New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) While addressing the last 'Mann Ki Baat' programme of the year 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the entire country is enthused about the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Describing the 108th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi said: "There is enthusiasm and excitement across the country regarding the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. People are expressing their emotions in various ways."

“You must have seen that in the last few days, new songs and bhajans have been composed on Shri Ram and Ayodhya. Many people are also writing new poems,” PM Modi said.

"It seems that the world of art is becoming a participant in this historic moment in its unique style,” he said.

Encouraging people to share their creations with the hashtag 'ShriRamBhajan', PM Modi further said: "A thought that comes to my mind is should we share all such creations with a common hashtag? I request you to share your creations on social media with the hashtag 'ShriRamBhajan'.

"This collection will create a flow of emotions and devotion, where everyone becomes filled with the spirit of Ram."

Modi described the 108th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' as special for himself, saying, "Today marks the 108th episode of our shared journey. The significance of the number 108 and its sanctity is a subject of profound study. 108 beads in a rosary, chanting 108 times, 108 divine sites, 108 stairs in temples, 108 bells, this number 108 is associated with immense faith. That's why the 108th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' has become all the more special for me.”

Wishing the citizens for the upcoming year, Modi highlighted India's achievements in 2023 and urged everyone to maintain the same spirit and momentum in 2024.

The Prime Minister said: "It is the strength of 140 crore Indians that our country achieved many special accomplishments this year. Today, every corner of India is filled with self-confidence. In 2024, we must continue with this spirit and momentum."

Talking about India's achievements in 2023, the PM said, "Becoming an innovation hub for India is a symbol that we are not going to stop. In 2015, we were ranked 81st in the Global Innovation Index; today, our rank is 40. This year, the number of patents filed in India has been higher, with nearly 60 per cent being domestic filings."

"India celebrated 2023 as the International Year of Millets, creating many opportunities for startups working in this sector," he said.

Stressing the utility and responsible use of artificial intelligence, PM Modi shared an incident from the recent Kashi-Tamil Sangamam.

PM Modi said "Thousands of people had reached Kashi from Tamil Nadu to participate in the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam. There I publicly used the AI tool Bhashini for the first time to communicate with them. I was addressing from the stage in Hindi but through the AI tool Bhashini, the people of Tamil Nadu present there were listening to my address in Tamil language simultaneously."

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) With the Diwali season round the corner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to purchase locally made products.

In his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi said, "When you brighten up your Diwali with products Made In India, Made by Indians; fulfill every little need of your family locally, the sparkle of Diwali will only increase, but in the lives of those artisans, a new Diwali will shine, a dawn of life will rise, their life will become wonderful. Make India self-reliant, keep choosing ‘Make in India’, so that the Diwali of crores of countrymen along with you becomes wonderful, lively, radiant and interesting."

He further informed that on October 31, on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, "The foundation of a very big nationwide organisation is being laid and that too on the birth anniversary of Sardar Sahib. The name of this organisation is -- 'Mera Yuva Bharat', i.e. My Bharat. My Bharat organisation will provide an opportunity to the youth of India to play an active role in various nation building events. This is a unique effort of integrating the youth power of India in building a developed India".

"Mera Yuva Bharat’s website My Bharat is also about to be launched. I would urge the youth -- I would urge them again and again that all of you Youth of my country, all you sons and daughters of my country, register on MyBharat.gov.in and sign up for various programmes," the Prime Minister said further.

"The 31st of October is also the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi Ji. I also pay my heartfelt tribute to her," PM Modi said.

With an eye on the huge tribal vote bank amid upcoming elections in tribal dominated states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Mizoram and Rajasthan, PM Modi remembered contributions made by several tribal personalities towards the nation's freedom struggle like Birsa Munda, Tantiya Bheel and many others.

"We are proud that the warrior Tantiya Bheel was born on our soil. We remember Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh with full reverence, who stood by his people in difficult circumstances. Be it Veer Ramji Gond, Veer Gundadhur, Bheema Nayak, their courage still inspires us. The country still remembers the spirit that Alluri Sitaram Raju instilled in the tribal brothers and sisters.

