaign and made a number of small dams at distances of 10 to 20 kilometres in the rivers themselves to check the flow of water.

This is a wonderful experience. I urge the people of India that during this June, July, August September, we should resolve that we shall not let a single drop of water be wasted. We should decide right now upon the places where we can conserve water and where we can check the flow of water. The Almighty blesses us with water according to our needs, nature fulfils our needs. But if we become careless during the abundance of water and then during the lean water season land into trouble due to water scarcity, how can this be allowed? And the issue of water is not just for the farmers. This concerns everybody – the villages, the poor, the labourers, the farmers, the urban people, the country folk, the rich and the poor. And for this reason, now that the rainy season is approaching, saving water should be our priority. And when we celebrate Diwali this time, then we should also revel in how much water did we save; how much water we stopped from flowing out. You will see for yourselves that our joy will increase manifold. Water has this power, no matter how tired one is, just a bit of water splashed on the face makes one feel so refreshed. No matter how tired we are; when we see a large lake or an ocean, how magnificent that sight is. What a priceless treasure it is bestowed upon us by the Almighty! Just connect to it with your heart. Conserve it! We should harvest water. We should also store water. We should also modernise water irrigation. This I say as an earnest appeal. We should not let this season go waste. The coming four months should be transformed into a Save the Water Campaign, to save every drop of water. And this is not just for the governments, not just for the politicians, it is a work to be carried out by the people at large. Recently the Media reported about the water crisis in great detail. I hope that the Media will show the path to the people on how to save water, start a campaign, and also share the responsibility to free us from the water crisis forever; I invite then as well.

My dear Countrymen, we have to build a modern India. We have to make a transparent India. We have to make many services uniformly available across the entire country from one corner to another. So we will have to change some of our old habits as well. Today I want to touch upon one topic in which if you can be of help to me, then we can together achieve progress in that direction. We all know and we were taught about it in school that there was a time when there were no coins, no currency notes; there was a barter system. If you wanted vegetables you could give wheat in return. If you wanted salt, you could give vegetables in exchange. Business was carried out only through the barter system. Then gradually came currency, coins came, notes came. But now times have changed. The whole world is moving towards a cashless society. Through the facility of electronic technology, we can get money and also give money; we can buy things and pay our bills too. And with this there is no question of our wallets getting stolen from our pocket. We need not worry about keeping an account; the account will be maintained automatically. In the beginning it may appear to be a bit difficult, but once we get used to it, then this arrangement will seem very easy for us. And this possibility is there because under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana that we have started recently, nearly all the families in the country have had their bank accounts opened. On the other hand, they have also got their Aadhar numbers. And the mobile phone has reached the hands of almost every Indian. So Jan Dhan, Aadhar and Mobile – Jam – J. A. M. Synchronising these three, we can move ahead towards a cashless society. You must have seen that along with the Jan Dhan account people have been given a RuPay card. In the coming days this card is going to be useful as both- a credit and a debit card. And now-a-days a very small instrument has come which is called ‘point of sale’- P. O. S. – ‘Pos’. With the help of that, be it your Aadhar number or your RuPay card, if you have to pay money to someone, you can do it through that. There is no need to take out any money from your pocket and count it; there is no need to carry around any cash with you. One of the initiatives in this regard taken by the Government of India is about how to make payments through ‘Pos’, how to receive money. The second endeavour we have started is Bank on Mobile. The ‘Universal Payment Interface’ banking transaction- UPI will change the way things work. It will become very easy to do money transactions through your mobile phone. And I’m happy to tell you that the N.P.C.I. and banks are working together to launch this platform through a mobile app. If this happens, perhaps you may not even need to carry a RuPay card with you.

Across the country, nearly 1.25 lakh young people have been recruited as banking correspondents. In a way we have worked towards providing the bank at your door step. Post offices have also been geared up for banking services. If we learn and adapt ourselves to use these services, then we will not require the currency, we will not need notes, we will not need coins. Businesses will function automatically, resulting in a certain transparency. Under-hand dealings will stop; the influence of black money will be reduced. So I appeal to my countrymen, that we should at least make a beginning. Once we start, we will move ahead with great ease. Twenty years ago who would have thought that so many mobiles would be in our hands. Slowly we cultivated a habit and now we can’t do without those. Maybe this cashless society assumes a similar form. But the sooner this happens, the better it will be.

My dear countrymen, whenever the Olympic games come around, and when these begin, we sit and clutch our heads and sigh, “we were left so far behind in the tally of gold medals… did we get a silver or not… should we do with just a bronze or not…” This happens. It is true that in the field of sports we face a lot of challenges. But an atmosphere for sports should be created in the country.

To encourage the sportspersons who are leaving for the Rio Olympics, to boost their morale, everyone should try in one’s own way. Someone could write a song, someone could draw cartoons, someone could send messages with good wishes, somebody could cheer a particular sport, but on the whole a very positive environment should be created in the entire country for these sportspersons. Whatever may be the result, a game is a game, one can win or lose, medals are won sometimes and sometimes not; our spirits should always soar high. And as I speak, I would like to mention our Sports Minister Shri Sarbanand Sonowal for a gesture that has touched my heart. Last week all of us were busy in the ups & downs of Assam election results. Shri Sarbanandji himself was leading the campaign. He was the Chief Ministerial candidate; but he was also the Union Minister. And I was very happy when I came to know that one day before the Assam election results, he discreetly reached Patiala in Punjab. You must be aware of the Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports- N.I.S. – where the sportspersons going for the Olympics are trained. They all are there. He suddenly reached there, much to the surprise of the sportspersons. And it was a matter of surprise for the world of sports as well, that a Minister personally cares for our sportspersons. What are the arrangements for them? How is the food? Are they getting nutritious food according to their needs or not? Are the appropriate trainers for their body fitness present there? Are all the training machines functioning properly? He surveyed everything in great detail. He personally inspected each and every sportsperson’s room. He spoke to all the players in great detail. He had a word with the management and trainers; he himself ate with the sportspersons. With election results being due, with the distinct possibility of a new responsibility as a Chief Minister, and yet if one of my colleagues, in the capacity of a Sports Minister, displays such concern for his work, then it gives me great joy. And I am confident that like this, we should all realize the importance of sports, we should encourage the people in the world of sports, encourage our sportspersons. This becomes a source of strength in itself, when the sportsperson feels that his 125 crore countrymen are with him, his morale gets boosted.

