Staff Reporter
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that Constitution is the guiding light of the nation and stated that it is a matter of great honour that the Indian Constitution is completing 75 years on 26th January next year. Addressing the nation in his Mann Ki Baat programme on Akashvani, Mr Modi said the Constitution has stood the test of time in every sense of the term.
The Prime Minister noted that on the occasion of Constitution Day this year, many activities have commenced that will continue throughout the year. He mentioned that a special website constitution75.com has been created to connect citizens with the legacy of the Constitution. Prime Minister urged the listeners of Mann Ki Baat, children and youth to visit the website. People can read the Preamble of the Constitution and upload their video in the website. The website also offers the opportunity to read the Constitution in many different languages and ask questions pertaining to the Constitution.
The Maha Kumbh is going to be held in Prayagraj from the 13th of January. Prime Minister highlighted that mammoth preparations are going on at the banks of Sangam in Prayagraj. He shared that he went to Prayagraj a few days ago and viewed the entire Kumbh area from a helicopter. Prime Minister exuded pride that the speciality of Maha Kumbh is not only in its vastness, but also in its diversity. He underscored that crores of people congregate for this event, including lakhs of saints, hundreds of sects and many Akharas. He said no discrimination is done and such unity in diversity is not witnessed anywhere else in the world. He stated that Kumbh is also the Maha Kumbh of unity. Mr. Modi urged people to embrace the spirit of unity while participating in the Maha Kumbh. He also called upon them to pledge to annihilate the feelings of division and hatred in the society. Giving the slogan of Mahakumbh Ka Sandesh, Ek Ho Poora Desh, he expressed hope for an undivided society, just like the uninterrupted flow of the Ganga.
The Prime Minister highlighted that this time in Prayagraj, devotees from the country and the world will also be witness to the digital Maha Kumbh. With the help of digital navigation, people will be able to reach different ghats, temples, and akharas of sadhus. The same navigation system will also help people reach parking spaces. Mr Modi said that for the first time, an AI chatbot will be used in the Kumbh event. All kinds of information related to Kumbh will be available in 11 Indian languages through the AI chatbot. Prime Minister also said that the entire Fair area is being covered with AI-powered cameras. If someone gets separated from one’s kith and kin during the Kumbh, these cameras will help in finding them. Devotees will also get the facility of a digital lost and found center. They will also be provided information about government-approved tour packages, accommodation and homestay on their mobile phones. Prime Minister asked people to avail these facilities and upload their selfie with #EktaKaMahakumbh.
Touching the topic of animation, Mr Modi was pleased to note that Krish, Trish and Baltiboy, KTB, is a superhit animation series among children. Prime Minister elaborated that these three animation characters tell people about the heroes and bravehearts associated with Indian freedom struggle who are not discussed much. Recently, its second season was launched at the International Film Festival of India in Goa. Mr Modi added that this series is broadcast not only in many Indian languages but also in foreign languages. It can be watched on Doordarshan as well as other OTT platforms.
Prime Minister Modi said that the popularity of Indian animation films, regular films, and TV serials shows how much potential India’s creative industry has. He noted that this industry is not only contributing to the country’s progress but also taking the economy to new heights. He congratulated the film and entertainment industry because it has strengthened the sentiment of ‘Ek Bharat – Shreshtha Bharat’.
In 2024, the nation is celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of many great personalities of the film world. Prime Minister emphasised that these personalities have accorded recognition to Indian cinema at the world level. He said that Raj Kapoor introduced the world to the soft power of India through films, while Mohammed Rafi’s voice had that magic which touched every heart. Mr Modi said Akkineni Nageswara Rao has taken Telugu cinema to new heights and Tapan Sinha’s films gave a new vision to the society. He added that their films always carried the message of social consciousness and national unity, and these personalities are an inspiration for the entire film industry.
Prime Minister was pleased to share that for the first time, the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit, WAVES Summit, is going to be organised in India next year. He said that during the WAVES summit, giants from the media and entertainment industry and people from the creative world will come to India. He said this summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation. He expressed pride that young creators of the country are joining with full enthusiasm in the preparations for this summit. He stated that as India is moving towards a 5 trillion dollar economy, the creator economy is bringing in new energy. He urged the entire entertainment and creative industry of India to be a part of the WAVES summit.
