var textForPages = ["I","II","CONTENTS                 01      Prime Minister’s Address                           1                02      Featured Stories                     2.1  Swachh Bharat Mission: 10 Years of the World’s Largest Jan   32                       Andolan for Swachhata                   2.2  Ayurvedic Medical Treatment: Gateway to Global Medical   54                       Tourism in India                  2.4  Crafting Cultural Confidence: ‘Make in India’ Campaign   66                       Paves Way for Quality Indian Products              03      In Brief                     3.1 Call for Action                                  16                   3.2 The Overarching Journey of Mann ki Baat         22                   3.3 Catch the Rain Campaign                         30                   3.4  Swachh Bharat Mission: Global Leaders Praise PM Modi’s   40                       Vision                   3.5 The Homecoming!: USA Returns 297 Artefacts to India  48                   3.6  WAVES: A New Frontier for Creators Across the Creative   64                       Spectrum              04       Articles/Interviews                    4.1  A Decade of Social Change, Public Awareness, and Citizen   20                      Engagement - Shashi Shekhar Vempati                  4.2 Catch the Rain: India’s Drive Toward Water Security - Alok K. Sikka  26                  4.3  A Decade of Swachh Bharat: Revolutionising India’s Approach   36                      to Public Health and Dignity - M. Hari Menon                  4.4  The Importance of Reclaiming Lost Art and Cultural Heritage -   46                      Ratan P. Watal                  4.5  Digitisation of the Santhali Language: A Path to Preserving   50                      Cultural Identity - Ramjit Tudu                  4.6  How Ayurveda can Complement Modern Healthcare -   57                      Manoranjan Sahu                  4.7  WAVES Challenges: Empowering Creativity, Fostering   60                      Opportunity - Biren Ghose                  4.8  Reflecting on a Decade of Make in India: Reviving Our   70                      Manufacturing Future - Pankaj Mohindroo                  4.9 ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ - K.N. Rajasekhar           73              05      Media Scan          III                          77","Prime Minister's                                Address                                                                                          IV","My dear countrymen, Namaskar                    Once again, we have the       information from every corner of           opportunity  to   connect   in    the country.           'Mann ki Baat'. This episode         The listeners of 'Mann ki           today  makes  me  emotional.      Baat' are the real anchors of this           It’s flooding me with a lot of old   show. A commonly held belief           memories…The reason is that       has become so ingrained that           this journey of ours in 'Mann ki   as long as there are no spicy or           Baat' is completing 10 years. 10   negative conversations, it does           years ago, 'Mann ki Baat' started   not receive much attention.           on the day of Vijayadashami on    But 'Mann ki Baat' has proved           the 3rd of October. And what      how hungry the people of           a  divine  coincidence  it  is  that   the country are for positive           this year on the 3rd of October   information. People like positive           when 'Mann ki Baat' completes     stories, inspiring examples, and           10  years,  it  will  be  the  first  day   encouraging stories very much.           of  Navratri.  There are many     Just as there is a bird called           phases in this long journey of    Chakor about which it is said that           'Mann ki Baat' that I can never   it drinks only raindrops. In 'Mann ki           forget. Crores of listeners of    Baat' we saw that, like the Chakor           'Mann ki Baat' have been our      bird, people too listen with great           companions in this journey,       pride  to  the  achievements           whose continuous support I have   of the country, the collective           kept receiving. They provided     achievements of the people.                                                            1                             1","The 10-year journey of 'Mann      serve the country and society.         ki Baat' has created a garland    They dedicate their entire lives         of sorts, in which every episode   to  serving  people  selflessly.         encompasses new sagas, new        Knowing about them fills me up         records, and new personalities    with energy. This whole process         get  added. Whatever work is      of 'Mann ki Baat' for me is like         taking place in our society with   going to the temple to have a         a sense of collectiveness, it gets   Darshan of the Almighty. When I         recognition through ‘Mann ki      remember each and every thing,         Baat’. My heart also swells with   each  and  every  incident,  each         pride when I read the letters that   and every letter connected with         come for ‘Mann ki Baat’.          'Mann ki Baat', I feel as if I am             There are so many talented    having a Darshan of the Janata         people in our country…How         Janaardan, the people, who are         much passion they have to         like the Almighty to me.                                               Friends, today I will applaud                                               all   people   associated                                               with Doordarshan, Prasar                                               Bharati  and  All  India  Radio.                                               On account of their tireless                                               efforts,  ‘Mann ki Baat’ has                                               reached   this  important                                               milestone. I am also thankful                                               to various TV channels,                                               regional   TV    channels,                                               who    have   consistently                                               broadcast it. Many media                                               houses also ran campaigns                                               on the issues that we raised                                               through Mann ki Baat. I                                               also  thank  the  print  media                                               for taking it to every home.                                               I would also like to thank                                               those Youtubers who did                                               many programs on 'Mann                                               ki Baat'.  This program can                                          2 2","Women,                                                               Water,                                                                  and a                A Ripple Effect                                 Better                                                                World              be heard in the country’s 22      raining heavily in different parts           languages, besides 12 foreign     of the country. This rainy season           languages   as well. I love it when   reminds us how important           people say that they, listened    ‘water conservation’ is… how           to the 'Mann ki Baat' program     important it is to save water.           in  their  local  language.  Many   Water saved during rainy days           of you might know that, a quiz    helps a lot during water scarcity           competition based on the 'Mann    months,  and  that’s  the  spirit           ki Baat' program is also running in   of campaigns like ‘Catch The           which any person can take part    Rain’.  I am happy that many           by visiting www.mygov.in and      people are taking new initiatives           winning prizes too. Today, at this   to conserve water. One such           important juncture, I once again   effort has been witnessed in           seek your blessings. With a pure   Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.           heart and complete dedication,       You know that ‘Jhansi’ is in           may I continue singing songs      Bundelkhand, whose identity is           of the greatness of the people    linked with water scarcity. Here,           of India…May we all continue to   in Jhansi, some women have           celebrate the collective power of   given a new lease of life to the           the nation in this way… This is my   Ghurari River.  These women           prayer to God, this is my prayer   are associated with a Self Help           to the people.                    Group and they have led this                                             campaign by becoming  ‘Jal               My dear fellow citizens, for   Saheli’.  No  one  would have           the last few weeks  it has been   ever imagined the way these                                           3 3","women have saved the dying        pond in Khomp village started         Ghurari river. These Jal Sahelis   drying up, the women took the         created  a  check  dam  by  filling   initiative  to  rejuvenate  it.  The         sand in sacks, stopped the        women of ‘Hari Bagiya Self Help         rainwater from getting wasted,    Group’ removed a large amount         and  filled  the  river  to  the  brim   of silt from the pond… they used         with water. These women have      the silt removed from the pond         enthusiastically contributed to   on barren land to set up a fruit         the construction of hundreds of   forest.  Due to the hard work of         reservoirs and their  revival.  This   these women, not only has the         has not only solved the water     pond  been  filled  with  water,         problem of the people of this     but the crop yield has also         area, happiness too has returned   increased substantially. Such         to their faces.                   efforts of water conservation             Friends, at some places       being done in every nook and         woman power enhances water        corner of the country will prove         power, whereas at other places    very helpful in dealing with the         water power also strengthens      water crisis. I fully trust that you         woman power. I have come to       too will definitely join such efforts         know about two very inspiring     happening around you.         efforts from Madhya Pradesh.         Here in Raipura Village of Dindori,   My    dear   countrymen,         construction of a large pond has   there is a border village ‘Jhala’         raised the groundwater level      in Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand.         considerably. The women of        The  youth  here  have  started  a         this  village  benefited  from  this.   special initiative to keep their         Here the women associated with    village clean. They are running a         ‘Sharada Aajeevika Self Help      campaign, ‘Dhanyvaad Prakriti’         Group’  have  reentered  into  fish   or ‘Thank you Nature’ in their         farming. These women have         village. As part of this, the village         also started a fish parlour, where   is cleaned for two hours every         their income is also multiplying   day. The garbage scattered         through the sale of the fish. The   in  the  streets  of  the  village  is         efforts of women in Chhatarpur,   collected  and  dumped  at  a         Madhya     Pradesh,  is   also    designated place outside the         commendable. When the big         village. Due to this, Jhala village                                          4 4","is also turning clean, and people   with ‘cleanliness’.  Just a few           are becoming aware as well.       days later, on the 2nd of           Just imagine if every village,    October, the Swachh Bharat           every street, every locality in   Mission is completing 10 years.           your area starts a similar ‘Thank   This is an occasion to commend           You’ campaign, how much           those who turned it into such a           change can come about!            big mass movement in Indian               Friends, a cleanliness drive   history.  It  is  also  a  befitting           is being promoted aggressively    tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who           on the beach of Puducherry too.   dedicated his entire life to this           Here,  a  woman  named  Remya     cause.           ji is leading a team of youth        Friends,  today  it  is  the           from  Mahe  Municipality  and  its   success  of  the  ‘Swachh  Bharat           surrounding area. The people of   Mission’  that  the ‘Waste to           this team, through their efforts,   Wealth’ mantra is becoming           are cleaning the Mahe Area,       popular among people. People           especially the beaches in the     have started talking about           vicinity.                         Reduce, Reuse and Recycle,               Friends, I have discussed     citing their examples as well. Like           only two efforts here. But if we   I just came to know about a great           look  around,  we  will  find  that  in   effort in Kozhikode, Kerala. Here,           every part of the country, some   74 years old Subrahamanian ji           unique effort or the other is     has repaired more than 23,000           definitely  going  on,  associated   chairs and thus made them                                            5 5","re-usable again. People also call         him ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’,      My dear countrymen, we         that is, RRR, (Triple R) Champion.   are all very proud of our heritage.         His unique efforts can also be    And I always say ‘Development         seen at the offices of Kozhikode   as well as Heritage’. That is why         Civil Station, PWD and LIC.       I am getting a lot of messages             Friends, we have to connect   about a particular aspect of         as many people as possible        my recent visit to the US. Once         with the ongoing cleanliness      again, there is a lot of discussion         campaign. And this is not         about the return of our ancient         a campaign for one day or         artefacts. I can understand your         one year;  it is a task to  be    feelings about this and I would         undertaken continuously for       also like to tell the listeners of         ages.  This  is  work  to  be  done   'Mann ki Baat' about it.         until ‘cleanliness’ becomes our       Friends, during my visit to         nature. I request all of you to take   the US, the US government has         part in the cleanliness campaign   returned around 300 ancient         along  with  your family,  friends,   artefacts  to  India.  US President         neighbours and colleagues. I      Biden,   very   affectionately,         once again congratulate all       showed me some of these         of you on the success of the      artefacts in his private residence         ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.          at Delaware. Returned artefacts                                          6","are made of materials such as     the returned artefacts. These           terracotta, stone, ivory, wood,   are mainly from Northern and           copper   and   bronze.  Many      Southern India. Looking at these           of  these  are four  thousand     artefacts, one realises how           years  old.  The  US  has  returned   much attention our ancestors           artefacts dating back to 4000     paid to intricate detailing. They           years… those from the 19th        had a great understanding of           century as well.  These include   art. Many of these artefacts were           vases, terracotta plaques of      taken out of the country through           gods and goddesses, statues       smuggling and other illegal           of Jain Tirthankaras, as well as   means—this is a serious crime.           statues of Lord Buddha and Lord   In a way, it is like destroying           Shri Krishna.  Several animal     our heritage, but I am very           statuettes are also among the     happy that in the last decade,           returned items. From Jammu        many such artefacts and many           and Kashmir, terracotta tiles     elements of our ancient heritage           bearing male and female figures   have been brought back home.           are  very   interesting.  