Last time I spoke to you about the FIFA Under 17 World Cup and recently I got to see the suggestions that have come pouring in. And these days I have noticed that a conducive atmosphere for Football can be seen in the whole country. Many people are taking an initiative to form their own teams. I have received thousands of suggestions on the NarendraModi Mobile App. Maybe many people don’t play the game themselves, but hundreds of thousands of young Indians have displayed such keen interest in the sport, this by itself was a very delightful experience for me. We all know the bond that India has with Cricket, but I saw the same passion for Football as well, and this by itself heralds a very positive signal for the future. For all the selected candidates for the Rio Olympics, and for our favourite sportspersons, we should create a cheerful and positive atmosphere. We should not judge everything in terms of victory and defeat. India should be known in the world for its spirit of sportsmanship. I appeal to my countrymen to contribute their bit in creating an atmosphere that boosts the spirits and enthusiasm of our athletes.

In the last week or so, results have been pouring in from all over the country…. and I am not talking about election results… I am talking about those students who slogged for the entire year, those of 10th and 12th Class. It is clear that our daughters are marching ahead triumphantly. It is a matter of joy. To those who have succeeded in these exams, I extend my congratulations and felicitations. And those who were not able to succeed, I would like to tell them once again that there is a lot to do in life. Life does not get stuck if we do not get results according to our expectations. We should live with hope, we should move ahead with confidence.

But I have been confronted with a new type of question, about which earlier I had never given a thought. I’ve received one email on MyGov.in site, which drew my attention. One Mr. Gaurav, Gaurav Patel of Madhya Pradesh writes that in the M.P. Board exam he has secured 89.33% marks. Reading this I felt elated. But in his continued narration, he tells us his tale of woes. Gaurav Patel says that Sir, afte securing 89.33% marks when I reached home, I was thinking that I would be congratulated by my family and friends, I would be applauded. But I was amazed when everybody in the house, friends and my teachers said the same thing, “Oh Dear, if your had secured just 4 more marks, you would have made it to 90%”. So it seems that my family, my friends, my teachers, nobody was pleased with my 89.33% marks. Everyone was lamenting that I missed my 90% by four marks. Now I’m perplexed and don’t know how to handle the situation. Is this all to life. Was what I did not good enough? Did I not prove myself? I don’t know but I feel a burden on my heart and mind.

Gaurav, I have read your letter very carefully. And I feel that perhaps this pain is not just yours; like you there are many lakhs and crores of other students who share the same pain. Because nowadays there is a trend that instead of finding satisfaction in what we have achieved, we tend to express our dissatisfaction in not achieving unrealistic goals. This is another form of negativity. We can never guide society towards the path of satisfaction if we always find dissatisfaction in everything. It would have been better if your family members, your class mates and your friends had appreciated your 89.33%. Then you would have felt motivated enough to do a lot more. I would like to urge guardians, parents and people all around, to please accept, welcome and express your satisfaction over your children’s results, and motivate them to surge ahead in life. Else, it might happen that a day will come when he brings 100% marks and you will say that, “you have got 100 percent! But still, had you done something more, it would have been better!” There is a limit to everything and that should be accepted.

Santosh Giri Goswami has written to me from Jodhpur something similar, almost along the same lines. He says that the people around him just don’t accept the results. They say that you should have done something better. There was a poem I had read long ago. I don’t remember the complete poem. The poet had written something like this – “I painted a picture of my anguish on the canvas of life. And when it was exhibited, almost all the visiting people commented that it needed some touching up. Someone said, ‘yellow here would have been better in place of blue.’ Someone said, ‘This line would have been better situated there instead of here.’ I wish some odd visitor had also shed a tear or two over the picture of my anguish.” I don’t remember if these were the exact words of the poem, as I read this poem way back. But nobody was able to grasp the pain depicted in that picture; everyone just spoke of touching it up.

Santosh Giriji, you have the same problem that Gaurav has. And there must be crores of students like you. You have the burden on yourself of fulfilling the expectations of millions of others. All that I would like to say to you is that in such a situation, don’t lose your balance. Everyone expresses their expectations; just keep listening, but stick to your point and make an effort to do something even better. But if you are not satisfied over what you have got, you will never be able to create something new. The strong foundation of one success becomes the foundation for another greater success. The dissatisfaction arising out of success never becomes a ladder to success; it guarantees failure. And so I would like to appeal that you should sing in celebration of the success that you have achieved. Possibilities of newer successes will arise out of success achieved earlier. I would like to appeal to parents, friends and neighbours that please don’t impose your expectations upon your children. And friends, does our life come to a standstill if we meet with failure sometimes. Sometimes one is not able to score good marks in exams, but he or she surges ahead in sports, or does well in music, or excels in the fine arts, or forges ahead in business. God has gifted each one of us with a unique talent. Please recognize your internal strength, build upon it and you will be able to march ahead. And this happens everywhere in life.

You must have heard of the musical instrument called santoor. There was a time when the santoor was associated with the folk music of the Kashmir valley. But it was Pandit Shiv Kumar (Sharma) whose magical touch transformed it into one of the prime musical instruments of the world. Shehnai once had a limited space in the world of music. It was mostly played at the threshold of the courts of emperors and kings. But Ustad Bismillah Khan’s mastery over the Shehnai made it one of the finest musical instruments in the world; it has now carved an identity of its own. And so you should stop worrying about what you have and how is that. Just concentrate on what you have and devote your utmost with that you are sure to reap handsome rewards.