In this edition of Mann Ki Baat, Mr Modi highlighted two big achievements of India in the field of health. He said the first achievement has been in the fight against malaria. Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the World Health Organization report mentions that there has been an 80 percent reduction in India in the number of malaria cases and deaths due to it between 2015 & 2023. He said that this is no mean achievement. He termed it heartening that this success has been achieved through everyone’s participation. Mr Modi mentioned that in the tea gardens of Jorhat in Assam, malaria used to be a major cause of concern for people until four years ago. But when the tea garden dwellers united to eradicate it, they started getting success to a great extent. Prime Minister also praised Kurukshetra district of Haryana for presenting a very good model for controlling malaria. In Kurukshetra, public participation for monitoring Malaria has been quite successful and street plays and radio helped in spreading awareness towards reducing the breeding of mosquitoes.
The Prime Minister also shared a study of the world-renowned Medical Journal Lancet, which found that the chances of starting cancer treatment on time in India have increased a lot. He elaborated that timely treatment means starting the treatment of a cancer patient within 30 days and the ‘Ayushman Bharat Yojana’ has played a big role in this. Because of this scheme, 90 percent of cancer patients have been able to start their treatment on time. Mr Modi said the Ayushman Bharat Yojana has reduced the financial problems in cancer treatment to a great extent. He said that people have become more aware than ever before about timely treatment of cancer. He stressed that there is only one mantra to fight cancer – Awareness, Action and Assurance.
Prime Minister noted that in this winter season, several activities related to sports and fitness are being organised across the country. He expressed happines that people are making fitness a part of their daily routine. He said that enthusiasm for sports can be seen everywhere, from Skiing in Kashmir to kite flying in Gujarat. He also took note of campaigns like #SundayOnCycle and #CyclingTuesday which promote cycling.
Mr Modi shared that a unique Olympic has started in Bastar called Bastar Olympics. He expressed happiness that this is taking place in the region which was once a witness to Maoist violence. The mascot of the Bastar Olympics is – ‘Wild Water Buffalo’ and ‘Hill Myna’. Prime Minister said this reflects the rich culture of Bastar. In the first edition of Bastar Olympics, one lakh 65 thousand players from 7 districts participated. Mr Modi said that the youth of Bastar displayed their talent in every sport, be it Athletics, Archery, Badminton, Football, Hockey, Weightlifting, Karate, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and Volleyball.
Kari Kashyap, who won a silver medal in archery, shared that Bastar Olympics has given them an opportunity to move ahead in life. Payal Kawasi from Sukma, who won a gold medal in Javelin Throw, said that no goal is impossible with discipline and hard work. Prime Minister said the story of Punem Sanna from Dornapal in Sukma is an inspiring tale of New India. Punem, who was once under Naxal influence, is today winning medals by racing on a wheelchair. Archer Ranju Sori from Kondagaon has been chosen as the ‘Bastar youth icon’. She believes that Bastar Olympics is giving the youth from remote areas an opportunity to reach the national stage. Prime Minister hailed the Bastar Olympics as a platform where development and sports are merging together. He urged listeners to encourage such sports events in their areas and share stories of sports talents with #KhelegaBharat – JeetegaBharat.
Prime Minister Modi mentioned that the radiance of Indian culture is spreading to every nook and corner of the world today. He spoke about students from Egypt who have made paintings of Indian Gods and Goddesses, dance forms and great personalities. A painting of Taj Mahal has been made by a 13 year old Divyang girl. Mr Modi said that a few weeks ago, around 23 thousand students from Egypt participated in a painting competition, depicting Indian culture and historical relations between the two countries. He appreciated all the youth who participated in this competition.
Prime Minister spoke about the Ayurveda Consultation being offered by Erica Huber at the Indian Embassy in Paraguay. He said that a large number of local people are reaching out to her to get Ayurveda based advice.
Prime Minister also expressed pride that a Tamil Teaching Programme was started in Fiji with the support of the Indian Government. He added that this is the first time in the last 80 years that trained Tamil teachers are teaching the language in Fiji.
Speaking about success stories, Mr Modi mentioned the vegetable revolution in Kalahandi, Odisha. He said the Golamunda block of Kalahandi has become a vegetable hub. A small group of 10 farmers established a Farmers Producer Organisation, FPO, called ‘Kisan Utpad Sangh’ and started using modern technology in farming. Today, their FPO is doing business worth crores, and more than 200 farmers are associated with this FPO, including 45 women farmers.
Prime Minister Modi said that 2025 is knocking at the door, and extended best wishes to everyone. He exuded pride that India will touch new heights in the coming year. He urged listeners to keep sharing the unique efforts around them with #Mannkibaat.