PMINDIA

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Today is the first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ of 2025. You surely must have noticed something. Every time ‘Mann Ki Baat’ takes place on the last Sunday of the month, but this time, we are meeting a week earlier on the third Sunday instead of the fourth Sunday. As next week, ‘Republic Day’ is on a Sunday. I wish all countrymen a very happy ‘Republic Day’ in advance.

Friends, this year’s ‘Republic Day’ is very special. It is the 75th anniversary of the Indian Republic. This year marks 75 years of the Constitution coming into force. I salute all those great personalities of the Constituent Assembly, who gave us our sacred Constitution. During the Constituent Assembly, long deliberations were held on many subjects. Those discussions, the thoughts of the members of the Constituent Assembly, their words, are our great heritage. Today in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ it is my endeavour to make you listen to the original voices of some great leaders.

Friends, when the Constituent Assembly embarked upon the task, Baba Saheb Ambedkar had said something very significant with regard to mutual cooperation. This Address of his is in English. I will make you listen to an excerpt of it –

“So far as the ultimate goal is concerned, I think none of us need have any apprehensions. None of us need have any doubt, but my fear which I must express clearly is this, our difficulty as I said is not about the ultimate future. Our difficulty is how to make the heterogeneous mass that we have today, take a decision in common and march in a cooperative way on that road which is bound to lead us to unity. Our difficulty is not with regard to the ultimate; our difficulty is with regard to the beginning.”

Friends, Baba Saheb had been emphasizing on the fact that the Constituent Assembly should be united, have one opinion and work together for the common good. I will make you listen to another audio clip of the Constituent Assembly. This audio is of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ji, who was the President of our Constituent Assembly. Let us listen to Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ji –

“Our history shows us and our culture teaches us that we are and have always been peace loving. Our empire and our conquests have been of a different kind. We have never tried to shackle others in chains, be they of iron or gold. We have bound others with us by a silk thread that is stronger than iron chains but more beautiful and pleasant and that bond is of religion, culture and knowledge. We will continue to tread the same path and we have only one desire and wish; that wish is… we can help in establishing happiness and peace in the world and give the world the infallible weapons of truth and non-violence which have brought us freedom today. There is something in our life and culture that has given us the strength to survive despite the blows of time. If we keep our ideals before us, we will be able to offer a great service to the world.”

Friends, Rajendra Prasad ji had spoken about the country’s commitment towards human values. I now make you listen to the voice of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. He raised the issue of equality of opportunities. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had said –

“I hope that we shall go ahead with our work in spite of all difficulties and thereby help to create that great India which will be the motherland of not this community or that, not this class or that, but of every person, man, woman and child inhabiting in this great land irrespective of race, caste, creed or community. Everyone should have an equal opportunity so that he or she can develop himself or herself according to best talent and serve the great common motherland of India.”

Friends, I hope you too would have liked listening to this original audio from the debates of the Constituent Assembly. We, the citizens of the country, taking inspiration from these thoughts, have to work towards building such an India that even the makers of our Constitution would be proud of.

Friends, a day before Republic Day, the 25th of January is National Voters’ Day. This day is important because on this day the Election Commission of India was established. Our constitution makers have accorded a very important place to our Election Commission in the Constitution and equally to people’s participation in democracy. When the first elections were held in the country in 1951-52, some people were doubtful whether the country’s democracy would survive. But our democracy proved all the apprehensions wrong – after all, India is the Mother of Democracy. In the past decades as well, the country’s democracy has strengthened and prospered.

I would also like to thank the Election Commission, which has modernized and strengthened our voting process from time to time. The Commission has used the power of technology to give more power to the power of the people. I congratulate the Election Commission for its commitment to fair elections. I would like to urge the countrymen to use their right to vote, always, in maximum numbers and also become a part of the country’s democratic process and strengthen this process.