"We also get a lot of inspiration from freedom fighters like Kiang Nobang and Rani Gaidinliu in the northeast. It is from the tribal community that the country got women brave hearts like RajMohini Devi and Rani Kamlapati. The country is currently celebrating the 500th Birth Anniversary of Rani Durgavati Ji, who inspired the tribal society. I hope that more and more youth of the country will know about the tribal personalities of their region and derive inspiration from them. The country is grateful to its tribal society, which has always held the self-respect and upliftment of the nation paramount," PM Modi said.

Rajkot: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his 103rd episode of "Mann Ki Baat", shed light on a remarkable artist from Rajkot whose dedication to his craft spanned over two decades. The artist's poignant journey and unfinished work have now caught the nation's attention.

Prabhat Singh Barhat, a talented painter from Rajkot, embarked on an ambitious project in 1990: a processional painting depicting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's pilgrimage to pay homage to the family deity, Tulja Mataji, after his coronation. Sadly, Singh passed away in 2018, at the age of 65, leaving the artwork incomplete.

His wife, Lilaben, spoke about Prabhat's emotional connection with the artwork. To ensure authenticity, Singh visited the exact location in the Aravalli hills, where Shivaji's pilgrimage began, on three separate occasions. This profound connection and commitment to his work were evident in the intricate details of the painting.

Bhagirathbhai Barhat, Prabhat's younger brother, revealed that the initial goal was to create an 888-meter long painting that encapsulated the entirety of Shivaji's journey. By the time of Singh's demise, 120 meters of the painting had been completed. The artist aspired not only to record this historic event but also hoped his painting would set a world record as the largest processional painting.

While Singh's passing left the family with a sense of an unfulfilled dream, the Prime Minister's acknowledgment of the painter's dedication during "Mann Ki Baat" filled them with pride. Overwhelmed with emotion, Lilaben expressed, "Wherever he is today, he would be beaming with happiness. I can feel his presence beside me." With newfound hope, the family wishes for someone to complete the painting. Once finished, it stands to potentially become the world's largest processional painting.

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) With the Assembly elections due in four states in a few months from now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an attempt to reach out to the Muslim population, informed on Sunday, how 4,000 women from the community recently undertook the Haj pilgrimage without their male companions or 'mahram'.

New Delhi, April 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat' has become a unique festival of goodness and positivity for the countrymen.

Addressing the 100th episode of his monthly radio broadcast, the Prime Minister said: "Friends, October 3, 2014 (the day when the first episode was aired) was the festival of Vijaya Dashami and all of us together started the journey of 'Mann Ki Baat' on that day. Vijaya Dashami is the festival of victory of good over evil. Mann Ki Baat has also become a unique festival of goodness and positivity of the countrymen," he said during the 100th episode of his monthly radio broadcast.

"Today is the hundredth episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'. I have received thousands of letters from all of you, lakhs of messages and I have tried to read as many letters as possible, have a look at them and try to understand the messages a bit," Modi added.

The prime minister went on to add that whether it is about education or culture, whether it is about its preservation or promotion, this has been an ancient tradition of India.

"The work that the country is doing in this direction today is really commendable. Be it the National Education Policy or the option of studying in a regional language, or technology integration in education, you will notice many such efforts. Years ago, programmes like 'Gunotsav and Shala Praveshotsav' had become a wonderful example of public participation in Gujarat to providing better education and reducing dropout rates," he said.

Modi said that through the programme, he has tried to highlight the efforts of many such people, who are selflessly working for education.

In strengthening the social fabric of India, 'Mann Ki Baat' is like the thread of a rosary, holding each bead together. In every episode, the spirit of service and capability of the countrymen have inspired others, he added.

"In this programme, every countryman becomes an inspiration to other countrymen. In a way, every episode of Mann Ki Baat prepares the ground for the next episode. 'Mann Ki Baat' has always moved ahead with goodwill, the spirit of service-spirit and the sense of duty," the prime minister added while expressing his gratitude to people of the country.