These   Today, India is also working with           include bronze idols of Lord      many countries in this direction.           Ganesha from Southern India as    I believe that when we are proud           well. A large number of images    of our heritage, the world also           of Lord  Vishnu  are also among   respects it, and as a result of                                             that, today many countries are                                                                   7 7","returning to us such artefacts                                           that were taken away from here.                                                 My dear friends, if I ask you                                           which language a child learns                                           most easily and quickly—your                                           answer  will  be  ‘mother  tongue’.                                           In our country, almost twenty                                           thousand    languages        and                                           dialects are there, and each one                                           of them is surely a mother tongue                                           of someone or the other. There                                           are some languages   which are                                            used by very few people, but you                                           will be happy to know that today,                                           unique efforts are being made to                                           preserve those languages. One                                           such language is our ‘Santhali’                                           language. A campaign has been                                           started to give a new identity to                                           Santhali with the help of digital                                           innovation. ‘Santhali’ is spoken                                           by the people of the Santhal                                           tribal community residing in                                           many states of our country.                                               Apart  from  India,  tribal                                           communities  speaking Santhali                                           are also present in Bangladesh,                                           Nepal and Bhutan. Ramjit Tudu,                                           a   resident  of  Mayurbhanj,                                           Odisha, is running a campaign                                           to create an online identity of                                           the Santhali language. Ramjeet                                           ji has prepared a digital platform                                           where literature related to the                                           Santhali language can be read                                         8 8                       Santhali language script","and written in Santhali language.   confluence of our strong resolve           Actually, a few years ago when    and collective  participation,           Ramjeet ji started using the      it  leads  to amasing  results           mobile phone, he was saddened     for the entire society. Its most           by the fact that he could not     recent  example  is  ‘Ek Ped           send messages in his mother       Maa ke Naam’—this was an           tongue. After that, he started    amasing campaign; such an           exploring the possibility of typing   example of public participation           ‘Ol Chiki’ script in Santhali. With   is truly inspiring. People in every           the help of some of his friends,   nook and corner of the country           he developed the technique of     have done wonders in this           typing ‘Ol Chiki’. Today, due to his   campaign which was started for           efforts, articles written in Santhali   conservation of the environment.           are reaching millions of people.  Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya               Friends,  when there’s a      Pradesh,    Rajasthan    and                                                                                  9 9","Telangana  have  created  a  new      My dear friends,  you  must         record by planting more saplings   have seen there are some people         than the target.  Under this      around us who do not lose         campaign, more than 26 crore      patience in any adversity; rather,         saplings have been planted        they learn from it. Subashree,         in Uttar Pradesh. The people      one such lady, with her efforts,         of Gujarat planted more than      has created a wonderful garden         15 crore saplings. More than 6    of rare and very useful herbs.         crore saplings were planted       She  is  a  resident  of  Madurai  in         in Rajasthan in the month of      Tamil Nadu. Though she is a         August alone. Thousands of        teacher by profession, she also         schools in the country are also   has  great  affinity  for  medicinal         participating in this campaign    herbs. This affection of hers         with great enthusiasm.            started in the eighties when her             Friends, many  examples       father was bitten by a poisonous         related   to   tree   planting    snake. At that time, traditional         campaigns keep coming to          herbs helped her father recover         the fore in our country. One      to quite an extent. After this         such example is that of K.N.      incident, she started exploring         Rajasekhar  ji of Telangana. His   traditional medicines and herbs.         commitment to planting trees      Today, she has a unique herbal         amazes us all. About four years   garden in Verichiyur village of         ago, he started a tree planting   Madurai, in which there are more         campaign. He decided that he      than 500 rare medicinal plants.         would certainly plant a tree every   She has worked very hard to         day. He followed this campaign    prepare  this  garden…  In search         like a strict vow. He has planted   of every plant, she travelled far         more than 1500 saplings. The      and wide, gathered information,         most remarkable point is that     and many times asked for help         even  after  becoming  a victim   from other people. During Covid,         of a mishap this year, he did not   she made available to the         waver from his resolve. I heartily   people these immunity boosting         appreciate all such efforts. I also   herbs. Today people come from         request you to join this sacred   far and wide to see her herbal         campaign,  ‘Ek Ped Maa ke         garden. She imparts information         Naam’.                            about herbal plants and their                                          10 10","uses to everyone. Subashree is    will surely find these challenges           carrying forward our traditional   interesting.  Some challenges           heritage,  which  has  been  a    even focus on music, education           part of our culture for hundreds   and even anti-piracy. There are           of years. Her herbal garden       many professional organisations           connects our past to the future.   associated with this objective           Our best wishes to her.           and are providing full support               Friends, in these changing    to these challenges. In order to           times, the nature of jobs is      participate, you can log in to           changing and new sectors are      wavesindia.org.  I specially urge           emerging, such as gaming,         the creators in the country to           animation,  reel  making,  film   ensure participation and bring           making, or poster making. If      their creativity to the fore.           you can perform well in any of           these skills, your talent can get    My dear fellow citizens, this           a very big platform. If you are a   month marks the culmination           part of a band or working for a   of 10 years of another important           community radio, then there is    campaign.   The   success  of           also a huge opportunity for you.   this campaign includes the           In order to promote your talent   contribution of the country’s           and creativity, the Ministry of   big industries as well as small           Information  and Broadcasting,    shopkeepers.   I  am   talking           Government    of  India,  has     about  ‘Make  in  India’. Today,           started 25 challenges under       it gives me immense joy to see           the theme, ‘Create in India’. You   that the poor, the middle class                                           11 11","and MSMEs are getting a lot of    ki  Baat’ we’ve  also  discussed         benefit  from  this  campaign.    #MyProductMyPride’. How the         This campaign has provided an     people of the country can benefit         opportunity  for  people  of  every   from promoting local products         class to showcase their talent.   can be understood through an         Today, India has become a         example. In Bhandara district         manufacturing     powerhouse,     of Maharashtra, there is an old         and it is because of the youth    textile tradition of ‘Bhandara         power of the country that the     Tussar Silk Handloom’. Tussar         whole world is looking up to      Silk is known for its colour, design         us.  Be  it  automobiles,  textiles,   and strength. In some areas of         aviation, electronics or defence,   Bhandara,  more  than  50  ‘Self         every  sector  of  the country’s   Help Groups are working to         exports is constantly on the rise.   preserve it. Women have a huge         The continual rise of FDI in the   participation in that.  This silk         country is narrating the success   is fast becoming popular and         saga  of  Make  In  India.  Now we   empowering local communities,         are mainly focussing on two       and that is the spirit of ‘Make in         things…  The  first  is  ‘Quality’,   India’.         that is, goods made in our            Friends, in this festive season         country should be of global       you can once again reiterate         standards…  and  the  other  is   your old resolves. Anything         ‘Vocal for Local. That means      you buy should necessarily be         local  products   should  get     ‘Made in India’…Anything you         maximum promotion.  In ‘Mann      gift that too should be Made In                                         12","India.  Merely buying earthen     two months, this atmosphere of           lamps is not ‘Vocal for Local’. You   worshipping, fasting, festivals,           should promote local products     joy and happiness will prevail all           made in your area more and        around.  I extend my greetings           more. Any such product that       to all of you on the upcoming           has been made with the sweat      festivals. Enjoy the festivals with           of an Indian artisan and that is   your family and your loved ones,           made on Indian soil is our pride;   and include others too in your           we always have to lend glory to   joy.  Next month, ‘Mann ki Baat’           this pride.                       will  connect  with  you, bringing               Friends, in this episode of   in some new topics. I thank all of           ‘Mann ki Baat’ I really  enjoyed   you.           connecting with you. Please           send us your thoughts and           suggestions  related  to  this           program. I am waiting for your           letters and messages. Just a few           days later, the festival season is           about to begin. It will begin with   Scan the QR code to           Navratri  and then for the next   listen to 'Mann ki Baat'.                                                                         13 13","14","MANN                                                KI                                                BAAT                                                 Special Mentions by Prime Minister                                                           15","Call for Action               Over the last decade, in the 'Mann ki Baat' program, Prime Minister Shri         Narendra Modi has consistently encouraged citizens to take action on various issues.         These calls for action aim to foster a sense of community and responsibility among         citizens, driving positive change across the nation. A few of these, highlighting         positive results, are mentioned below:          #SwachhBharatMission               Over the decade, the mission has transformed into         a ‘people's movement’. Crores of people, across all         age groups, have realised their duty and responsibility         towards cleanliness.             Many people have restarted the tradition of using         jute and cloth bags while going to shop since Prime         Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave the clarion call to stop         the usage of single-use plastic. In the past years, many         sectors have benefited from the construction of toilets,         which not only restore human dignity but also contribute         to the mission's target of making India Open Defecation         Free (ODF).          #EkPedMaaKeNaam               On  the  occasion  of  World  Environment  Day,         Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Ek Ped         Maa ke Naam' campaign, a unique initiative combining         environmental responsibility with a heartfelt tribute to         mothers.             On 22nd September 2024, the 128 Infantry         Battalion and Ecological Task Force of the Territorial         Army, a unit under  the Ministry of Environment,         Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF\&CC), achieved a         remarkable feat by planting over 5 lakh saplings in         just one hour. The Territorial Army unit's efforts were         recognised by the World Book of Records, London.             The success of this campaign lies in its simplicity         and emotional appeal, encouraging people across the         nation to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers.         In doing so, they honour the nurturing power of         both  nature  and motherhood,  ensuring  that future         generations inherit a healthier and more sustainable         world.                                          16 16","जन भागीदारी क े                                         10 years of Mann ki Baat                   साल                                   #AatmanirbharBharat                                      The initiative was launched by the Government                                 of India in May 2020 to promote economic self-                                 sufficiency and resilience. The campaign aims to                                 reduce dependency on imports and enhance domestic                                 production across various sectors. Prime Minister Shri                                 Narendra  Modi  has  continued  to  inspire  citizens  to                                 adopt Khadi as a lifestyle choice, aligning with the                                 broader goals  of Aatmanirbhar Bharat—economic                                 self-reliance, sustainability and cultural revival.                                     ‘Khadi of India’ has become the forerunner of                                 ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ in the country. Khadi                                 commands a sentimental value for Indians. It symbolises                                 the need and importance of indigenous manufactured                                 goods. There has been an unprecedented growth of                                 332% in the sale of indigenous Khadi products made                                 by artisans from 2013-14 to 2022-23.                                   #VocalforLocal                                      Instead of becoming the world's market, India                                 is now dominating the world market by becoming a                                 manufacturing hub with the mantras ‘Vocal for Local’                                 and ‘Aatmanirbharta’, and local Indian products are                                 becoming the global market's first choice.                                     The ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign has given a                                 new identity to the life and products of the tribal                                 communities living in remote areas, and there is now                                 no discrimination because everyone has equal access                                 to the country's resources. This movement, pioneered                                 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a call to action                                 to support local products and businesses, harness                                 the potential of local manufacturing communities and                                 upgrade them financially.                                              17 17","#HarGharTiranga               'Har Ghar Tiranga’ is a campaign that started         under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to         encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and         hoist it to celebrate India’s Independence. Bringing         the flag home collectively as a nation thus became         symbolic of not only an act of personal connection         to the Tiranga but also an embodiment of our         collective commitment to nation-building.             In 2022, the national flag was hoisted at more         than 23 crore homes and 6 crore people uploaded         their selfies with the flag on www.harghartiranga.         com. In 2023, over 10 crore selfies were uploaded         under the HGT campaign.             2024  marked  the  third  edition  of  the         campaign. A highlight of the campaign has been         the special Tiranga Bike Rally featuring Members         of Parliament, on 13th August at 8 AM. The rally         started  from  Bharat  Mandapam,  Pragati  Maidan,         New Delhi and ended at Major Dhyan Chand         Stadium, passing through India Gate.           #MeraPehlaVoteDeshKeLiye             The 'Mera Pehla Vote Desh Ke Liye' campaign         aims  to  bring  together  the  youth  of India  to         be active participants in the electoral process.         The  initiative  has  significantly  impacted  youth         participation in the electoral process by raising         awareness about the importance of voting.         It encouraged informed decision-making and         fostered a sense of responsibility among first-         time voters, contributing to a more engaged and         active citizenry.         a)  1,09,868  #Mera  Pehla  Vote  Desh  Ke  Liye             pledges were taken in 12 regional languages         b)  91,610 people took part in the Quiz on India’s             democracy. 2,218 submissions were received             as part of the Reel Making Contest on ‘Desh             Hamara Kaisa Ho’         c)  1,258 podcasts were submitted on the theme             of ‘Desh Hamara Kaisa Ho’         d)  1,895 blogs were submitted on ‘Desh Hamara             Kaisa Ho’.                                         18 18 18","#FitIndia (Fit India Movement)                                        FIT INDIA  Movement was launched on                                    29th August, 2019 by PM Narendra Modi with                                    a view to make fitness an integral part of                                    our daily lives. The mission of the Movement                                    is to bring behavioural changes and move                                    towards a more physically active lifestyle.                                    The movement emphasises the importance of                                    holistic wellbeing, encompassing both physical                                    and mental health.                                       The  human body’s  rawest form  of                                    'FREEDOM' used for the ‘FIT India Freedom                                    Run’, has resonated with Indians. In the three                                    'Fit India Freedom Runs' organised in 2020,                                    2021 and 2023, over seven crore citizens                                    participated. ‘Fit India’ has now become a                                    national movement.                                     #DigitalIndia (Digital India Initiative)                                    The Digital India programme was launched                                    by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on July                                    01, 2015 with an aim to transform India into                                    a  knowledge-based  economy  and  a  digitally                                    empowered society by ensuring digital                                    services, digital access, digital inclusion, digital                                    empowerment  and  bridging  the  digital  divide.                                    Few initiatives include:                                      x  ₹More than 135 crore Aadhaar Cards have                                       empowered residents, especially the poor                                       and vulnerable, to seamlessly avail the                                       benefits of government services.                                      x  ₹DigiLocker- Around 18.38 crore users are                                       using the App and 622 crore documents are                                       digitally stored in the cloud.                                      x  ₹eHospital- More than 1,000 hospitals across                                       India have been enabled with the eHospital                                       facility.                                      x  ₹National  Scholarship  Portal  (NSP)-  More                                       than 100 Scholarship schemes of Central/                                       State Governments are available on NSP                                       Portal.                                      x  ₹To  further  mitigate  the  language  barrier,                                       Bhashini, an AI enabled national language                                       translation platform has been launched to                                       ensure access to the internet for citizens                                       who do not know English. As on date,                                       1000+ pre-trained AI models for language                                       translation in 10 Indian languages have been                                       made available on the Bhashini platform.                                           19 19 19","A Decade of Social Change, Public                Awareness, and Citizen Engagement                                               parents   to  celebrate   and                                           showcase their daughters, to                                           the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan,                                           direct engagement with citizens,                                           particularly  the  youth,  has                                           made these movements not                                           just government-led initiatives                                           but people-driven efforts for                                           societal scale change. Another                                           poignant  example  is  the  call                                           to surrender gas subsidies for             Shashi Shekhar Vempati        wealthier households, which led           Former CEO Prasar Bharati \&     to millions of middle- and lower-           Author of the book ‘Collective   middle-class families voluntarily          Spirit Concrete Action – Mann ki                                           giving up their subsidies to          Baat and its Influence on India’                                           support those in need. This act                                           of  selflessness,  encouraged  by                                           'Mann ki Baat', is a testament to                                           how the broadcast has catalysed                                           positive civic behaviour and                                           fostered a collective spirit of             Over the past ten years,      social responsibility.         'Mann ki Baat' has emerged as         By bringing lesser-known         a  unique  platform  for  driving   but vital issues into the national         social change, fostering public   spotlight and by highlighting         awareness,   and    enhancing     the   work    of    grassroots         citizen  participation.  From     champions—whether        they         empowering  grassroots  voices    are individuals building check         to creating a shared sense of     dams in rural areas, organising         national purpose, 'Mann ki Baat'   energy conservation rallies, or         is the most consequential Prime   weaving khadi as part of local         Ministerial intervention in the   entrepreneurial efforts, 'Mann         history of independent India      ki Baat' has given visibility         without a precedent.              to   unsung   heroes.   These             From its inception, 'Mann ki   personal stories have not only         Baat' has been instrumental in    inspired listeners but have also         igniting  grassroots  movements   underlined   the   importance         and promoting societal change.    of individual contributions to         From  the  ‘Selfie  with  Daughter’   nation-building.         campaign, which encouraged            Drawing on examples from                                        20                                       20","India’s rich history and culture   challenges to celebrating citizen           while weaving them into the       action on public sanitation,           fabric of contemporary societal   the 'Mann ki Baat' journey has           goals, Prime Minister Narendra    been both participative and           Modi has strived to encourage     introspective in its character           citizens to take action alongside   going where no Indian Prime           instilling a deep sense of pride in   Minister had ever gone before. It           India's  culture,  heritage  and  its   is perhaps no surprise that 'Mann           timeless icons.                   ki  Baat' has  inspired  several               While drawing inspiration     thousand  academic research           from the ‘ancient’, 'Mann ki Baat'   papers in peer reviewed journals           has aspired for the ‘modern’      on diverse subjects ranging           through both its innovative use of   from  public  communication,           technology and its championing    behavioural  economics   and           of technology. With translations   language models. In an era           in over several languages and     when   the  public  discourse           dialects, the broadcast reaches   has  been  dotted  by  western           even the most remote corners of   models of ESG (Environmental,           India. Its multilingual presence   Social and Governance), DEI           has even inspired research in     (Diversity, Equity \& Inclusion)           Natural  Language Processing      and CSR (Corporate Social           (NLP) and AI, which is being used   Responsibility),  Prime Minister           to improve machine translation    Narendra Modi has laid down the           technologies    for     Indian    foundation for the emergence of           languages.                        uniquely Indian model of socio-               One of the most remarkable    economic development.           aspects of 'Mann ki Baat' is its     The Narendra Modi model           apolitical stance. Prime Minister   that emerges through these           Modi has consciously kept the     ten years of 'Mann ki Baat' has           broadcast free from political     people and local communities           discourse,  focusing   instead    at its heart while being deeply           on  social  issues,  national  unity   rooted  in  their  culture  and           and inspirational stories. This   traditions. While this Modi model           apolitical character has allowed   is powered by modern science           the program to resonate with      and technology, it is guided by a           citizens across the political     holistic approach that is mindful           spectrum, ensuring its broad      of the impact on livelihoods,           appeal and long-term impact.      nature and the environment.               If  Nehru’s  Discovery  of    Prime Minister Narendra Modi           India was a static window into    through his 'Mann ki Baat' has           India’s past, frozen in time,     thus set a high benchmark for           Narendra Modi’s 'Mann ki Baat'    socio-economic   development           is an interactive perspective into   with  this  uniquely  Indian           India’s future that is dynamically   model by which future leaders,           evolving   with  time.   From     governments,  corporates  and           crowdsourcing inputs on climate   public institutions will be judged.                                            21 21","Mere pyaare deshwaasiyon, Namaskar!                    The Overarching                    Journey of              Mann ki Baat              Over the past decade, 'Mann ki Baat', launched on October 3, 2014, has grown         into one of India’s most influential communication platforms. This monthly         radio address, which airs on the last Sunday of every month, has fostered a         unique dialogue between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and citizens from all         walks of life. It is a show not just of words but of collective action, inspiring         grassroots movements and influencing national conversations.          A 2023 report from IIM Rohtak found that there are           23 crore regular listeners of 'Mann ki Baat', with          96% of the population being aware of the famous                             radio programme.          This initiative has not only chronicled India's journey over the past ten         years but also created awareness on key issues like sanitation, health, rural         development, health and fitness, environment and national unity.                                         22                     22","Major                               October 2014 –                                                    The Inception                                                    'Mann ki Baat' debuted          Milestones                                on Vijayadashami with an                                                    overarching theme of nation-                                                    building and social unity. The                                                    first episode received an                                                    overwhelming response and           January 2015 – A Landmark                set the tone for the many           Collaboration                            narratives to follow.           In this episode, PM Modi was joined by           former U.S. President Barack Obama,           marking the first-ever radio address           by an Indian Prime Minister and an           American President together. They           discussed key issues like the Beti           Bachao, Beti Padhao Mission, languages,           and foreign affairs, making the episode   November 2016 –           a global talking point for weeks.      Demonetisation Discourse                                                  During this episode of 'Mann                                                  ki Baat', PM Modi explained                                                  the rationale behind the                                                  government’s decision to                                                  demonetise ₹500 and ₹1000          June 2019 –          'Mann ki Baat' 2.0                      currency notes.The message          After the 2019 general                  resonated with millions, uniting          elections, PM Modi                      both urban and rural India in a          resumed 'Mann ki Baat'          with a heartfelt return, marking        collective effort to build a more          the beginning of 'Mann ki               transparent economy .          Baat' 2.0. PM Modi expressed          how much he had missed this          connection with the people          during the election period,          describing the program as a          lively, family-like conversation     April 2023 – The 100th          that drives change.                  