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EVEN WHILE SERVING as a karyakarta at the grass­roots level in the 1970s and 1980s, Prime Minister Modi was clear about his vision for his country. He wanted a united India, with every section of the population having a role to play in its growth and development. On the radio show (Mann Ki Baat), this idea of a united India, where all its people know about each other and interact without any in­hibitions—an India free of biases—is beautifully articulated. As Mahatma Gandhi rightly observed, the decades following Inde­pendence were a testing time for our civilisation, especially when it came to mainstreaming marginal regions and celebrating diversity, and we are still far from our goal of mutual coexistence of diverse cultures and traditions within such a large geographical area.

Through Mann Ki Baat, the prime minister focused on strength­ening communication with those who had been marginalised for many years. In almost every episode of the programme, the focus has been on speaking to listeners about different things happening across the country, irrespective of region, culture or tradition. The radio platform seeks to translate the vision of the prime minister for uniting the country and inspiring implementable action.

THE CONFLICT IN and around Jammu and Kashmir had its roots in British imperialism. Different religious groups and communities began to perceive themselves as persecuted mi­norities due to British policies in the region. The region’s autonomy, coupled with its isolation and various political vendettas, made it seem incompatible with the rest of the country. In his characteristic fashion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started threading together stories from all our states to underline the idea of one Bharat. In Episode 64 of Mann Ki Baat, he mentioned a Kashmiri woman sar­panch—Zaitoona Begum of Chauntliwaar, Ganderbal—who had decided that her panchayat would fight the battle against the coro­navirus while also creating opportunities for earning an income. She distributed free masks and rations to those who needed them. At the same time, she distributed crop seeds and apple saplings, so that farmers and horticulturists would not suffer losses. The prime minister concluded, “Friends, there is another inspiring example from Kashmir. Shriman Mohd Iqbal is the Municipal President of Anantnag. He required a sprayer for sanitisation of his area. He was informed that the machine would have to be brought from another town, that too at a cost of six lakh rupees. On this, Shriman Iqbal-ji, through his own efforts, designed and made a sprayer machine, at a cost of only 50,000 rupees. There are many similar examples.”

In October 2020, in Episode 67, the prime minister congratu­lated the people of the Pulwama region, who have been playing an important role in educating the entire country. He informed us that today, when children anywhere in India do their home­work or prepare notes, somewhere behind this lies the hard work of the people of Pulwama. The Kashmir Valley meets almost 90 per cent of the country’s demand for pencil slats and timber cas­ings, and of that, a very large share comes from Pulwama. We would never have known about this, had it not been for Mann Ki Baat.

While addressing a gathering of 40-50 pradhans of different villages in the Kashmir Valley, several issues came to the fore and extensive discussions took place, some on the heavier side and others on the lighter side. When a mention was made of schools in Kashmir that had been set on fire, the pradhans too felt that it was not just the schools, it was the future of the children who studied there that had been set ablaze.

Likewise, in one of the episodes, while addressing queries concerning board examinations, this is what the prime minis­ter said: “I am feeling happy that when the Board examinations were held, 95 per cent of the sons and daughters of Kashmir, the young students, appeared in the examinations. The sheer volume of students who appeared in the Board examinations shows our children from Jammu and Kashmir are committed to attaining newer heights of progress, to build a bright future through the medium of education.”

In another episode, the prime minister read out a letter from the former governor of Meghalaya, V Shanmuganthan. It was about how a tiny village in Meghalaya—Mavalyannong—had set out on a mission for cleanliness and more or less every generation was completely dedicated to the cause. He also mentioned that a few years ago, it had won the award for the ‘cleanest village’ in Asia.

The sharing of a letter from a north-eastern region may be a very small gesture, but the impact it has had is immense. For the prime minister’s efforts towards disseminating such relevant in­formation have inspired a similar drive in the rest of the country.

Once, while having a light-hearted conversation with his listen­ers on Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi proudly spoke about how the cricket team from Kashmir had defeated Mumbai on their home ground. He said, “I do not view it as a matter of someone’s victory and another’s loss. I view it differently. All the stadiums in Kashmir have been inundated after the floods. Kashmir is passing through a tough phase. The circumstances have been extremely grim, with these boys not standing a chance to practice. But the team spirit shown by these boys, their conviction, and their deter­mination are awe-inspiring. These boys have shown us that one can overcome the most trying circumstances if one remains focused on one’s goals. This news gave me immense pleasure, and I take this opportunity to congratulate all these players on their victory.”

IN THE MIDST of providing illustrious examples of selfless service, Prime Minister Modi also concurrently spoke to those people who were experiencing vaccine hesitancy; the people of village Dulariya, district Betul, Madhya Pradesh were among them. He spoke to Rajesh Hiraawe who was a member of the gram panchayat. The latter told him that there are 462 men and 332 women in the village but no one had taken the vaccine due to fear-mongering on social media apps.

The prime minister dispelled this notion and assured him that by then, over 31 crore people had got themselves vaccinated, citing the example of his own mother. He entreated the village to come forward and take the vaccine. He also gave the example of Bandipora in Kashmir where Weyan village had achieved the target of 100 per cent vaccination. Similarly, three villages in Nagaland had also hit a 100 per cent vaccination rate. In appeal­ing to Betul, the prime minister tore through the fear surround­ing the vaccine. He asked them to believe in science, believe in scientists, adding that, “[A]t times when mothers-sisters tell a thing, people agree readily.”