My dear countrymen, sometimes I notice that the money that our poor families have to spend on their healthcare, throws their life off the track. It is true that while one has to spend little on preventing illness, the expenditure incurred on regaining health after you have fallen ill, is a lot more. Why can’t we lead life in such a way that we don’t ever fall sick and no financial burden falls upon the family. Cleanliness is one of the strongest protections from disease. The greatest service that can be rendered to the poor is by maintaining cleanliness. And the second thing that I constantly urge you to do is Yog. Some people also call it Yoga. 21st June is the International Day for Yog. People are not only attracted to Yog the world over, they have implicit faith in it and the whole world has embraced it. This is a priceless gift handed over to us by our ancestors, which we have given to the world. To the world which is filled with stress, Yog gives the power to lead a balanced life. Prevention is better than cure. A person practicing Yog, can easily have the achievements of staying healthy, maintaining balance, being richly endowed with a strong will power, nurturing supreme self confidence and to have concentration in every task one does. 21st June, International Yog Day is not just a mere event. It should spread wide, it should find a place in every person’s life. Each person should take 20-25-30 minutes out from his daily routine and spend it on practicing Yog. And for this, the International Yog day on 21st June gives us the inspiration. These collective occasions do become a reason for effecting positive change in an individual’s life. I do hope that on 21st June, wherever you may be, please take the initiative; you have a month with you. If you visit the website of the Government of India, the syllabus for this time, which ‘asanas’ you have to do, how one has to do them, all that has been described in it. Have a look at it. Do get these followed in your village, in your mohallas, in your city, in your school, in your institution, even in offices. Start it from now, one month in advance and you will be a participating partner on 21st June. I have read it several times that there are offices where on a regular basis, when they first meet in the morning, they begin with Yog and Pranayam and the efficiency of the entire office increases. The whole culture of the office gets transformed and the environment also undergoes a positive change. Can we make use of 21st June to bring Yog into our lives? Can we use it to bring Yog into our social life? Can we use it to bring Yog into our surroundings? I will be going this time to Chandigarh to participate in the programme on 21st June. I shall be doing Yog with the people of Chandigarh. You too must connect yourself with it when the whole world will be doing Yog on that day. I urge you all not to get left behind. Your staying healthy is very important to make India healthy.

My dear country men, through Mann Ki Baat, I connect with you regularly. I had given all of you a mobile number earlier, which you could use for listening to ‘Mann Ki Baat’ by giving a missed call on that number. But now we have made it a lot simpler. Now, to be able to listen to this programme, all you have to do is to dial just four digits. That four digit number is 1-9-2-2 . I repeat …One- Nine- Two -Two. By giving a missed call on this number, you will be able to listen to ‘Mann Ki Baat’ at any time, wherever you are and in any language of your choice.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar to all of you once again! Please don’t forget what I had said about water. You will remember it, won’t you? Okay! Thank You. Namaste!

My dear fellow citizens, Namaskar!

It’s summer. Everybody makes plans for their summer holidays. Since this is the season of mangoes, we crave for the flavour and taste of this fruit. Sometimes we feel a nap in the afternoon would be nice. But this year the sweltering heat has spoilt the fun for everybody.

It is quite natural for the nation to feel concerned about the unrelenting heat. On top of it, due to continuous drought over the past couple of years, the usual water storage facilities have been adversely affected. Sometimes due to encroachment, sometimes due to silting, the inflow of water into reservoirs and other water bodies gets blocked. As a result, the reservoirs store much less water than their capacity. Worse, because of this cycle that has been going on for years, the capacity itself of these reservoirs is gradually reduced. To cope with the drought and to provide relief from the water crisis, governments are making efforts. But that’s not all. I have noticed that citizens are doing commendable work to help deal with the situation. Awareness is now seen in many villages. Only those who have faced shortage of water know the real value of water. Hence, in such places they are very sensitive about water and are equally active in doing something to deal with the shortage of water.

I was recently told that in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, the Hivrebazaar Gram Panchayat and its villagers have addressed the problem of water shortage by treating it as a major and delicate issue. One can find many villages where there is a desire to store water. At Hivrebazaar the farmers tackled the issue by changing the cropping pattern. They have decided to give up cultivation of those crops that require a lot of water, like sugarcane and banana. It sounds very simple, but in reality it is not so. What a big collective decision this must have been? If one tells the owners of factories that consume a lot of water about the consequences of this consumption and requests them to shut down their units, one can well imagine what the response would be. But see the sensibility of these farmer brothers. When they realised that the cultivation of the sugarcane should be given up because it consumed a lot of water, they went ahead and did it. Instead of sugarcane, they have taken to such crops like fruits and vegetables that require much less water. Farmers in this village have taken so many initiatives such as using sprinklers, drip irrigation techniques, water harvesting and water recharging, that today their village is strong enough to cope with the water crisis that they face. I might be talking of a small place like Hivrebazaar, but there must be many other such villages. I extend my hearty felicitations to such villagers for their fine work.

I was told that in Devas district of Madhya Pradesh, the Gorva Gram Panchayat took up the drive to create farm ponds. They have already created 27 farm ponds. Due to this there has been an increase in the ground water level. Whenever water was required for crops, farmers had access to it. This panchayat has given a rough estimate that their agricultural production has increased by 20 per cent. Not only has water been saved, the quality of water has also vastly improved with the water level increasing. World over it is said that potable water can contributing factor for GDP growth. It certainly contributes to better health.

When the government used railways to transport water to Latur, it became news for the world. There is no doubt that the swift manner in which Indian Railways has acted is praiseworthy. But villagers who have taken various initiatives to save water also deserve equal amount of praise. Indeed, I would say they deserve greater praise. There are several such schemes and programmes that are run by citizens but these doesn’t get our attention. The good work done by the government sometimes does come to our notice. If we look around us, we will see that people are making an effort to combat the menace of drought by trying to find solutions that are new and innovative.

It is human nature that no matter how many perils people face, when they hear a good news from any corner, they feel as if the entire crisis is over. Thus ever since the day it became public knowledge that rainfall this year is expected to be between 106% and 110% it seems as if tidings of peace and happiness have come. There is still some time for the monsoon to arrive, but the news of good rains has already brought joy. At the same time we must remember that a good monsoon offers both an opportunity and a challenge. Can we start a drive to save water in every village from now on itself? Farmers need fertile soil in their fields to grow crops. This time why can’t we take the soil from the bottom of ponds for our fields? If we were to do this, the quality of the soil in our fields would improve and the capacity of ponds to store water would increase. Can we fill empty cement and fertiliser bags with pebbles and sand and use them to stop water from flowing out through breaches? If we were to stop water from draining out for five days, for seven days, it would seep into the ground and the water level would come up. There would be sufficient water in our water-wells. Thus we should strive to retain as much water as possible. The water of a village will be preserved there if we work for it in a determined manner collectively. Therefore, notwithstanding the current water scarcity and drought situation, we have an opportunity during coming one and half months to prepare to harvest rainwater.