Episode Milestone                                               'Mann ki Baat' completed its 100th                                               episode, with PM Modi reflecting on                                               the incredible stories of courage and                                               transformation shared by the people                                               of India. 'Mann ki Baat' has now         June 2024 –         'Mann ki Baat' 3.0                    become a platform for showcasing         After the historic win in general     mass movements like Swachhata         elections this year, PM Modi now      Abhiyaan or celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit         aims to reignite the spirit of        Mahotsav, PM Modi emphasised how         dialogue with citizens with 'Mann     every episode has transformed these         ki Baat' 3.0. As the program          ideas into mass movements.         resumed after a brief hiatus, it is         now set to empower communities,         fostering a renewed commitment         to collective progress under the         Modi government's vision of         transformation.                 23                         23","Did                                'Mann ki Baat' is aired in 22 Indian languages,           You                  11 foreign languages, including Arabic, Chinese,                                and  French, and 29 dialects reaching Indian         Know                   diaspora and global audiences.             'Mann ki Baat' reached an astonishing 100           crore listeners, showcasing its immense           popularity and impact across the nation.                                   'Mann ki Baat' is being broadcast by                               more than 500 broadcast centres of                               All India Radio.              The program has a social media following           of over 10 million across various platforms,           including Facebook, X, and Instagram.             In its ten-year journey, 'Mann ki Baat' has transcended from a monthly radio show to          a nation-building movement. Its influence on the public psyche is profound, promoting          social reforms and evoking pride in India’s progress. It continues to inspire, educate,          and mobilise millions, ensuring that citizens remain at the heart of national progress.          As 'Mann ki Baat' progresses, its legacy of uniting the country through shared stories of          inspiration is only set to deepen.                                                              24                                       24","Stories that Made a Difference            Pandemic to Progress           During the pandemic, in 'Mann ki Baat', PM Modi encouraged citizens to get vaccinated by           fostering community discussions around the benefits of vaccines.           His call led to increased public trust, driving massive participation in the vaccination drive,           helping India tackle COVID-19 head-on.           PM Modi also emphasised wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and supporting local           businesses, encouraging citizens to turn the crisis into an opportunity for resilience and           self-reliance.           Empowering Rural Entrepreneurs           PM Modi, through 'Mann ki Baat', has consistently shared stories of rural artisans and small           business owners thriving under the 'Vocal for Local' initiative. These  inspiring tales have           encouraged countless small-scale entrepreneurs to embrace local production, boosting their           businesses and fostering economic self-reliance across India.           ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ Campaign           In 'Mann ki Baat', PM Modi highlighted how communities have elevated the Ek Ped Maa ke Naam           campaign, with continuous efforts leading to the planting of millions of saplings nationwide.           He praised local environmental champions like K.N. Rajashekhar, who has planted one tree           every day, totaling over 1,500 trees. Thanks to the PM's constant recognition of people's           efforts through platforms like 'Mann ki Baat', the ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ campaign, which was           launched on June 5, 2024, successfully achieved the target of planting 80 crore seedlings by           September 2024.           Fit India Movement and Yoga           In 'Mann ki Baat', PM Modi has consistently promoted the Fit India Movement and the global           celebration of International Yoga Day, emphasising their importance in fostering a healthier           lifestyle. One impactful story he shared was of Anvi from Surat, a girl with Down's Syndrome           and heart issues, who transformed her life through yoga. Encouraged by her parents, Anvi           overcame initial challenges and became an expert in yoga, participating in competitions and           winning medals.           Boosting the Space Sector           In 'Mann ki Baat', PM Modi has frequently highlighted the growth of startups in the space           sector, emphasising the economic boost they bring to India. His discussions on space reforms           and achievements, such as the successful Chandrayaan-3 Mission and the launch of commercial           satellites, have inspired youth to engage with astronomy and space technology. Through these           efforts, 'Mann ki Baat' has played a pivotal role in fostering innovation and encouraging the           next generation to explore opportunities in the burgeoning space industry.                                                             25                                        25","Catch the Rain: India’s Drive                     Toward Water Security                                                 address water insecurity through                                           locally led climate adaptation.                                               India’s connection to water                                           dates to ancient civilisations,                                           with settlements like those along                                           the Ganga and Indus rivers                                           flourishing  due  to  proximity  to                                           water bodies. Traditional water                                           management systems such as                                           stepwells, tanks, baolis, khadin,                  Alok K. Sikka            etc.  were  developed,  reflecting             Country Representative        a  deep cultural  reverence  for            (India), International Water   water. India now faces significant              Management Institute,                                           water security challenges due to                   New Delhi                                           increased  agricultural  demand,                                           rapid    population    growth,                                           urbanisation,  industrialisation             The marginal increase in      and climate change. Over-         groundwater recharge and the      reliance on groundwater and         decline in overall groundwater    its  unsustainable  use   are         extraction over two consecutive   resulting in rapid depletion of         years (2021-22 and 2022-23),      groundwater.  Inadequate  water         revival of streams and enhanced   management,        decreasing         availability of surface water in   per capita water availability,         local water bodies at number      and   climate  change    have         of places, can be attributed to   aggravated the water insecurity,         the impact of the 'Catch the      underscoring the urgent need for         Rain' campaign. This has not      reforms in water conservation.         only instilled the understanding   The ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign         about the value of conserving     aims to tackle these issues by         rainwater amongst the masses      promoting rainwater  harvesting         but also sparked optimism that    and conservation.         with sustained,  community-led        Launched by the Prime         efforts,  water  resources  can  be   Minister Narendra Modi, the         effectively managed to help       ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign                                         26                                       26","promotes rainwater  harvesting    improving    water    security,           nationwide, with a focus on       especially  in  rural  areas,  by           capturing rain where it falls,    ensuring  that  rainwater   is           when it falls. The campaign       captured    locally   through           focuses on water conservation     location  specific  decentralised           and    rainwater   harvesting,    water   capture  interventions           including rejuvenation of water   leading to enhanced surface           bodies,  geotagging,  making      water    availability  and/or           inventory  of  water   bodies,    groundwater    recharge    for           developing   scientific   water   supporting   agriculture  and           conservation plans, setting up    livelihoods. The increase in           Jal Shakti Kendras, intensive     groundwater recharge and the           afforestation,  and    raising    decline in overall groundwater           awareness. This has not only      extraction in India over two           raised  awareness   but  also     consecutive years (2021-22 and           changed the mindset of many,      2022-23) highlight the impact of           particularly among women and      the ‘Catch the Rain’  campaign.           youth, toward the importance of   There  are  examples  of  local           water conservation.               streams/springs  revival  and               India’s ‘Catch the Rain’      multiple water uses, including           campaign     has   made     a     raising  fish  for  nutrition  and           substantial  contribution  to     livelihood security. These efforts                                             are important for the source                                                                        27                                         27","sustainability of drinking water   been instrumental in driving         under   Jal   Jeevan   Mission    the success of 'Catch the Rain',         (JJM). In a recent study in       providing a model for other         Moradabad district of Uttar       nations facing water security         Pradesh, the International Water   challenges. Since its relaunch in         Management Institute (IWMI)       2021, the campaign has overseen         observed that the concerted       more than 7.9 million water-         efforts  by  local  authorities   related works with an investment         on Amrit Sarovar is providing     of  nearly  ₹1  lakh  crore.  There         multiple   benefits   including   have been concerted efforts by         groundwater    recharge   and     various district administrations         creating  much-needed  public     and    it  has    empowered         space for communities. A Women    local institutions like Gram         Self-Help Group in Bilari block,   Panchayats and Urban Local         Moradabad, involved right from    Bodies (ULBs) to plan and         construction to maintenance       execute   water  conservation         of ponds, is earning income       works. The integration of digital         through  fisheries  and  sale  of   tools, including GIS mapping         food/snacks in the created        and mobile apps for tracking         public space.                     progress,  reflects  a  growing             Government  support  has      global trend of using technology                                           for effective water management                                           planning     and     ensuring                                           transparent monitoring.                                               Community    participation                                           has been a cornerstone of the                                           'Catch the Rain' campaign’s                                           success. The focus of the 2024                                           theme, Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti                                           (Women Power to Water Power),                                           highlights the importance of                                           empowering women to lead                                           water conservation efforts. The                                           success stories of Jal Saheli in                                           Bundelkhand region of Madhya                                           Pradesh clearly demonstrates                                           the     transformative    role                                           women can play in managing                                           water   resources.   Engaging                                           local institutions like Gram                                           Panchayats   in  rural  areas                                           and ULBs in cities to plan and                                           execute   water  conservation                                        28                                       28","activities has added desired           value. The NGOs, Civil Society           Organisations   (CSOs),   and           youth groups like the National           Cadet    Corps   (NCC)    and           National   Service    Scheme           (NSS) have also mobilised           large numbers of citizens to           actively participate, creating           a broad-based impact. These           community-driven efforts help           ensure long-term sustainability.               The integration of traditional           water conservation methods                                             overall concept of integrated           with   modern    management                                             water resources management           practices is crucial to the                                             from   field,   farm,   village,           success of 'Catch the Rain'.                                             watershed  and  basin scales  is           Integration of innovative water                                             important.           management     practices   for                                                As     climate     change           water  demand  management                                             intensifies,  the  'Catch  the  Rain'           and   increased   water   use                                             campaign    will  increasingly           efficiency  will  be  crucial  for                                             prioritise  climate  resilience           resilient water management and                                             and     sustainable     water           climate adaptation. Positioning                                             management.         Emerging           rainwater management in the                                             technologies like AI-driven water                                             monitoring,  predictive  weather                                             analytics, and climate-adaptive                                             rainwater  harvesting systems                                             are expected to play a key role                                             in future strategies. Expanding                                             community-based    watershed                                             management,     strengthening                                             public-private   partnerships,                                             and enhancing national and                                             international   collaborations                                             for knowledge and technology                                             exchange will be critical. In                                             conclusion, the 'Catch the Rain'                                             campaign showcases the power                                             of  community-driven    water                                             conservation  for  addressing                                             water security.                                          