The prime minister’s appeal was that he didn’t chide anyone, just tried to persuade them. Of the adoption of Covid-19 protocol in villages, he said someday it will be the subject of a case study for the world how, during this period, people residing in Indian villages, forest dwellers and tribal brothers-sisters, had displayed their capabilities and understanding. People in villages had set up quarantine centres, and had adapted the Covid-19 protocol as per local requirements. People of villages did not let anybody sleep hungry, and did not let work in the fields stop either.

The villages also ensured a daily supply of milk and vegetables to nearby cities, that is, they took care of themselves and of others too.

The decisive mantra for success in conquering Covid-19 was con­tinuity, and the prime minister consistently conveyed exactly that.

In Episode 75, Prime Minister Modi announced that as a na­tion, we would celebrate National Doctors’ Day on the 1st of July.

This day was dedicated to the birth anniversary of the great doctor and statesman of the country, Dr BC Roy. The day would mark our gratitude for the contribution of doctors in the Covid-19 period. Our doctors served us without caring about their lives.

The prime minister reminded everyone, “Hippocrates, one of the most respected persons in the world of medicine, had said: ‘Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.’ Doctors are able to serve us with the power of this very love. Therefore, it is our duty to thank them with an equal measure of affection and to encour­age them!”

In October 2021, the Prime Minister started the show on an enthusiastic note. He said, “The success of our vaccine programme displays the capability of India… it manifests the might of our collective endeavour.”

As the world grappled with the pandemic, our prime minister, through Mann Ki Baat, cautioned us against complacency and ad­vised us to maintain a strict vigil.

On the occasion of Independence Day in 2018, the prime minister had said, “The nation will never stop, never bow before anything, never get tired. We have to scale new heights. It is our aim to achieve enormous progress in the years to come.”

OVER THE EPISODES of Mann Ki Baat, the prime minister gives countless examples of women who have stepped beyond their traditional roles in the household and have contributed to society and the nation.

Take the example of the women of Phulpur. They joined a self-help group in Kadipur and learned the art of making slip­pers. With the help of the Gramin Aajeevika Mission, a slipper manufacturing unit was set up, where modern machines now produce slippers. The women inspired the entire region with their resolve and hard work and are an example for the nation.

Prime Minister Modi, in Episode 60 of Mann Ki Baat, expressed his appreciation for them by saying, “They not only managed to pluck out the thorn of helplessness from their feet but by becom­ing self-reliant, they also gained the support of their families. To­day, due to the resolve of these women, not only has the financial condition of their families been fortified, but their standard of living has also improved.”

The fact that the awakening of one woman can lead to the mo­bilisation of other women, leading to a positive change in the entire society is a unique facet that Mann Ki Baat reports. Just a small trig­ger was sufficient to bring about a huge change. Today, whether women are in politics, defence, social work, entrepreneurship, or sports, the list is long, and their contributions are endless.

The prime minister occasionally refers to the varied contribu­tions. In Episode 44, he mentioned Navika Sagar Parikrama, where six Indian women circumnavigated the globe for 254 days aboard the INSV Tarini. He said, “I congratulate these daughters and their spirit of adventure for bringing laurels to the country, for raising the glory of the Navy and for, so significantly, conveying to the world that India’s daughters are no less.”

An empowered woman is a harbinger of change in society. Mann Ki Baat uncovers stories where women have, on several occasions, led from the front to bring significant changes in the development of the place where they live. Like the case of Babita Rani from Bundelkhand, who built a canal with the help of other women to bring water to a dried lake. Or the case of Usha Dubey, a teacher from Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, who has turned a scooty into a mobile library. Or the instance of a self-help library in Rayo vil­lage in Nirjuli of Arunachal Pradesh, funded by Meena Gurung and Dewang Hosayi. This is how women have taken the lead in bringing about a transformation in their lives.

In Episode 53 of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi spoke about Jamuna Tudu of Jharkhand, famously nicknamed Lady Tar­zan, who most valiantly took on the timber mafia and the Naxalites. She saved 50 hect­ares of the forest and also inspired 10,000 women to unite and protect the trees and wildlife. In the same episode, the prime min­ister mentioned the story of Rajkumari Devi of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, fondly called Kisan Chachi (farmer aunty). She has es­tablished a precedent in the area of female empowerment and farming by adding 300 women from her area to a self-help group, motivating them to become financially independent. She has not only trained the village women on how to pursue other gainful means of employment but, most importantly, she has integrated technology with agriculture. All these instances establish that women have converted probabilities into possibilities and plans into realities.

In Episode 74 of Mann Ki Baat, the prime minister spoke to Shirisha Gajni, a loco pilot of Oxygen Express, who shared her expe­rience during the coronavirus pandemic. Gajni and all her female team members delivered oxygen to various places by the Oxygen Express. Prime Minister Modi said that it is through their strength and dedication that the nation was able to fight the coronavirus. The prime minister’s impetus to Nari Shakti has seen tremendous resonance with social media. These tales of exceptional service and commitment to the cause of self-help are remarkable. All these epi­sodes bear witness to the fact that Indian women are not afraid of effecting changes systemically. The women of New India are ex­ploring every possibility, from start-ups to stand-ups, from Sainik schools to defence colleges, from judiciary to legislative offices, from offices to homes, every role is awe-inspiring and venerable. n

(This is an edited excerpt from Igniting Collective Goodness: MannKiBaat@100 by BlueKraft Digital Foundation. BlueKraft Digital Foundation is a non-profit working at the intersection of data science and public policy)

100 episodesKashmir ValleyMann ki BaatNarendra ModiPrime MinisterPulwama