I have always said that people who visit Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, can also see there the underground tanks constructed about 200 years ago, that were built to save rain water. Water collected in these tanks remained pure.

Mr. Kumar Krishna has asked on MyGov whether “the cleaning of Ganga will be possible while we our alive”. His concern is quite natural because it has been nearly 30 years since work began in this direction. Many governments came, plans were made to clean Ganga, and a lot of expenditure was incurred without showing results. For this reason there must be crores of Indians like Kumar Krishna who have the same question in their hearts. For those who are religiously inclined, Ganga is the path to salvation for them. I too accept this importance of Ganga. But more than that, Ganga is the giver of life. We get our daily bread from Ganga, we get our earnings from Ganga, and we get a new source of energy from Ganga to live our lives. The flow of Ganga adds momentum to the economic pace of the country. Bhagirath did bring down the river Ganga for us, but to save it, we need crores of Bhagiraths. The project to clean Ganga cannot be successful without mass participation by the people. So we all will have to become agents of change to achieve cleanliness. We shall have to continuously keep on repeating this thing. There are many efforts being made by the government. We are seeking the full cooperation of all the states through which Ganga flows. We are also trying to get voluntary organisations to join us in this effort. We have taken several steps for surface cleaning and to stop industrial pollution. Every day, effluents and garbage in a large quantity flow into Ganga through drains. At Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Patna – trash skimmers have been deployed which clean the river while floating on it. All local bodies have been given this facility and they have been urged to carry on with this work continuously and clean all the garbage from the river. I have been told a few days ago that in places where this work is being carried out properly nearly 3 to 11 tonnes of garbage are being taken out of the river every day. So it would be correct to say that pollutants in such a large quantity are being stopped from getting into the river. In the coming days, we have plans to deploy such trash skimmers at other places also and the benefits of it will be felt by the people living on the banks of Ganga and Yamuna.

To monitor and control industrial pollution, an action plan has been prepared with the pulp and paper, distillery and sugar industries, and it has also been implemented to some extent. I feel it will yield good results. I am very happy that in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, where there was discharge from distilleries, there has been a change for the better. Officers have told me that they have been successful in securing zero liquid discharge. The discharge from the pulp and paper industry or the liquor industry is almost coming to an end. All these things are a sign that we are moving in the right direction and awareness has also increased. I have seen that not just on the banks of Ganga, even in far off South if one meets a person, he is sure to ask, “ Sir, will Ganga be cleaned?” This faith and hope of the common people is going to ensure success in the cleaning of Ganga. People are even giving donations for this. Thus this effort is being made quite meticulously.

My dear fellow citizens, today is the 24th of April. This is observed as Panchayati Raj Day in India. On this day, the Panchayati Raj system was implemented in our country. Panchayati Raj system has gradually spread to the entire country and is functioning successfully as an important unit of our democratic system of governance.

We celebrated 14th April as the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedekar and today we celebrate 24th April as Panchayati Raj Day. This was such a fortunate coincidence. From the birth anniversary of the great man who gave us the Constitution of India, to 24th April, the day Panchayati Raj was introduced in our country to empower our villages, which are the strongest link of our Constitution. It inspired linking these two dates. For this reason, the Government of India, along with the cooperation of the State Governments, has launched a campaign – “From Gram Uday to Bharat Uday” – From the Rise of Villages to the Ascent of India, over the 10-day period between 14th April and 24th April.

It was my good fortune that on 14th April, the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, I got the opportunity to visit his birthplace Mhow and pay my respects at that sacred place. And today, on 24th April, I am going to Jharkhand, where mostly my tribal brothers and sisters stay. In Jharkhand I am going to celebrate Panchayati Raj Divas. At 3 in the afternoon I shall be talking to all panchayats of the country. This campaign has worked in a major way to generate awareness. How can the democratic institutions at the village level, in every corner of India, be strengthened? How can the villages become self-reliant? How can villages plan programmes for their own development? There should be due importance laid on physical and social infrastructure. There should be no school dropouts in villages and the campaign to educate the girl child (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Abhiyan) should be successfully carried out. The birth of the girl child should be celebrated in a big way. There should be some plans to do that. In some villages people organised food donation on this occasion. It happens very rarely that so many different programmes go on at the same time in so many villages of India. I congratulate all the State Governments and the village heads. They have gone about these programmes in a very novel way for the welfare of villages, for the development of villages and for the strengthening of democracy. The awareness that has come about in villages guarantees a new progress for India. The foundation for the progress of India is the rise of its villages; so if we all keep laying stress on the progress of the villages, we shall continue to get the desired results.

Sharmila Dharpure from Mumbai has expressed her concern to me through her phone call. Sound byte-

“Mr. Prime Minister Namaskar. I am Sharmila Dharpure speaking from Mumbai. I have a question for you about the school and college education. For the last so many years, a strong need for reforms has been felt in the education sector. Either the required amount of schools and colleges are not there or else the quality in education is lacking. It has been often found that the children complete their schooling but they still don’t have knowledge about the most basic things and so they lag behind in this competitive world. What are your views? How do you wish to bring about reforms?”

Sharmilaji, your concern is quite genuine. Today in every home, the first thing that the parents dream of is to give their children good education. A house, a car – all that comes later. And for a country like India, this common sentiment of the people is a very big force. To educate their children and educate them well, this concern for the children to get good education should increase further and a greater awareness should come about. I believe that when there is awareness in the family, it impacts the school and has an impact on teachers as well. The child is also aware of the purpose for which he or she goes to school. So I would appeal to all guardians and parents to give not just enough time and attention to their children but also to everything that’s happenings in their school. And if something strikes your attention, please go to the school and discuss it with the teachers yourself. Vigilance can be of help to reduce many shortcomings in the education system. People’s participation will go a long way in achieving this.

