PM Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the 79th episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme talked about several issues, including the Kargil Vijay Diwas that India will celebrate across the country tomorrow.

Paying tributes to Indian armed forces who made the nation proud by giving a major blow to Pakistani army’s deceptive move to capture the strategic Kargil heights in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1999 War, the Prime Minister said, “The Kargil War is one symbol of the bravery and patience on part of India’s armed forces which the whole world has watched.”

“This time this pride filled day will be celebrated amid Amrit Mahotsav. That is why this day becomes all the more special. I wish you read the enthralling saga of Kargil…let us all bow to the bravehearts of Kargil,” the Prime Minister said.

Talking about the Tokyo Olympics, he said, “Watching Indian sportspersons march carrying the Tricolour exhilarated not just me but the entire country…as if the whole country unitedly exhorted her warriors saying, “Vijayi Bhava – emerge victorious!”

Here are other highlights of Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat episode

*The country is entering its 75th year of Independence on August 15; to commemorate 75 years of Freedom, Amrit Mahotsav commenced on March 12 from Bapu’s Sabarmati Ashram. On this very day, Bapu’s Dandi Yatra too was revived…since then, from Jammu-Kashmir to Puducherry; from Gujarat to the Northeast, programmes in connection with Amrit Mahotsav are being held across the country.

*The tiny town of Moirang in Manipur was a major base of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army. Even before Independence, Colonel Shaukat Malik of INA had unfurled the Flag in Moirang.

*On April 14, during Amrit Mahotsav, the Tricolour was once again hoisted at that very place in Moirang.

*We can contribute to nation building even while performing our routine chores…such as ‘Vocal for Local’. Supporting local entrepreneurs, artists, craftsmen and weavers should come naturally to us. The National Handloom Day on August 7 is an occasion when we can strive to attempt that. National Handloom Day has a remarkable historic background. On this very day in 1905, the Swadeshi Andolan had begun.

*In the rural and tribal regions of our country, handloom is a major source of income. This is a sector that comprises lakhs of women, weavers and craftsmen. Even small efforts on your part will give rise to a new hope in weavers. Do purchase something or the other and share your thoughts with others as well…now that we are celebrating 75 years of Independence, it of course becomes our responsibility.

*Every countryman today has to lead a Bharat Jodo Andolan. It is our duty to ensure that our work helps closely knit, bind our India which is filled with diversity. Come, on Amrit Mahotsav, let us make a sacred Amrit resolve that the country remains to be our highest faith; our topmost priority. We have to move forward with the mantra ‘Nation First, Always First’.

*I want to tell you about the efforts of Saayee Praneeth, a software engineer who hails from Andhra Pradesh. Last year he saw that in his area farmers had to suffer a lot due to the vagaries of weather. For years he had an interest in meteorology. So, he decided to use his interest and talent for the welfare of farmers. Now he purchases weather data from different data sources, analyses them and sends necessary information through various media to farmers in the local language. Besides weather updates, Praneeth also gives guidance to people about what they should do in different climatic conditions... Especially how to be safe from floods or how to avoid storms or lightning, he talks about this too.

*Use of technology by Isaak Munda, who hails from a village in Sambalpur district of Odisha, has been amazing. Isaak once used to work as a daily wager but now he has become an internet sensation. He is earning a lot through his YouTube Channel. In his videos he shows prominently the local dishes, traditional ways of cooking, his village, his lifestyle, family and food habits. His journey as a YouTuber began in March 2020 when he posted a video related to Pakhal, the famous local dish of Odisha. Since then, he has posted hundreds of videos. This effort of his is different for many reasons. Specially, because through this, people living in cities get a chance to watch the lifestyle about which they don’t know much. Isaak Munda is celebrating by blending culture and cuisine equally and inspiring us too.

*A start-up established by an alumni of IIT Madras has made a 3D printed house. The construction of the house through 3D printing, how did this happen after all? Actually, this start-up first of all fed a 3 Dimensional design in a 3 D printer and then through a concrete of a special kind fabricated a 3 D structure layer by layer.

*In the project at Indore, a Prefabricated Sandwich Panel System is being used in place of Brick-and-Mortar Walls. In Rajkot, the Light House is being made with French Technology in which through a tunnel Monolithic Concrete construction technology is being used. Houses made with this technology will be lot more capable of withstanding disasters.

*In Chennai, the Pre-cast Concrete system technologies form America and Finland are being used. By this, houses will get built faster and the cost too will be low. In Ranchi houses will be built using the 3D Construction System of Germany. In this, every room will be constructed separately and then the entire structure will be joined together the way block toys are joined. In Agartala, using technology from New Zealand, houses that can withstand major earthquakes are being made with steel frames. Meanwhile, in Lucknow technology from Canada is being used. In this plaster and paint will not be required and walls prepared in advance will be used to build houses faster.

*Apple farming is picking up fast in the Ukhrul district of Manipur. Farmers here are growing apples in their orchards. To learn apple farming these people have taken formal training by going to Himachal. One of these is T S Ringphami Young. By profession he is an aeronautical engineer. He along with his wife T S Angel has grown apples. Similarly, Avungshee Shimre Augasteena too has grown apples in her orchard. Avungshee had a job in Delhi. She returned to her village, quitting this and started farming apple. There are many such apple growers in Manipur who have demonstrated something different and something new.

*Bikramjit Chakma, 32 years old man from Unakoti, Tripura, has earned a lot of profit by starting the Ber cultivation; he is also motivating people to do Ber cultivation. The state government has also come forward to help such people. Many special nurseries have been started by the government for this purpose so that the demand of the people associated with the cultivation of Ber can be met.

*In LakhimpurKheri district of Uttar Pradesh, women are trained to manufacture fibre from the waste banana stems. Banana fibre is prepared by cutting the stem of a banana with the help of a machine, the fibre is like jute or flax. Handbags, mats, rugs, many things are made from this fibre.

*The Prime Minister also talked about Chandigarh’s Sanjay Rana who sells Chhole-Bhature on his cycle. He offered Chhole-Bhature free to those who got the Covid-19 vaccine. The Prime Minister highlighted how Radhika Shastri from Nilgiri in Tamil Nadu started the AmbuRx project with an aim to provide easy transport for the treatment of patients in hilly areas.

*The Prime Minister also focused on India-Georgia friendship in his monthly radio talk show. He said how India, during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent visit to Georgia, handed over the Holy Relic or icon of Saint Queen Ketevan to the Government of Georgia and the people there.

*He said the ceremony, which took place in a very emotionally charged atmosphere, was attended by the President of Georgia, the Prime Minister, many religious leaders, and a large number of Georgians.

The words that were said in praise of India in this ceremony are indeed very memorable. This single ceremony has not only strengthened the relations between the two nations but as well as between Goa and Georgia. This is because these holy relics of Saint Queen Ketevan were found in 2005 from Saint Augustine Church in Goa.

'Mann ki Baat' is the Prime Minister's monthly radio address to the nation, which is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month.