My dear countrymen, the Maha Kumbh has commenced in Prayagraj. An Unforgettable sea of humanity, incredible visuals and an extraordinary confluence of equality and harmony! This time, many a divine alignment is also converging at the Kumbh. This festival of Kumbh celebrates the festival of unity in diversity. People from all over India and the world congregate on the sands of the Sangam. There is no discrimination, no casteism anywhere in this tradition which has been going on for thousands of years… People from the south of India, from the east and west of India arrive here. In the Kumbh, the rich and the poor come together as one. All of them take a dip at the Sangam, dine together in the bhandaras, receive prasad – that is why the Kumbh is the Maha Kumbh of unity. The Kumbh event also tells us how our traditions bind the whole of India together. The ways of adhering to the beliefs are the same from north to south. On the one hand, the Kumbh is organized at Prayagraj, Ujjain, Nasik and Haridwar; on the other, in the southern part, Pushkaram is organized on the banks of Godavari, Krishna, Narmada and Kaveri rivers. Both these festivals are connected with our holy rivers and their beliefs. Similarly, from Kumbakonam to Tirukkad-Yur, from Kood-Vasal to Tirucherai, there are many such temples whose traditions are connected with the Kumbh.

Friends, this time you must have seen that the participation of youth in the Kumbh is very extensive, and it is also true that when the young generation connects with its civilization with pride, its roots become stronger, and then its golden future is also ensured. This time we are also witnessing the digital footprints of the Kumbh on such a large scale. This global popularity of the Kumbh is a matter of pride for every Indian.

Friends, just a few days ago, the ‘Ganga Sagar Mela’ was also organized on a grand scale in West Bengal. On the auspicious occasion of Sankranti, lakhs of devotees from all over the world took a dip at this fair. ‘Kumbh’, ‘Pushkaram’ and ‘Ganga Sagar Mela’ – these festivals of ours are festivals that enhance our social coalescence, harmony, unity. These festivals connect the people of India with the Indian traditions and just as our scriptures have emphasized on Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha in the world. Our festivals and traditions also empower every aspect – spiritual, social, cultural and economic.

Friends, this month we celebrated the first anniversary of the Pran Pratishtha Parv of Ram Lalla on the day of ‘Paush Shukla Dwadashi’. This year ‘Paush Shukla Dwadashi’ fell on the 11th of January. On this day, lakhs of Ram devotees had a darshan of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya and received his blessings. This Dwadashi of Pran Pratishtha is the Dwadashi of the re-establishment of the cultural consciousness of India. Therefore, this day of Paush Shukla Dwadashi has also become the day of Pratishtha Dwadashi in a way. While walking on the path of development, we have to preserve our heritage and move forward taking inspiration from that.

My dear countrymen, in the beginning of 2025 itself, India has attained many historic achievements in the field of Space. Today, I am proud to convey that an Indian Space-Tech start-up, Bengaluru based Pixxel has successfully launched India’s first private satellite constellation – ‘Firefly’. This satellite constellation is the world’s topmost high-resolution hyperspectral satellite constellation. This achievement has not only made India a leader in modern space technology, but is also a big step towards a Self-reliant India i.e. Aatmnirbhar Bharat. This success is a symbol of the growing strength and innovation of our private Space Sector. On behalf of the entire country, I congratulate the team of Pixxel, ISRO and IN-SPACe for this achievement.

Friends, a few days ago, our scientists marked another major achievement in the Space Sector. Our scientists have undertaken space docking of satellites. When two Space crafts are connected in Space, this process is called Space Docking. This technology is important for sending supplies to Space Stations and crew missions in Space. India has become the fourth country to have achieved this success. Friends, our scientists are also making efforts to grow plants in Space and make them survive. For this, ISRO scientists chose seeds of cow pea. These seeds, sent on the 30th of December, germinated in Space itself. This is a very inspiring experiment which will pave the way for growing vegetables in Space in future. This shows how far-sightedly our scientists are working.