Every Government in our country has laid stress on education and every Government has made efforts for it in its own way. It is true that for a long time our focus has been on setting up educational institutions, expanding the system of education, building schools, building colleges, recruiting teachers, ensuring maximum attendance of children. So priority has been given in a way to the spread of education. This was necessary. But today more than expanding education what is necessary is to improve the quality of education. We have already done a lot towards expanding education. Now we will have to focus on quality education. We will have to shift our priority from literacy campaign to good education. Till now we concentrated on the outlay for education. The time has come to focus on the outcome of it. Till now the stress has been on how many are attending school. From now onward, more than schooling, we will have to lay stress on learning. Till now we have heard the echo of the mantra of Enrolment! Enrolment! Enrolment! But now we will have to turn our attention to providing good education, worthy education to children who have made it to schools. You must have seen the Budget of the present government. An effort is being made to provide quality education. But it is true we still have a long way to go. If we, 125 crore Indians, resolve, we can cover that distance. Sharmila ji has rightly said that we do need to bring reforms for quality education.

You must have noticed in the Budget that we have decided to do something unconventional. In the Budget, we have made 10 government universities and 10 private universities free from government control and asked them to accept the challenge to flourish on their own. We have asked them to come up with what they would like to do to become the best universities. We have done this with the intention of giving them a free hand. Indian universities can also compete with world class universities, and they should. Along with importance to education, there is importance to skill. Likewise, technology plays a very big role in education. Long distance education and technology will make the task of education simpler. I believe that the results of this move are going to be seen in the near future.

Since a long time people have been asking me questions on one topic. Some have written on my web portal mygov.in, others have written to me on NarendraModiApp. It’s mostly the youth who write to me.

Sound Byte-

“Mr. Prime Minister Namaskar, I am Mona Karnwal from Bijnore. For the youth in today’s age, along with studies, sports are also of great importance. They should have a feeling of team spirit and the qualities of a good leader for their overall holistic development. I state this from my own experience because I have served in the Bharat Scouts and Guides and this had a very good impact upon my life. I want you to motivate the youth as much as you can, and I want the government to also promote NCC, NSS and the Bharat Scouts and Guides as much as possible.”

You people have been sending me so many suggestions that one day I felt that first of all I must talk to these people. It was under pressure from you people, following your suggestions, that I recently called for a meeting with the chiefs of NCC, NSS, Bharat Scouts and Guides, Red Cross and the Nehru Yuva Kendra. I asked them if they have ever had a meeting before, and they said that since Independence, this was the first time that they were attending a meeting like this. So first I would like to felicitate my young friends who put pressure on me, the result of which was that I held this meeting. I felt glad that I met them. I felt the need for greater coordination. They are doing a lot in their own way but if work is done collectively, in an organized manner, then these various organizations of ours can bring about huge results. They are spread so wide, reaching out to so many families. I saw an answer in the way they had spread far and wide and were filled with enthusiasm, they had the resolve to do something. It’s true that I myself have been a cadet in the NCC and so I know firsthand how one acquires a fresh perspective through such organizations. Children draw inspiration and develops a national perspective. I did get the benefit of that in my childhood. I believe that we should infuse a new life, a new force into these organizations. This time I put some issues before them. I told them that for this season why don’t all these organizations and our youth make an effort for water conservation. We could collectively try and stop open defecation in so many blocks and so many districts. What kind of programmes can we make to unite our country? Can we have a common youth song for all these organizations? We spoke on many issues.

Today, I appeal to you all as well. Please suggest the perfect ideas for these youth organizations. Do we need to add anything new in their functioning and their programmes? If you write to me on my NarendraModiApp , I will send them to the right place. After this meeting, I feel they are going to gain a new momentum. Now even you will wish to join one of them.

My dear fellow citizens, I now wish to talk about something that will compel us all to think. I view it also as something that is going to shake us all. You must have seen for yourself that the political situation in our country is such that in the previous elections political parties made promises of giving each household 9 to 12 gas cylinders. And each political party felt that if they had to politically approach the middle class society, then gas cylinder was a major issue. On the other hand, economists have put constant pressure to reduce the subsidy on gas cylinders. For this reason, many committees would sit which would receive many proposals and suggestions on the issue of lessening the gas subsidy. Crores of rupees would be spent on these committees. But the matter would remain at a standstill. This has been everybody’s experience. No one ever thought beyond this.

Today, my dear fellow citizens, I have utmost pleasure in placing before you all my own account on this. I have chosen the third way out and that is the path of placing trust and confidence in the people and the masses. At times we political leaders should trust our people more than we trust ourselves. We should have implicit faith in the people. I had once said to you that if you can bear the expense of 1500-2000 rupees per year, then why don’t you give up your subsidy on gas? This could be of use to poor households. I had said it just like that, but today I can say with confidence that I am indeed very proud of you all. One crore families have voluntarily given up their subsidy on gas cylinders. These one crore are not wealthy families. Among them are retired teachers, retired clerks, farmers, small shopkeepers. These are middle class and lower middle class families that have given up their subsidy. Now look at the other, rather unique, side of it. They could have given up their subsidy through the App on their mobile, going online or by giving a missed call over the telephone. There were many options. But it has been estimated that more than 80% of these one crore families chose to go to the distributor, stand in a queue and give in writing that they wish to surrender their subsidy.

My dear fellow citizens, this is not a small matter. If the government gives even a small concession on tax or exemption from tax, then for a whole week we hear praise for that government being splashed on TV channels and in newspapers. Here, these one crore families have given up their subsidy. And in our country subsidy has turned into a kind of a right that people expect. A thing like that they have chosen to give up.

I would like to salute those one crore families. I humbly bow to them because they have compelled political leaders to think of coming up with something new. This has also forced the economists of the country to think differently. Even the global economic experts who used to live in a world of their calculations would find this phenomenon to be beyond their limits of traditional wisdom. At some point of time they will also have to think of this novel experience that has defied conventional thinking. One crore families giving up their subsidy on gas cylinders and in return one crore poor families getting gas cylinders with the money that is saved from the one crore families that have given up their subsidy. Externally, it appears just an incident But, its extraordinary lesson is that if you place faith in the people, it leads to most handsome achievements.