29                                         29","Catch the Rain Campaign                               Grassroots Efforts in Water Management                 “Water saved during rainy days helps a lot               during water scarcity months, and that’s the                  spirit of campaigns like ‘Catch The Rain’. I                 am happy that many people are taking new                     …“Friends, at some places woman power                        initiatives to conserve water.”                      enhances water power whereas at other                     places water power also strengthens woman                            -Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his                              114th address of ‘Mann ki Baat’                                     power.”                   Water Conservation             in Uttar Pradesh                                       We, Jal Sahelis, organised a                             meeting and decided to work for                             the revival of Ghurari  river in our                             village which was dry for a long time.                             It took us days to dig out the sand,                             fill it into the sacks, and put them                             together to create the check dam.                             We faced a lot of challenges. The                             sacks we put together were thrown                             away by some people, but we were         Meena,              not afraid. They kept throwing away         Member of           the sacks continually for days and                             we kept putting them together.         Jal Saheli          Finally, they had to surrender before         Self Help           our courage and we succeeded in         Goup                creating the check dam.                                        30                                       30","Fish Farming in            Madhya Pradesh                   People  used  to             discourage us stating             that we, being women,             could not do it – could             not farm fish, take them             out and sell. But with our             courage and hard work,             we proved them wrong.             We changed the way             they thought of us. The   Sharda Dhurve,             same people who once      Head, Sharada             never supported us, now   Aajeevika Self             appreciate our efforts.   Help Group               Removal of Large           Amount of Silt from            the Pond in Madhya                   Pradesh                                                 We  are  twelve  members                                           who work together in this group                                          like sisters. We plant both fruits                                          and  vegetables.  We  have  learned                                          everything  here. It  was  a barren                                          land. We took care of it. The plants                         Phoola Rajak,    were  very  small  when  we started                                          working here. Now they have                         Member of Hari  become trees and give mangoes,                         Bagiya Self      guavas,   jackfruits,  pumpkins,                                          blackberries, gooseberries etc. The                         Help Group       fruits that we get from these trees,                                          we eat them, give to the schools and                                          anganwadi, and sell them also. We                                          have advised all to work harder and                                          prosper. It will be for the good of all.                                            31 31","जन भागीदारी क े                               Swachh Bharat Mission                 साल            10 Years of the World’s Largest Jan Andolan for Swachhata                 If  we  look  around,  we  will   In the 114th Episode of ‘Mann            find that in every part of the         country, some unique effort or    ki Baat’, the Prime Minister         the other is definitely going on,   applauded the citizens of the         associated with ‘cleanliness’.    country, as the mission was         Just a few days later, on the     to complete a decade on 2nd         2nd of October, the Swachh        October,  since  its  inception in         Bharat Mission is completing         10 years. This is an occassion to   2014.         commend those who turned it           In  2014, when  the  Swachh         into such a big mass movement     Bharat Mission was announced         in Indian history. It is also a   from the ramparts of the Red Fort         befitting  tribute  to  Mahatma         Gandhi, who dedicated his         in Delhi, few could have foreseen         entire life to this cause.        the transformative journey that                                           lay ahead. The launch of ‘Swachh          -Prime Minister Narendra Modi    Bharat Mission’ was far more than              (in 'Mann ki Baat' address)                                           a routine public announcement;                                           it was a passionate clarion call,                                           a heartfelt request, and a bold                                           vision statement given to the          “Traditionally,  sanitation  was   nation by the Prime Minister of          a topic shrouded in stigma       India, Shri Narendra Modi during          - not openly discussed in        his   first   Independence   Day          households or communities.       address.          SBM changed this narrative           The  mission   is  divided          by turning cleanliness into a                                           into SBM-Gramin for villages          public discussion topic and                                           and   SBM-Urban    for  cities,          a   collective  responsibility.                                           implemented by the Ministry of          It fostered a ‘Jan Andolan’                                           Drinking Water and Sanitation          where  the  entire  nation,  from          schoolchildren to village elders,   and the Ministry of Housing and          from   business  leaders  to     Urban Affairs, respectively.          celebrities, came together with      As  of  September  2024,  over          a singular vision.”              5.87 lakh villages across India                        -M Hari Menon      have achieved ODF Plus status,                Country Director, India \&   with  over  3.92 lakh villages               Lead, Bill \& Melinda Gates   implementing   solid   waste                            Foundation     management systems and over                                         32                                        32","4.95 lakh villages establishing   continuous  efforts as part  of           liquid  waste    management       the  Swachh   Bharat  Mission           systems. With effective sanitation   have led to improved dignity of           practices,  there  has  been  a   women, better health outcomes,           decrease in waterborne and        enhanced school  attendance           sanitation-related   diseases,    for girls, an increase of small           leading to healthier communities.   and micro entrepreneurs and           Better solid  and liquid  waste   an overall higher quality of life           management practices have         across the country in both rural           contributed to less pollution and   and urban areas.           improved environmental health.       Leading this year’s campaign,           Further,  the  emphasis on  waste   the  ‘Swabhav    Swachhata,           management has led to cleaner     Sanskaar Swachhata (4S)’, are           streets and public areas, making   three key pillars:           neighbourhoods more pleasant         1. Cleanliness Target Units           and livable.                      (CTUs): A Cleanliness Target               An   unwavering    pledge     Unit (CTU) refers to severely           to  achieve ODF Plus  status      neglected, high-risk areas like           includes initiatives encouraging   garbage points or dump sites that           community participation and       pose  significant  environmental           fostering collaboration and unity   and health risks, often overlooked           among    residents.  Improved     during routine cleanliness drives           cleanliness  has  fostered  a     in various regions.           sense of pride among residents,      2.  Safai  Mitra  Suraksha           encouraging   them   to  take     Shivirs: Single-window health and           ownership of their environment.   welfare camps for Safai Mitras for               Over  the   past  decade,     preventive healthcare treatment                                                                  33                                         33","and linkages with various welfare     One of the most impactful         schemes of the Central and State   initiatives to emerge from this         Government.                       movement, which has collective             3.    Swachhata      Mein     action and citizen participation at         Jan    Bhagidari:  Widespread     the forefront, is the development         engagement     with    citizens,  of  inclusive  sanitation  facilities,         communities, and organisations    particularly for women. Examples         to raise awareness and trigger    of women-friendly sanitation are         involvement   through  various    the Sthree Toilet in  Karnataka         activities.                       and the Pink Toilets in Noida.             The campaign focused on           In  the  journey  towards         mobilising public participation   universal sanitation, the creation         (Jan    Bhagidari),  achieving    of women-friendly toilets stands         sustainable  cleanliness,  and    as a testament to India's evolving         recognising the vital role of     commitment  to  hygiene,  safety,         sanitation workers (Safai Mitras).  and dignity for all.             Under Swachhata Hi Seva           Additionally,  as     the         2024, over 19.70 lakh programmes   mission progressed, focus on         have  been completed  with the    tech-enabled,     user-friendly         public participation of more than   sanitation solutions also gained         17 crore people. Transformation   momentum. Among the key         of around 6.5 lakh Cleanliness    developments in this journey is         Target Units has been achieved.   the rise of Smart e-Toilets, offering         Nearly 1 lakh ‘Safai Mitra Suraksha   advanced features that not only         Shivirs’ have also been organised,   meet hygiene standards but also         benefitting  over  30  lakh  ‘Safai   elevate the user experience in         Mitras’. Further, over 45 lakh            urban spaces.         trees have been planted                        To support India's         under  the  ‘Ek  Ped  Maa                    ever-growing   and         ke Naam’ campaign.                            aspirational  urban                                                         population,  the                                                          34                                       34","Swachh Bharat Mission has           integrated  6.36  lakh  community           and    public  toilets  across                                                   DID YOU KNOW?           cities, enhancing the country's           sanitation  infrastructure.  The                                                   A recent study published in           construction  of  toilets  and                                                   Nature, the world’s leading           sanitation  infrastructure  not                                                   multi-disciplinary science           only improved hygiene but also                                                   journal, by leading experts           significantly  impacted  health,                                                   reveals that the Swachh Bharat           especially in rural areas.                                                   Mission (SBM), India’s ambitious               The story of Swachh Bharat                                                   national sanitation program,           is a powerful testament to the                                                   has contributed significantly to           unyielding spirit of duty and                                                   reducing infant and under-           passion that resides in the                                                   five mortality rates across the           hearts of every citizen. From the                                                   country – averting 60,000 –           sacred banks of the Ganges to                                                   70,000 infant lives annually           the expansive Bay of Bengal,           from the heartlands of Bihar and                                                   Launched in 2014, SBM is one of           Jharkhand to the serene Western           Ghats,  the vision of  Swachh           the largest national behavioural                                                   change sanitation programs in           Bharat has been embraced by           citizens living across every corner     the world, aimed at eliminating           of India.                               open defecation by providing               Swachh Bharat is the prime          household toilets across the           example of a mission driven by          country.                    the people, for the                      people, and with the                       people.                                                               35                                         35","A Decade of Swachh Bharat                Revolutionising India’s approach to public health and dignity                                                 reflect on a decade of progress                                           across all these dimensions, it is                                           evident that SBM has heralded                                           a social revolution leading                                           to substantial improvements                                           in economic, environmental,                                           health, and social outcomes for                                           all Indians.                 M. Hari Menon                 One of SBM’s most profound                Country Director,            India \& Lead, Bill \& Melinda   impacts  has  been  on  women.                Gates Foundation           For millions, access to safe                                            sanitation was more than just                                           a matter of hygiene—it was a                                           question of basic dignity and                                           security,  as  highlighted  by                                           the Prime Minister in his 2014                                           Independence    Day    speech                                           that launched the mission.             Ten   years   ago,   India    Before SBM, women and girls         embarked on an unprecedented      often faced the indignity and         journey with the launch of the    risks associated with open         Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).      defecation,      unfortunately         The mission became much more      compromising    their   safety         than just a large- scale sanitation   and health. The construction         initiative  –  it  transformed    of millions of toilets in houses,         how India approaches public       public spaces, schools and         health, women’s dignity, and      institutions has ensured women         community engagement. As we       and girls can reclaim their right                                        36                                       36","to safety and dignity and can           actively engage in daily life –           studying, working or traveling.           Further,  toilet  construction           also involved women’s groups,           training of thousands of women           in toilet design and construction,           and     creating     livelihood           opportunities.  