Friends, I want to tell you about another inspiring initiative. IIT Madras’s ExTeM Centre is working on new technologies for manufacturing in Space. This Centre is conducting research on technologies like 3D-printed buildings, metal foams and optical fibres in Space. This Centre is also developing revolutionary methods like concrete construction without water.

This research of ExTeM will strengthen India’s Gaganyaan mission and the future Space Station. This will also open new avenues of modern technology in manufacturing. Friends, all these achievements are proof of how visionary India’s scientists and innovators are, in providing solutions to future challenges. Today, our country is setting new benchmarks in Space technology. I extend my best wishes to India’s scientists, innovators and young entrepreneurs on behalf of the entire nation.

My dear countrymen many a time, you must have seen pictures of amazing bonding between humans and animals; you must have heard stories of animals’ loyalty as well. Whether it is a pet or a wild animal, their relationship with humans sometimes amazes us. Animals may not be able to speak, but humans can understand their feelings and their gestures very well. Animals also understand the language of love and live by it too. I want to share an example from Assam with you. There is a place in Assam called Naugaon. Naugaon is the birthplace of our country’s great luminary Srimanta Shankardev Ji. This place is very beautiful. It is also the habitat to a large number of elephants. Many incidents were being noticed in this area where herds of elephants used to destroy crops, farmers used to get upset, on account of which people of about 100 villages in the vicinity were facing hardships. But the villagers also understood the elephants’ helplessness. They knew that elephants were intruding the fields to satiate their hunger, so the villagers thought of finding a solution to this. A team of villagers was formed, which was named ‘Haathi Bandhu’. Haathi Bandhu displaying their wisdom, made a unique effort on about 800 bighas of barren land. Here the villagers together planted Napier grass. Elephants like this grass very much. The result was that the elephants lessened straying towards the fields. This is a matter of great relief for thousands of villagers. This effort of theirs has been liked by the elephants as well.

Friends, our culture and heritage teaches us to live with love with the surrounding animals and birds. It is a matter of great joy for all of us that in the last two months, two new Tiger Reserves have been added in our country. One of these is Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh and the other is Ratapani Tiger Reserve in MP.

My dear countrymen, Swami Vivekananda ji had said that only the person who is passionate about one’s idea is able to achieve one’s goal. Our passion and dedication are of utmost importance to make an idea successful. The path to innovation, creativity and success is certain to come up through complete dedication and enthusiasm. Just a few days ago, on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda ji, I got the privilege of being a part of the ‘Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue’. There I spent my whole day with young friends who had come from every corner of the country. The youth shared their ideas on various sectors like startups, culture, women, youth and infrastructure. This program was very memorable for me.

Friends, just a few days ago, Start-Up India has completed 9 years. More than half of the startups that have been formed in our country in these 9 years are from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and when we hear that, every Indian’s heart is delighted with the fact that our StartUp culture is not limited to just big cities. And you will be surprised to know that more than half of the startups in smaller cities are being led by our daughters. When we hear that cities like Ambala, Hisar, Kangra, Chengalpattu, Bilaspur, Gwalior and Washim are becoming centers of StartUps, the heart is filled with joy. In a State like Nagaland, the registration of StartUps has increased by more than 200% last year. Waste Management, Non-Renewable Energy, Biotechnology and Logistics are the sectors in which the most number of Start-Ups are being noticed.

These are not conventional sectors but our young friends also think beyond the conventional & that is why they are achieving success.

Friends, 10 years ago when someone used to talk about entering the field of Start-Ups, one had to listen to many kinds of taunts. Some would ask after all, what is a Start-Up? Others would say, that will not lead you anywhere! But see, how big a change up has come in a decade now! You too should take full advantage of the new opportunities being created in India. If you believe in yourself, your dreams will also soar to new heights.