I would like to specially appeal to the entire political class to place implicit faith in the people. That will fetch such terrific results that one could have never ever imagined. We should move in this direction. I have always felt this way, like when I felt why Class 3 and Class 4 employees should be made to go through interviews. We should trust the person who has given the exams and submitted the marks.

Sometimes I feel that we should publicly announce that today on this route of the railways there will be no ticket checker. Let’s see what happens when we place faith in the people of India. We can undertake several such experiments. Once we place faith and trust in the people of India, we can get incomparable results. Anyway, these are just some personal thoughts. We cannot make these into government rules but we can certainly create that kind of an atmosphere. This atmosphere has not been created by any political leader but by one crore families of India.

A person called Ravi has written to me – “Good News Everyday — he writes — please ask your officials to post about one good incident every day. Each newspaper and news channel has bad news for its every ‘breaking news’. Is there not anything good happening around in this country populated by 125 crore people? Please change this situation.”

Ravi ji has expressed his anger but I think he is not venting his anger on me but on the prevailing conditions. You may remember that the former President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, used to always say, “Please print only positive news on the front page of the newspaper”. He used to continuously repeat that.

Some days back a newspaper had written a letter to me saying that they had decided that on Mondays they would not give any negative news but only positive news. These days I have noticed that some T.V. channels have begun setting aside some time for positive news.

So it is right to say that there is an atmosphere all around of positive news. And everybody feels that the people should get the right news and good news. It is true that even if the most highly placed men and women relate the best possible things in the best possible words and in the best possible manner, good news has a better impact than that. Good news becomes the greatest reason and inspiration to do something good.

It is true that the more we give prominence to good things, the less space there will be for bad things. If we light a lamp, the darkness is sure to be dispelled. You all must be aware that the government has started a website,transforming india. On this you get news of positive happenings, not just of the government but also of the people around. This is a portal where even you can send news of any good thing that’s happened to you. You can contribute to the site.

Raviji you have given a good suggestion, but please don’t get angry with me. We all should strive together to do something positive, talk about something positive, to spread something positive.

There is one great speciality of our country — the Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela can become the centre of tourist attraction as well. Very few know that since a long time, crores and crores of people have gathered on the river-banks for this festival. The peaceful atmosphere at the Kumbh Mela gives moments of tranquillity to the soul. These festivals, from the point of view of organization, event management and people’s participation, set new and high standards. I have been noticing for the last two days that many people have uploaded pictures of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. I would like the Tourism Department of the Government of India and the State Government to hold a photo competition on this occasion. People should be encouraged to take the finest photographs and upload them. What an atmosphere that would create. People will also come to know of the myriad and different activities going on in every corner of the Kumbh Mela. This can surely be done.

It’s true that I met the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh recently and he told me that they have laid special emphasis on cleanliness. It is not that the cleanliness remains confined to that place. People should carry back the message of cleanliness with them. I believe that even if the Kumbh Mela is a religious and spiritual occasion, we can turn it into a social occasion. We can turn it into an occasion of imbibing good values. It can become a reason to carry good resolutions and good habits to all the villages. We should use each Kumbh Mela to make people aware of how we can increase our value for water, our faith in water; how we can spread the message of water conservation. We should do this.

My dear fellow citizens, I will surely meet you all once in the evening on this important occasion of Panchayati Raj Divas today. My heartiest thanks to you all. As always, the unshakeable bond between your inner thoughts and those of mine gives me immense pleasure.

My Dear Fellow Citizens,

Let me begin by wishing ‘Namaskar’ to all of you. Today, the world over, Christians are observing Easter. I extend my warmest greetings to everybody on the occasion of Easter.

Some of my young friends must be busy with their examinations. Some of them must have gotten over with their examinations by now. For those of you who still have examinations, it must be a testing time with exams on one hand and T-20 Cricket World Cup on the other. I am sure you are eagerly waiting for the match between India and Australia this evening.

Some days ago India won two fine matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh. We are seeing a fine momentum building up in this T-20 Cricket World Cup. Today, as India and Australia get ready to play, I convey my best wishes to both the teams.

With the young comprising 65% of our population, there should be no reason why we should be absent from the world of sports. This won’t do. We need to usher revolutionary changes in sports. We can see that happening in India. As with Cricket, there’s now increasing interest in Football, Hockey, Tennis, and Kabaddi.

You must have come to know that India will be hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup next year. Twenty-four teams from all over the world are coming to play in our country. The Indian Football team won the gold medal at the Asian Games in 1951 and 1962, and came fourth in the 1956 Olympics. Unfortunately, over the decades we have slipped from there to the lowest rungs. Today our ranking in FIFA is so low that I feel reluctant even to mention it.

On the other hand, I have been noticing that interest in Football among the youth in India has been rising – be it the English Premier League, Spanish League or the Indian Super League matches. Young Indians take time out to get the latest information on these matches and watch them on television. What I mean to say is, given this rising popular interest in Football and the opportunity of hosting FIFA Under-17 World Cup, shall we just play the role of a host and fulfil our responsibility? Or will we use the opportunity to our advantage to promote sports?

We should create an atmosphere of Football, Football, Football all around for this whole year – in schools, colleges, indeed, all over India. Our youth, the children in our schools, should be drenched in sweat just playing Football. If that happens, we shall have real fun playing the host. So, all of us should make the effort to ensure Football reaches every village, street and alley. Between now and the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2017, we should infuse a spirit of enthusiasm in the youth. One advantage of playing the host for this event is that a whole lot of infrastructure will get created with addition of sports facilities. But I personally shall be happy when we are able to link every youth of our country to this game.

Friends, I would like to hear your views on how best to use the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup to our advantage. How should this event be? What kind of programmes should we organise the whole year to help the event gain momentum? How should it be publicised? What improvements do we need to make? How can we increase the interest of our youth in sports through the 2017 FIFA under-17 World Cup? How can we introduce an element of competitiveness in governments, educational institutes and social organisations to associate with the game?

