NEW DELHI
President Ram Nath Kovind today presented the most effective Swachchta Ambassador award to cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Addressing the India Today Safaigiri Summit in New Delhi, he said, in the past five years, the sanitation drive launched in the country had truly become a mass movement.
He said everyone from the Prime Minister to Gram Pradhan participated directly or indirectly in the cleanliness campaign to make it a success. He said this historic success could not have been achieved without the participation of every citizen.
Referring to India being declared as open defecation free, Mr. Kovind said, it is a real tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. He pointed out that the United Nations has set sustainable development goals to be achieved by 2030, but India would be achieving them 11 years ahead of the schedule.