He also thanked the teams of All India Radio and Doordarshan for recording the programme with "great patience".

Several union ministers heard the programme live in different parts of the country.

Governors and Lieutenant Governors also heard the programme live in Raj Bhavans across the country.

Chief ministers of BJP-ruled states also heard the programme.

Bhubaneswar, April 29 (IANS) Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a sand sculpture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 100 radios to celebrate 100 episodes of "Mann ki Baat", at Odisha's Puri beach.

Pattnaik has created the 8-ft high sand art to mark the feat by using about seven tonnes of sand.

He also created a sand sculpture of the Prime Minister with 100 sand radios. Students from his sand art school joined him to complete the sculpture.

"Earlier, I created a few sand sculptures on 'Mann ki Baat' on different occasions. Besides, sand sculpture on radio was also created on occasions like World Radio Day," Pattnaik said.

Modi's flagship radio address, which aired for the first time on October 3, 2014, will complete 100 episodes on April 30.

So far, the Padma-winning artist has participated in more than 60 international sand art competitions and festivals around the world and won many prizes for our country.

He always tries to create awareness on different social issues through his sand art. His sand arts are appreciated by the UN, WHO and UN Environment.

Surat: The city is set to host the country's largest celebration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 100th "Mann Ki Baat" program on Sunday, April 30. Rashtriya Sena President Vinod Jain provided details about the event, which will take place at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium in Surat. Approximately 10,000 people are expected to attend, making it the largest "Mann Ki Baat" program in not only Gujarat but also India.

Several notable personalities, including State President CR Patil, Hindustan Samachar President Arvind Mardikar, Nepal's Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, renowned Bollywood lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir, and vegetarian bodybuilder Bharat Singh Walia, will be present at the event. The program will feature cultural and intellectual presentations from 9 am to 11 am, followed by the "Mann Ki Baat" broadcast from 11 am to 11:30 am.

Vinod Jain further explained that first-time voters for the upcoming 2024 elections will be specially honored at the event. The celebration aims to raise awareness about the importance of voting and encourage nation-building spirit among attendees.

To create a "Little India" atmosphere, participants from various regions of the state will attend the event in traditional attire representing their respective cultures. This diverse gathering will collectively listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 100th "Mann Ki Baat" address.

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday in his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat' paid tribute to woman power.

"This is the time of Navratri, the time to worship Shakti. Today, the potential of India which is emerging from a new perspective, our woman power has a very big role in it. Recently, many such examples have emerged before us. You must have seen Asia's first female loco pilot Surekha Yadav on social media. Surekha ji, setting another record, has also become the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express as well," he said in the address.

Referring to film producer Guneet Monga, whose documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers' won the Oscar award earlier this month, Modi said, "This month producer Guneet Monga and director Kartiki Gonsalves brought laurels to the country by winning an Oscar for their documentary, 'The Elephant Whisperers'.

"Sister Jyotirmayi Mohanty, Scientist of Bhabha Atomic Research Center has also notched another achievement for the country. Jyotirmoyee has received a special award from IUPAC in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering. Earlier this year, India's Under-19 women's cricket team created history by winning the T-20 World Cup."

Referring to women in politics, the prime minister said, "If you look at politics, a new beginning has taken place in Nagaland. In Nagaland, for the first time in 75 years, two women legislators have reached the Vidhan Sabha through their victory. One of them has also been made a minister in the Government of Nagaland, that is, for the first time the people of the state have also got a woman minister."

PM Modi also mentioned women members of the NDRF contingent, which had gone for relief and rehabilitation work in quake-hit Turkey.

"India has also deployed a women-only platoon in the peacekeeping force under the UN mission," Modi said.

The prime minister also referred to Group Captain Shalija Dhami, the first woman Air Force officer to get a Command Appointment in a Combat Unit.

Modi also mentioned Captain Shiva Chauhan of the Indian Army, the first woman officer to be posted at Siachen.

The prime minister also highlighted the importance of organ donation and solar energy in his broadcast.