My dear countrymen, work done with good intentions and selfless spirit reaches far and wide through word of mouth. And our ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is a huge platform for that. In our vast country, if someone is doing good work even in remote areas and lends utmost importance to one’s sense of duty, this is the best platform to bring one’s efforts to the fore. Deepak Nabam ji has set a unique example of the spirit of service in Arunachal Pradesh. Deepak ji runs a Living-Home here, where mentally unwell, physically challenged people and the elderly are served; drug addicts are taken care of here as well. Deepak Nabam ji, without any help started a campaign to support the deprived people of the society, violence-affected families and homeless people. Today his service has transformed into an organization. His organization has also been honoured with many awards. The work of K. Hindumbi ji, who works as a nurse on the Kavaratti island of Lakshadweep, is also very inspiring. You will be surprised to know that she retired from government service 18 years ago, but even today she is engaged in serving people with the same compassion and affection as she used to do earlier. The efforts of KG Mohammad ji of Lakshadweep are also amazing.

The marine ecosystem of Minicoy Island is getting stronger through his hard work. He has written many songs to make people aware about the environment. He has also received the Best Folk Song Award from the Lakshadweep Sahitya Kala Academy. After retirement, KG Mohammad is also working with the museum there.

Friends, there is another piece of very good news from Andaman and Nicobar Islands too. Virgin coconut oil in Nicobar district has recently received the GI Tag. After the GI Tag, another new initiative has been undertaken for virgin coconut oil. Self-help groups are being formed by organizing the women associated with the production of this oil. They are also being imparted special training in marketing and branding. This is a big step towards economically empowering our tribal communities. I am sure that in future, the virgin coconut oil of Andaman-Nicobar is going to be a newsmaker in the world and the biggest contribution in that will be of the women’s self-help groups of Andaman and Nicobar.

My dear countrymen, imagine a scene for a moment. It is January in Kolkata. The Second World War is at its peak and anger against the British is at its peak in India. Because of this, policemen are deployed at every nook and corner of the city. The police presence is more vigilant around a house in the middle of Kolkata. Meanwhile, a man wearing a long brown coat, pants and a black hat comes out of a bungalow in the dark of the night in a car. Crossing several heavily guarded checkpoints, he reaches a railway station called Gomo. This station is now in Jharkhand. From here, he catches a train and moves on. After this, he reaches Europe via Afghanistan – and all that happens despite the impenetrable fortifications of the British rule.

Friends, this story may seem like a film scene to you. You may be wondering what kind of mettle this person embodied, to display such courage! Actually, this person was none other than our country’s great personality, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. We now celebrate the 23rd of January, his birth anniversary, as ‘Parakram Diwas’. This saga related to his bravery also gives a glimpse of his Parakram. A few years ago, I went to that very house from where he escaped after dodging the British. That car of his is still present there. That experience was very special for me. Subhash Babu was a visionary. Courage was ingrained in his nature. Not only that, he was also a very efficient administrator. At the age of 27, he became the Chief Executive Officer of the Kolkata Corporation and after that he also took over the responsibility of Mayor. He did many great things as an administrator as well. His efforts related to schools for children, arrangements for milk for poor children and cleanliness are remembered even today. Netaji Subhash also had a deep connection with radio. People eagerly waited to listen to him on Azad Hind Radio, that he had established. His speeches lent a new strength to the fight against foreign rule. News bulletins were broadcast on ‘Azad Hind Radio’ in English, Hindi, Tamil, Bangla, Marathi, Punjabi, Pashto and Urdu. I salute Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. I urge the youth of the country to read as much as possible about him and constantly derive inspiration from his life.

Friends, every time, this program of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ connects me with the collective efforts of the nation; with the collective willpower of all of you. Every month I receive a large number of your suggestions and ideas and each time I see these ideas, my faith in the resolve of Viksit Bharat rises further. All of you should continue to make efforts to make India the best through your work. That is all for this edition of Mann Ki Baat. We will meet again next month with new stories of achievements, resolves and accomplishments of Indians. Thank you very much. Namaskar.