We can see all this happening in relation to cricket; we should now try to bring these elements in relation to other sports disciplines as well. The FIFA event offers us a unique opportunity to do so. Can you send me your suggestions on how best to use that opportunity? I view the FIFA event as a great opportunity to establish India as a brand at a global level. I consider this to be an opportunity to let the world know of India’s youth power – not in the sense of winning or losing a match. In the run-up to and preparation for the 2017 FIFA event, we can harness and display our many strengths; while doing so, we can do image-branding for India as well.

I look forward to your suggestions on the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup which you can send me through NarendraModiApp. Do let me know what should be the logo and the slogans. How should we propagate this throughout India? What should the songs be like? What should be in the souvenirs? Think about it friends. I would like every youth of mine to become an ambassador for the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup. You should robustly participate in this event. It’s a golden chance to build India’s image.

My dear students, you must have thought of travelling to places during your holidays. There are very few people who go abroad; most people visit places within their own states for a week or so. Some people also go outside their states. Last time too, I had requested all of you to upload photographs of the places you visit. And I have noticed that the kind of work which our Department of Tourism, our Department of Culture, State Governments and the Government of India can’t do, that kind of work has been accomplished by millions and millions of Indian tourists. Photos of such magnificent places were uploaded that it was truly a delight to view them.

We have to take this task forward. Do it this time as well. But this time, along with a photo, please write and send a small piece about the place, thus displaying your creative prowess. One gets to learn a lot by visiting new places. Things we can’t learn in a classroom, within our family, from our friends, sometimes we can learn those things by travelling. We get to experience something fresh with each new place we visit – we learn about people, their languages, foods and lifestyles. Someone has rightly said that “A traveller without observation is a bird without wings”. “If you have a desire to truly view, you should also develop an insight.” India is full of diversities. Once you set out to see the country, for the rest of your life you will keep seeing new things and still never get enough of it. I have been fortunate that I had a lot of opportunities to travel. When I was neither Chief Minister nor Prime Minster, and I was young like you, I travelled a lot. Perhaps there isn’t a district in India which I have not visited.

Travel plays a very strong role in shaping our lives. These days the youth of India are being driven by a spirit of adventure and curiosity. Unlike before, they don’t want to go to the same old places or tread the oft beaten track. They want to do something new, see something new. I see this as a good sign. Our youth should be bold. They should be brave. They should have the courage to set foot on places where no one has been before.

In this context, I would like to specially congratulate Coal India. Western Coalfields Limited at Savaner near Nagpur, where there are coal mines, has developed an Eco-friendly Mine-Tourism Circuit. Generally we don’t think of coal mines as places to be visited. When we see pictures of miners, we wonder what it must be like out there. We even have a saying, “Coal blackens your hands”, hence people tend to stay away from coal mines. But Western Coalfields Limited has made these same coal mines a destination for tourism. This is only the beginning, but already nearly 10,000 people have visited this Eco-friendly Mine-tourism site at Savaner near Nagpur. This in itself gives us an opportunity to see something new.

I hope that when you set out on a journey during the coming holidays you can contribute something to cleanliness too. There is greater awareness about cleanliness and people are making an effort to keep tourism destinations litter-free. Both tourists and local residents of these places are contributing to it. Maybe it is not being done in a very scientific way, but it is being done. Can you too, being a tourist, lay stress on cleanliness at tourist destinations? I am confident that our youth will definitely help me in this task.

Tourism is a sector that provides maximum employment. Even the poorest person gets a chance to earn from tourism. When tourists visit a place, even the not-so-well-off among them spend money. Rich tourists are bound to spend more money. There are many employment opportunities created by tourism. India lags far behind in tourism when compared to the world. But if we, 125 crore Indians, decide that we have to give importance to our tourism sector, we can attract the world. We can draw a very large number of tourists to our side. Through this we can provide new employment opportunities to several million young people in India. Be it the government, institutions, society, citizens – we all have to come together to make this happen. Come, let’s make an endeavour in this direction.

My dear young friends, I don’t like it when holidays are just frittered away. You too should think along these lines. Will you let your holidays during the most important years of your life slip away just like that? I will give you something to ponder upon. Can you resolve to add one skill, one special attribute to your personality, during your holidays? If you don’t know how to swim, can you resolve to learn swimming during the holidays? If you don’t know how to cycle, can you resolve to learn cycling during the holidays? Or you could tell yourself, “I type with just two fingers on the keyboard, so shouldn’t I learn proper way of typing?” There are so many skills to develop our personality. Why not learn them? Why not overcome some of our shortcomings? Why not add to our strengths? Do give it a thought.

It is not like you need lots of classes, a great trainer, hefty fees or a big budget for this. You can find something around you. Let’s say you decide to make the ‘best’ out of ‘waste’. Just look for some waste material and start creating something from it. You will enjoy it. By the time evening falls, you will marvel at what you have created from that rubbish. Suppose you are fond of painting and you don’t know how to paint. Just start painting and gradually you will get better at it. You must spend your holidays on building your personality by developing some new talent, acquiring some new skill. There can be countless areas where you could do so; it is not as if these are confined to only the ones that I am spelling out for you. This will help you in carving out your own identity and raising your self-confidence tremendously. Just try it for yourself. When you return to school or college and tell your classmates about what you learned during the holidays, and when your friends find that they have not learned anything new, they will realise that they wasted their time. They will admire you, “You are a very determined man, my friend, you have accomplished something concrete.” This will perhaps become a big thing among friends. I am confident that you will surely do it and, yes, do share with me what you have learned.

This time a lot of suggestions have come for Mann Ki Baat on www.mygov.in: –

Sound Byte- “My name is Abhi Chaturvedi. Namaste dear Prime Minister, you had said during the last summer holidays that even birds feel the summer heat so we should fill a bowl with water and place it in the balcony or the terrace so that the birds can come to have water. I did this and enjoyed it and in this way I made friends with a lot of birds. I request you to repeat this task in Mann Ki Baat. Thank You.”

My dear fellow citizens, I would like to express my gratitude to this little boy Abhi. He called me up and reminded me of what I had said. Frankly, I had forgotten about it. And I did not have it in my mind that I would say something on this topic, but Abhi has reminded me that last year I had asked you to put an earthen bowl filled with water for the birds.