Through   this           lens, SBM is also a women’s           empowerment initiative, beyond           just access to toilets.               At its core, though, SBM           helped redefine the relationship           between public health and           sanitation. By aiming to deliver           universal access to sanitation,           SBM  has  addressed  one  of           the key drivers of malnutrition           and poor health - exposure to           faecal-oral pathogens. Children           are now less vulnerable to           recurrent illnesses like diarrhoea,           which affects their health and           impedes their ability to learn           and grow. SBM’s impact on child           health highlights how improved           sanitation is key to broader           social progress. The statistics are           impressive. Through SBM, over           117 million household toilets were           constructed, and more than           600,000 villages were declared           open defecation-free (ODF) by                                          37                                         37","2019. Estimates suggest that SBM                                           averted over 300,000 deaths                                           related to diarrhoeal diseases                                           and    malnutrition  between                                           2014 and 2019, by enabling                                           improved sanitation coverage                                           and promotion of safe hygiene                                           practices. A recent analysis of                                           infant  and  under  five  mortality                                           data   across   640   districts                                           showed that  SBM  may  have                                           averted approximately  60,000-                                           70,000 infant deaths annually.                                           These results would make SBM                                           one of the most important                                           public health interventions in                                           modern India.                                               Beyond the toilets built and                                           lives saved, SBM’s legacy lies in                                           the cultural shift it has sparked.                                           Traditionally,  sanitation  was                                           a topic shrouded in stigma—                                           not   openly   discussed    in                                           households or communities.                                           SBM  changed this  narrative by                                           turning cleanliness into a public                                           discussion topic and a collective                                           responsibility. It fostered a ‘Jan                                           Andolan’ where the entire nation,                                           from schoolchildren to village                                           elders, from business leaders to                                           celebrities, came together with a                                           singular vision. This behavioural                                           change was perhaps more                                        38                                       38","challenging to achieve than       waste) management under SBM           building infrastructure, but it is   and AMRUT, signals a continued           also  the  most  enduring.  Today,   commitment  to  addressing           cleanliness and sanitation are    urban  sanitation challenges.           woven into the social fabric      This is critical as Indian cities           of  communities,  and  the  Jan   grow and demand resilient           Andolan construct is being        and sustainable infrastructure           leveraged   for  many   other     to  handle  higher  loads,  water           development priorities.           scarcity,  and  environmental               SBM    showcases     what     pollution.           determined political leadership,     Further, prioritising inclusive           and   complete    government      sanitation is imperative, so that           ownership,   combined    with     populations   in  low-income           community engagement,  can        settlements and disaster-prone           collectively achieve.             areas, can access appropriate               Countries in the Global       sanitation solutions with high-           South  are  looking to replicate   quality service delivery.           its success, seeing in SBM a         In the decade since its           demonstrated    blueprint  for    inception, the Swachh Bharat           large-scale,    transformative    Mission has done more than           change. Our foundation was        just build toilets—it has built           privileged to recognise India’s   communities, inspired change,           sanitation progress by awarding   and   fundamentally    altered           Prime Minister Narendra Modi      India’s  trajectory  in  public           the Global Goalkeeper Award at    health. Its impact, particularly           the Goalkeepers event in New      on women and children, is a           York in September 2019.           testament to its broad-reaching               Looking ahead, with rapid     success. As it continues to           urbanisation and environmental    evolve, its  core  principles  of           degradation,  lessons   learnt    dignity, health, and collective           from SBM become even more         responsibility will inspire nations           relevant. The ongoing phase       worldwide,   helping   create           of  the  sanitation  missions,    healthier, cleaner, and more           focusing on used water  (liquid   inclusive societies.                                          39                                         39","Swachh Bharat                       On 2nd October, the 'Swachh           Mission                             Bharat Mission' will complete                                             its 10 years. This is an occasion                                             to congratulate those people                                             who made it such a big mass                                             movement in Indian history.                                             This is also a true tribute         Global Leaders                      to Mahatma Gandhi, who                                             remained dedicated to this         Praise PM Modi’s                    cause throughout his life.         Vision                                           PM Modi in his 114th                                           'Mann ki Baat' address         The Swachh Bharat Mission marked         a transformative journey towards                                          The Swachh Bharat Mission has         a cleaner and healthier India. With                                          become a pioneering initiative,         the ambitious goal of eradicating                                          capturing global attention for its         open    defecation,  improving                                          scale, impact, and vision. As the         sanitation  infrastructure,  and  mission transformed sanitation and         promoting hygiene awareness, the   hygiene across India, influential         mission  has  become  one  of  the   global leaders have acknowledged         largest cleanliness drives in the   its success in improving public                                          health and living standards. The         world. Over the past decade, it has                                          initiative’s reach, which led to the         significantly improved sanitation in                                          construction of over 110 million         rural and urban areas, empowered                                          toilets and 6 lakh open defecation-         communities through behavioural   free declared villages, has set         change, and enhanced public      a benchmark for other nations.         health    outcomes,    making    Recognising its transformative         cleanliness a national priority. As   power, global figures have praised                                          PM Modi's leadership, viewing         the mission completes 10 years in                                          Swachh Bharat as a model for         2024, its impact is visible not only                                          addressing sanitation challenges         in cleaner streets and better health   worldwide. The mission’s success         but  also in  the  shift towards  a   has sparked international         cleanliness-conscious society.   conversations about replicating                                          similar large-scale cleanliness                                          drives in other developing regions.                                                  40                                       40","The Indian government made sanitation and hygiene           national priorities by mobilising resources, engaging           communities, and igniting a movement to eliminate           open defecation and promote a cleaner, healthier           nation. The Swachh Bharat initiative demonstrates           India's exemplary commitment to improving the health           and well-being of its huge population.               -Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director                    General of the World Health Organisation              Ten years ago, the Swachh Bharat Mission launched with a           bold vision to transform India through improved sanitation.           Today, as we reflect and celebrate the remarkable           achievements of this initiative, the World Bank is proud           to have been a steadfast partner in this journey.           Congratulations to Prime Minister Modi, whose personal           leadership and involvement made this bold vision a new           reality for India.                         -Ajay Banga, World Bank President              Over the last decade, the Swachh Bharat Mission           has  transformed  the lives  of  millions  across  India,           providing cleaner cities and better sanitation. The Asian           Development Bank is proud to have partnered with India           on this visionary initiative, supporting it from the very           start. I would like to commend Prime Minister Narendra           Modi for spearheading this transformational campaign,           which has empowered women and the urban poor,           improved health, and created new opportunities.                -Masatsugu Asakawa, Asian Development                                           Bank President            Congratulations to the people of India on Swachh Bharat           Day, celebrated on the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's           birth. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the           Swachh Bharat Mission was launched a decade ago with the           ambitious goal of eradicating open defecation across the           country. Since then, India has made tremendous strides           in improving sanitation and hygiene, installing millions of           toilets and building thousands of fecal sludge treatment           plants, ensuring safer sanitation for millions. India’s           approach has become a model for community-driven           programs, inspiring and mobilising people across the           nation.                                 -Bill Gates, Microsoft founder                                           41 41","SWACHH     BHARAT                                                  Ek Kadam Swachhata Ki Aur                                        42                42","Dhanyavad Prakriti Abhiyan                My dear countrymen, Jhala is  a border village  in Uttarkashi of           Uttarakhand. The youth here have started a special initiative to keep their           village clean. They are running a 'Thank you Nature' campaign in their           village. Under this, the village is cleaned for two hours every day. The           garbage scattered in the streets of the village is collected and dumped           at a designated place outside the village. Due to this, Jhala village is also           becoming clean and people are also becoming aware. Just imagine, if every           village, every street, every locality starts a similar Thank You campaign,           then how big a change can come about.                                        PM Modi in his 114th 'Mann ki Baat' address                                The ‘Dhanyavad Prakriti Abhiyan’ (Thank You Nature) campaign, initiated           by the youth of Gram Jhala in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, has become a model           of community-led cleanliness efforts. Under this initiative, the villagers           dedicate two hours daily to cleaning their streets, collecting garbage, and           disposing of it  at designated areas outside the village. Since its inception in           2020, the Yog Mangal group has played a pivotal role in raising awareness           about the importance of sanitation, fostering a sense of responsibility           among the residents. Through consistent efforts and the power of social           media, this campaign has not only transformed the village but has also           inspired broader national engagement.                      As part of fulfilling the vision of the Swachh Bharat Mission,                     ‘Dhanyavad  Prakriti  Abhiyan’  by  the  youth  of  Gram  Jhala                     was  mentioned  by  Prime  Minister  Modi  in  the  114th  episode                     of 'Mann ki Baat'. Since July 8, we have been conducting a                     cleanliness campaign, building on the efforts we began in 2020.                     We started this from Gram Sabha Jhala, and with the support of                     the eight vibrant villages of the Harsil Valley and the Kalpgedar                     Temple Committee of Gangotri, we are confident of success.                     They have pledged their full support to expand the Dhanyavad                     Prakriti Abhiyan throughout the entire Gangotri region.                         -Abhishek Rautela, President, Dhanyavad Prakriti                                                    Abhiyan, Jhala Village                                          43                           43","Friends, a massive campaign is being run on the                    beaches of Puducherry regarding cleanliness. Here                    a woman named Remya ji is leading a team of                    youth from Mahe municipality and its surrounding                    areas. With their efforts, the people of this team                    are making the Mahe area and especially the                    beaches there completely clean                                     PM Modi in his 114th                                    'Mann ki Baat' address         Remya from Mahe municipality in Puducherry is leading a youth-driven cleanliness         initiative to clean up the Mahe beaches and surrounding areas. Remya’s initiative, inspired         by the Swachh Bharat Mission, started in response to the rising litter and pollution in Mahe.         Despite initial challenges, the community's active involvement, especially from local youth         and residents, has transformed the area.         The campaign has led to regular clean-up drives, waste segregation practices, and         increased community awareness about cleanliness. By actively engaging local youth through         volunteer programs and social media, the initiative not only improves the environment but         also fosters a lasting culture of cleanliness, serving as a model for other towns.              Being  mentioned on  a platform  like ‘Mann ki  Baat’ by the  Prime Minister         is a significant recognition. It highlights the importance of the initiative and can         inspire more people to engage with it. The inspiration to start the cleanliness drive         stemmed from witnessing the growing litter and pollution in our surroundings, which         not only affected the beauty of our village but also posed health risks.         Our community has actively contributed to the Swachh Bharat Mission by organising         regular clean-up drives, conducting awareness sessions, and collaborating with local         authorities for better waste management solutions. Streets that were once littered         are now regularly cleaned, and waste segregation practices have been adopted by         many households.                                                    Remya K, District                                                  Youth Officer,                                                  Nehru Yuva Kendra,                                                  Puducherry                                                     44                                       44","The mantra of               Friends, today it is the success of 'Swachh Bharat           'Reduce, Reuse, and         Mission' that the mantra of 'Waste to Wealth'           Recycle' (Triple R)         is becoming popular among people. People           has become an               have started talking about 'Reduce, Reuse and           integral part of our        Recycle' and giving examples of it. Now I came to           daily lives, promoting      know about a great effort in Kozhikode in Kerala.           sustainable practices       Here, 74 year old Subrahamanian ji has repaired           that not only benefit           the environment but also    more than 23 thousand chairs and made them           encourage resourcefulness.    usable again. People also call him 'Reduce, Reuse,           People across the country    and Recycle' i.e., RRR (Triple R) Champion. These           are adopting these principles in    unique efforts of his can be seen in Kozhikode           various ways.               Civil Station, PWD and L.C. offices.           For example, many households are           switching to cloth bags instead of           single-use plastics, local artisans are    PM Modi in his 114th           transforming discarded materials into    'Mann ki Baat' address           beautiful handicrafts. In cities like Pune and           Bengaluru, community-led initiatives encourage           residents to separate waste at the source, making recycling more effective.           A shining example of this mantra is 74-year-old Subrahamanian ji from Kozhikode,           Kerala, who has repaired over 23,000 chairs, giving them a new lease of life. His           remarkable efforts have earned him the title of 'RRR Champion,' inspiring many in his           community. Following Prime Minister Modi’s mention of his achievements in 'Mann ki           Baat', Subrahamanian ji was honured with a reception organised by Anganwadi workers           in his village, reflecting the pride and recognition that such sustainable initiatives can           bring to individuals and their communities. Let us see how Subrahamanian ji reacted to           this recognition from the Prime Minister.                My family and neighbors are very happy and proud about the Prime               Minister’s mention of me in 'Mann ki Baat'. The Anganwadi workers in my           village  organised  a  reception  program for  me  after the broadcast  of  the  show.           When a damaged chair is repaired, it can be reused, turning waste into           something useful. This type of chair is particularly suitable for people suffering           from back pain. After I repair the chairs, the Safai Karmachari collects the           waste generated from the repairs, which usually happens once a week.           In the past, I used to repair six chairs a day. However, due to my old age, I can now only           repair two chairs each day.                                             Subrahamanian Malayathodi,                                                        Kozhikode, Kerala                                                            45                                         45","The Importance of Reclaiming Lost                   Art and Cultural Heritage                                                  identity and justice for India.                                               This priority since 2014 has                                           yielded rich dividends. The                                           policy also aligns with a global                                           movement for the repatriation                                           of  cultural artefacts  to those                                           who are its rightful inheritors.                                           Since  2014, hundreds  of  stolen                                           art objects or artefacts taken                                           away and auctioned under                 Ratan P. Watal                                           questionable    circumstances             Chairman, Central Vista          Oversight Committee, Ministry    abroad have been returned           of Housing and Urban Affairs,   compared  to  the  insignificant               Government of India         numbers that were returned in                                           the earlier decades.  Many of                                           these artefacts were housed in             Art and culture are vital not   private and public museums         just for a country's  identity, but   abroad but had deep religious         for fostering national pride, unity,   and  cultural  significance  for         and respect on a global scale.    the communities from which         Prime Minister Shri Narendra      they were taken. The return of         Modi’s efforts to reclaim artefacts   these treasures is also a form of         taken from India, especially after   moral  justice and  India's wider         our  Independence,  reflect  this   acceptance  as  an  influencer         importance. Artefacts, integral   in the international diplomatic         to India’s cultural and spiritual   domain. For instance, the return         heritage, were initially taken    of sculptures like Nataraja and         out   from  the   subcontinent    Ardhanarishwara from Australia         during colonial times. After      and the Parrot Lady from         independence we lost many         Canada set a strong precedent         priceless pieces due to theft and   in  India’s  foreign  policy,         international  smuggling.  Their   showcasing India's increasing         return is not just about restoring   influence  in  global  cultural         physical objects but about        dialogues.         reviving  a  sense  of  cultural      Since 2014, India has received                                         46                                       46","numerous treasures, including     that had been lost due to greed           the Mahishasuramardini  idol      and colonial exploitation. The           from Germany and the Uma          recent return of artefacts from           Parameshwari    bronze    idol    the USA after the Prime Minister's           from Singapore. These items,      official visit is a testament to this           once stolen or smuggled, have     effort. Such returns of artefacts           returned to their rightful places   symbolise a reclamation of           on Indian soil, allowing the public   India's history and pride, aligning           to  reconnect with  their  cultural   with a broader global push in           heritage. Several sculptures are   other countries also.           currently  displayed  in  the  New   In conclusion, the return of           Parliament  Building. Bringing    artefacts is about more than           back these artefacts contributes   reclaiming physical objects—           to  the preservation  of history   it represents India’s journey           and a sense of belonging.         towards  cultural rejuvenation               These artefacts will also     and   historical  justice.  The           in future enrich the displays in   endeavours  in  this  regard           the new Yuga Yugeen Bharat        are  laudable,  as  they restore           Museum that is being planned in   pride in India’s heritage and           the Central Vista on Raisina Hill   contribute  to  a  broader  global           in New Delhi. This museum will be   recognition of cultural rights.           bigger than the Louvre Museum     As India continues to reclaim           in Paris. The Government of India,   its lost treasures, the world will           since the last decade, made a     increasingly  acknowledge  and           concerted effort to restore the   understand its rich culture and           diversity of our cultural heritage   history.                                                                   47                                         47","The Homecoming!                        USA Returns 297 Artefacts to India               My dear countrymen, we are all       When it comes to cultural         very proud of our heritage. And      legacy, monuments,         I always say 'Development as         artefacts, ancient scripts,         well as Heritage' ₹Friends, the US   etc., form the tangible         government has returned around       proof of our heritage. It                                      ₹         300  ancient  artefacts  to  IndiaI   was in September only         am very happy that in the last       that India brought home         decade, many such artefacts and      297 artefacts from the         many elements of our ancient         US, further enriching         heritage have been brought           our already brimming                                              reserve. Let us take         back home.  I believe  that when     a quick glance at the         we are proud of our heritage,        details of a few of them—         the world also respects it...        their history, features,                                              relevance, etc.                                           A total of 578 cultural artefacts have been         PM Modi in his 114th 'Mann ki Baat'                                           returned from the US to India since 2016.         address                                           This is the  highest number of cultural                         Did you know?     artefacts returned to India by any country.                                                                 Apsara                             x  sandstone sculpture                             x  from Central India                             x  belonging to 10-11th century CE                             x  female figure in graceful tribhanga posture                             x  adorned with intricate jewelry including crown-like                             x  headgear and big circular earrings                             x  notable for detailed craftsmanship and serene                             x  facial expressions                                                       Jain Tirthankar                             x  bronze sculpture                             x  from Central India                             x  belonging to 15-16th century CE                             x  statue portrays Jain Tirthankar                             x  meditating on a high pedestal also includes motifs of deities                             x  supported by lions and elephants                             x  depicts religious devotion                                        48                                       48","Terracotta Vase                x  broken single-piece vase                x  from Eastern India                x  belonging to 3-4th century CE                x  intricately decorated with the motifs of elephants,                x  a female riding a crocodile, aquatic animals, etc.                x  symbolises ancient Indian artistry in pottery                                           Stone Sculpture                 x  limestone sculpture                x  from South India                x  belonging to 1st century BCE-1st century CE                x  depicts a turban-clad male standing, accompanied by two                women and an elephant rider                x  lower section contains a horse’s head and a wheel                x  notable for its historical significance                                                 Lord Buddha                x  standing sandstone sculpture                x  from North India                x  belonging to 15-16th century CE                x  serene figure draped in a flowy robe                x  depicts Lord Buddha performing the abhaya mudra symbolises                peace and spiritual wisdom                                                 Lord Ganesha                x  bronze sculpture                x  from South India                x  belonging to 17-18th century CE                x  four-armed sculpture depicts the deity holding a pasa, tusk,                modak and parasu                x  noted for its South Indian bronze craftsmanship and religious                devotion                                           49                                         49","Digitisation of the Santhali Language: A Path                      to Preserving Cultural Identity                                                  ensuring the survival of their                                           linguistic heritage.                                               The  Role  of  Digitisation  in                                           Cultural Preservation                                               For  the  Santhal  people,                                           language serves as a vital                                           medium for expressing their                                           heritage and worldview. Digitising                  Ramjit Tudu                                           the Santhali language addresses                     Odisha                                           significant   threats   such   as                                           extinction and  marginalisation.                                           This digital transition enables             The   Santhali  language,     cultural preservation to take         spoken by millions across India,   a tangible form. The internet         Bangladesh, and Nepal, is at risk   facilitates  the  dissemination         of  decline.  The  Santhal  people,   of  the  language  beyond         known for their rich oral traditions,   geographical  boundaries, with         have historically shared their    online dictionaries, translation         cultural values, traditions, and   tools, and dedicated Santhali         history through storytelling and   websites  standardising  and         folk songs. In today’s digital age,   documenting the language.         the preservation of the Santhali      Social  media   platforms         language    has    increasingly   and YouTube also promote         shifted to digitisation, which    Santhali folklore and music,         plays a vital role in maintaining   helping  younger generations         the  cultural  identity  of  the   stay connected to their roots         Santhal    community      and     amidst the growing influence of                                        50                                       50","dominant languages like Hindi     phonemes cannot be written           and English. This connection      in other writing systems. This           fosters a strong sense of identity   prompted me to conduct quick           and pride within the community.   research and develop an Ol               Developing         Typing     Chiki Unicode font and keyboard           Techniques in Ol Chiki            layout, which can be used with               The Ol Chiki script, created   popular software like NHM Writer,           by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in      Keyman Keyboard, Keymagic           1925, transformed the Santhali    Keyboard, etc. In 2014, there was           language by providing it with     no Android keyboard in the Play           a written form. However, its      Store that could facilitate input           integration into digital platforms   in the Ol Chiki script. However, I           faced initial hurdles due to the   found only one keyboard, the           absence  of  standard  fonts  and   C-DAC GIST Keyboard, available           keyboard layouts.                 