Friends, I want to thank this boy Abhi Chaturvedi. He has reminded me of a good deed by calling me. Last summer I had remembered it and asked you to put water in earthen bowls for the birds during summers. Abhi has told me that he has been doing this for a whole year and many birds have now become his friends. The great Hindi poetess Mahadevi Verma used to love birds. She wrote this in one of her poems, “We shall not let you fly far way, we shall fill the courtyard with grains and fill the tank with sweet and cool water…” Come, let us also do what Mahadevi Ji used to do. I greet Abhi and thank him for reminding me of this very important thing.

Shilpa Kukke from Mysore has raised a very humane issue. She says milkmen, newspaper vendors, postmen come close to our homes. Sometimes utensil hawkers and cloth sellers too pass by our homes. Have we ever offered them some drinking water during the summer days? Have we ever given them water to drink? Shilpa, I am very grateful to you that you have articulated something so sensitive in so simple a manner. It is a small gesture but when the postman comes and we offer him water, he will feel good. Of course, it is a part of our nature in India. But I am glad, Shilpa, that you have observed these things.

My dear farmer brothers and sisters, you must have repeatedly heard the term – Digital India. Some people feel that Digital India is to do with the world of the youth in our cities. No, it’s not like that. You will be happy to learn that a ‘Kisan Suvidha App’ has been launched to serve your interests. If you download this ‘Kisan Suvidha App’ on your mobile phone, you will receive a lot of information related to agriculture and weather at your fingertips. There are many topics on this App, such as what is the state of the market, what is the position of the wholesale market, which crops are doing well these days, which are the appropriate pesticides. Not just this. There is a button on the App which will connect you directly with agricultural scientists and link you with the experts. If you pose a question to them, they will reply to it; they will explain things to you. I hope that my farmer brothers and sisters will download the ‘Kisan Suvidha App’ on their mobile phones. Why don’t you have a look at this gift for you and give it a try to see if something in it is of use to you? If you feel it lacks in anything then you can complain to me also.

My dear farmer brothers and sisters, summer is holiday time for the rest of the people, but for you it is the time to sweat it out even more. A farmer waits for the rains. Before that, he puts in his life and soul to get his field ready so that not even a single drop of rain water goes waste. For farmers, the season just before onset of farming is of utmost importance. We will have to give a thought to what will happen if there’s no water. Can we utilise this time to visit ponds, check the routes through which water flows into these ponds and spot the places where garbage or something else blocks the water from flowing, because of which reservoirs get depleted. Can we not remove the blockage and clean the inlets so that more water gets collected? If we manage to save and collect more water during the first rainfall and fill up our ponds, rivers and streams, then even if the rains fail later, our losses will be reduced. But this can be possible only when we conserve each and every drop of water.

You must have noticed that this time it has been decided to construct five lakh ponds and farm water reservoirs. Under MNREGA also a stress has been given to create assets for water conservation. Every village should save water. How can we save every drop of water during the coming rains? How do we begin an exercise to ensure that every drop of water in the village stays within the village? You should devise a plan and get connected with Government schemes so that we can start a people’s movement which will help us understand the importance of water. Then everyone can join in the campaign for water conservation. There must be many such villages in the country, many progressive farmers and many conscientious citizens who have already done this kind of work. But we still need to do much more in this direction.

My dear farmer brothers and sisters, a few days ago the Government of India had organised a very big Kisan Mela, ‘Farmers’ Fair’. There I saw the modern technology that is now available for farmers and how much change has come in agriculture. But we have to ensure that this technology reaches the fields. Now even the farmers have started saying the use of fertilisers should be curtailed. I welcome this. Excessive use of fertilisers has made our Mother Earth unwell. We are the children of our soil, so how can we watch our Mother Earth suffering? When we add spices and condiments while cooking our food, it adds to the taste. But if we add too much of even the best of the spices and condiments, then would one want to eat that food? The same food would taste so bad, isn’t it? The same thing happens with fertilisers as well.

No matter how good fertilisers may be, if we use them beyond a limit they will become the cause of ruination. There should be a balance in everything. This will reduce your expenses and you will end up saving money. Our stand is clear: Less Cost, More Output. Invest Less and Reap More. We should move forward with this ‘mantra’ and improve our agriculture sector by using scientific methods. I hope we will do, with full concentration, whatever is necessary for water conservation. We have a couple of months till the onset of monsoon. Do remember, the more we save water, the more the farmers will benefit and more lives will be saved.

My dear fellow citizens, the World Health Day is on 7th April. This year the theme of the World Health Day is ‘Beat Diabetes’. I call upon all of you to defeat Diabetes which plays host to so many diseases. Once it enters yours body, a whole lot of undesirable guests in the form of illnesses follow it. It is said that in 2014 India had about six and a half crore Diabetics. Diabetes was found to be the cause of death in three per cent of all deaths. Diabetes is of two types — Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is hereditary; if the parents have it, so shall their child. Type 2 is due to your habits, age and obesity. The world is worried about Diabetes and so it has been chosen as the theme for World Health Day on 7th April.

We all know that our lifestyle is the biggest cause for Diabetes. Physical labour is getting reduced. There is not a trace of sweat; there is just no walking around. Even if we play games, we play them online; very little happens offline. Can we not, drawing inspiration from this year’s World Health Day and its theme, do something to defeat Diabetes in our personal life? If you are interested in Yoga, then do Yoga. Or else, the least you can do is to go for a walk or a run. If every citizen of my country is healthy, then my country will be healthy. Sometimes we are reluctant to get our medical check-up done. When the condition worsens then only does it come to our notice that it is Diabetes to blame. What do you lose in getting a check-up done? Please get this much done at least. Everything is available and a check-up can be done easily. Please do be concerned about this.

On March 24th, the world observed Tuberculosis Day. When I was a child we would be scared by the very mention of the word TB. It would seem death was inevitable for anybody suffering from this dreaded disease. But now we are not scared of it because everybody knows TB is curable and can be easily cured. Paradoxically, when TB was linked to death we used