on the C-DAC website, which               I felt odd at that point      we then popularised within the           because mobile phones and         community. This breakthrough           desktops did not support Ol Chiki   was  crucial  for  promoting           Unicode. The worst part was       Santhali  literacy  in  digital           that we were unable to express    spaces. Today, there are online           our thoughts properly, as some    tools, mobile apps, and typing                                                                   51 51","software  that  support  Ol Chiki,   where we hosted the SOHAGEE         making it easier for Santhali     Unicode font, keyboard layout         speakers to communicate, write,   file and other supporting files. To         and share content online.         expand the reach, we conducted             Successful      Initiatives   outreach   events  in   public         Promoting     the     Santhali    gatherings within the Santhal         Language Digitally                community. As a result, modern             The desire to express cultural   devices  began  supporting         identity through language led     OLCHIKI. In 2017, volunteers from         to the formation of OL_CHIKI_     India, Nepal, and Bangladesh         TECH, supported by R. Ashwani     collaboratively    contributed         Banjan   Murmu     and   Bapi     to Wikipedia Incubator which         Murmu. Our primary goal was       went live in August 2018. Now         to introduce various digital tools   the  Santhali  Wikipedia  has         and techniques through a blog,    over 13,000 articles, making         www.olchikidr.blogspot.com,       it  a substantial  repository  of                                                                          52                                       52","knowledge. Additionally, in 2020,    The outlook for the Santhali           with my two friends Fagu Baskey   language in the digital age           and R Aswani Banjan Murmu,                                             is hopeful but depends on           we  launched  BIRMALI,  the  first                                             continued efforts to promote           literary e-magazine in Santhali,                                             digital literacy and expand           which is freely accessible online                                             content    creation.   Future           through www.birmali.com.               Remaining Challenges in       developments   are   expected           Promoting Santhali Digitally      to include more educational               Despite             these     materials, books, and cultural           advancements,          several                                             resources in Santhali available           challenges persist in promoting                                             online. As digital infrastructure           the   Santhali  language.   A                                             improves and more community           significant  barrier  is  the  lack                                             members gain internet access,           of  digital  infrastructure  in  rural           areas  where   the   language     the digital space will become           is primarily spoken. Limited      increasingly vital for language           internet  access    and   low     learning,  communication,  and           smartphone         penetration                                             cultural pride.           restrict digital literacy, making                                                Collaboration     between           it  difficult  for  people  to  engage                                             government    entities,  tech           with Santhali content. Moreover,                                             companies, and the Santhali           very few educational institutions           offer    Santhali    language     community    is   crucial  to           courses, resulting in a dwindling   overcoming existing challenges.           readership.  The  scarcity  of    By enhancing digital access           Santhali-language  content  on                                             and creating new content, the           major platforms like Google,                                             Santhali language can not only           Wikipedia, and social media                                             survive but thrive, empowering           further limits the language’s                                             the  Santhal  people  to preserve           visibility.               The  Future  of  the  Santhali   their unique cultural identity in a           Language                          rapidly modernising world.                                          53                                         53","Ayurvedic Medical Treatment                       Gateway to Global Medical Tourism in India                  My dear friends, you must         Ayurveda, one of India's            have seen there are some       ancient legacies, is emerging         people  around  us  who  do  not   in a new form in the global         lose patience in any adversity;                                           healthcare   scenario   today.         rather, they learn from it.                                           Ayurveda is not just a medical         Subashree, one such lady,         with her efforts, has created     system  but  a holistic  approach         a  wonderful  garden  of rare     to life, emphasising harmony         and  very  useful  herbs...  Today   among  body,  mind and  spirit.         people come from far and wide                                           This unique system of Ayurvedic         to see her herbal garden.                                           therapy  has  carved  its  distinct          -Prime Minister Narendra Modi    niche in health and medical              (in 'Mann ki Baat' address)  services in India and worldwide.                                           The most prominent example                                           is India's fast-emerging global                                           medical   tourism,  in  which                                           Ayurveda plays an important                                           role.                                               Ayurveda   originated   in                                           India thousands of years ago.                                           It accords importance to the          “Ayurveda is a pro-nature                                           balance of the three doshas of          system   of  medicine   that                                           the body – Vata (water and fire),          advocates   for  a   holistic,                                           Pitta (air and space), and Kapha          personalised       approach                                           (earth  and   water).  Various          to  treatment   rather  than                                           diseases  are  caused  by  their          disease-centric. It is derived          from   unbiased  experiential    imbalance. The main objective          learnings gathered after years   of Ayurvedic medicine is to          of observation and differs       restore this balance in the body          from the modern system of        and prevent various diseases by          medicine, which rides on the     improving the lifestyle.          rigours  of  research-based                                               This   medicine    system          evidence.”                                           employs    medicinal    herbs,                      -Manorajan Sahu      panchakarma (5 procedures),                 Former Dean, Ayurveda     yoga, meditation, and dietary               Faculty, IMS, Varanasi and   guidelines,  which  promote           former Director, AIIA, New Delhi                                           internal cleansing, mental peace,                                       54                                       54","and longevity. This approach      this, Ayurvedic treatment not           not only heals the body but       only cures the disease but also           also  focuses  on  cognitive  and   provides preventive care for           emotional health, making it a     diseases and improves lifestyle,           holistic medicine system.         which makes it ideal for Global               Role  of  Ayurveda  in Global   Medical Tourism.           Medical Tourism                      Ayurvedic       Treatment               India is considered the       Centres in India           birthplace    of    Ayurvedic        Several         well-known           medicine. This is why India       Ayurvedic centres and resorts           is  becoming   an   important     in India provide top-quality           destination for medical tourism   Ayurvedic  medical   services.           today. Every year, millions of    There are prominent Ayurvedic           people worldwide visit India      treatment centres in states like           to  gain  health  benefits  from   Kerala, Goa, Himachal Pradesh,           Ayurvedic medical treatment.      Rajasthan,  and Uttarakhand.           This process is medical tourism,   Foreign tourists visit these states,           where    people   visit  other    especially  for panchakarma,           countries to benefit from health   body cleansing, and Yoga-           services.                         meditation sessions. Kerala is               One  of  the  main  reasons   especially  known as  the  'land           for the popularity of Ayurvedic   of Ayurveda,' where traditional           treatment is that it provides     Ayurvedic   treatments   and           treatment without side effects.   medical    procedures     are           It provides natural remedies      extremely   popular   among           for ailments like heart diseases,   foreign tourists.           diabetes, obesity, depression,       Easy availability and low-           and skin disease. Along with      cost Ayurvedic medical services                                                                 55                                         55","have made India a major tourist   pose a difficult choice for foreign         attraction in the world today.    tourists to avail the right medical             International  recognition    centre. Besides, there is a need         and challenges                    to  strengthen  the  scientific             International recognition of   proof of Ayurvedic treatment         Ayurveda is increasing rapidly.   internationally so that it can be         Many Western countries are        incorporated entirely into the         now incorporating  Ayurvedic      global medical system.         medicines into their healthcare       Ayurveda, one of India's         systems. Demand for Ayurvedic     most ancient traditions, provides         products and treatments is        an excellent opportunity for India         growing  in  countries  like  the   to participate in global medical         USA,  Australia  and   Europe.    tourism today. Its naturopathic         Besides, many research and        practices, treatment without side         scientific   studies   are   also   effects and outlook for lifestyle         being conducted on Ayurvedic      improvement    are  attracting         therapy.  This  is  an  apparent   people worldwide. India can         proof of its effectiveness and    become    a   global  medical         popularity.                       tourism hub by developing its             Despite  the   widespread     Ayurvedic  heritage  in  the  right         adoption of Ayurvedic medical     direction. It will be appropriate         treatment,  there  are  some      to mention that there is a great         challenges too. The biggest       potential for India to emerge         challenge   is  the  lack   of    as a global leader in the health         standardisation.  The  quality    and medicine sector through         and procedures of different       Ayurveda.         medical  centres  vary.  This  may                                                                 56                                       56","How Ayurveda can Complement Modern                                   Healthcare                                                   as our nation is changing                                             rapidly from a developing to a                                             developed country. Therefore,                                             the future of healthcare will be                                             more focused on preventive and                                             promotive aspects of health,                                             and  Ayurveda  with  Yoga  can                                             play a vital role in achieving this                                             goal as it emphasises a healthy                                             diet and nutrition (aahara),                 Manoranjan Sahu             appropriate  individual  conduct           Former Dean, Ayurveda Faculty,    (vihaara) according to daily              IMS, Varanasi and former       (dinacharyaa)  and seasonal               Director, AIIA, New Delhi     regimes (ritucharyaa), and the                                             implementation of external and                                             internal  purification  measures                                             (panchkarma).                                                Ayurveda    is   a    pro-                                             nature system of medicine                                             that advocates for a holistic,                                             personalised        approach                                             to  treatment   rather   than               With the evolving socio-      disease-centric. It is derived           economic,     cultural    and     from   unbiased    experiential           geographical        dynamics      learnings gathered after years           of  population,  the   current    of observation and differs from           scenario of healthcare needs      the modern system of medicine,           in India is gradually seeing a    which rides on the rigours of           shift from communicable and       research-based      evidence.           infectious diseases to non-       However, an integration of the           communicable  and lifestyle-      modern system of medicine           related disorders like diabetes,   and modern scientific tools and           cancer,         cardiovascular    techniques can improve the           diseases, age-related issues,     acceptability  and applicability           etc.  This  phenomenon    will    of the principles and practices of           further enhance in many folds     Ayurveda in this era.                                         57                                         57","as well as abroad. Because of             There are many successful     this unique nature of treatment,         examples where an integration     the centre is privileged to serve         of Ayurveda with contemporary     the  highest  number  of  patients         medical science has been more     than any other centre in the         effective. The National Resource   country.  Integrated  Cancer         Centre of Anorectal Diseases at   Treatment \& Research Centre,         Banaras  Hindu  University  is  one   located in Wagholi, Pune, is         such example. Established in 2013   another organisation that has         with the support of the Ministry   successfully  taken  care  of         of AYUSH, the centre is one of its   thousands of cancer patients         kind that extends high-quality    for the past two decades by an         services for various anorectal    integrated approach. The centre         diseases based on the principles   is  equipped  with  all  advanced         and practices of Sushruta. The    facilities like surgery, cancer         centre has re-established and     chemotherapy, and radiation         validated the ancient surgical    therapy, along with Ayurveda         technique Ksharasutra therapy     treatment for the management         for the management of complex     of cancer. With their integrated         anal  fistulas  by  integrating   approach, cancer treatment         with modern techniques and        has become more effective by         multiple  clinical  trials.  The  reducing the adverse effects of         procedure being effective with    chemotherapy and radiotherapy         less failure and complications    and providing a better quality of         is now accepted by many           life even to terminally ill cancer         modern surgeons in our country    patients. There are other such                                         58                                       58","centres  like  the  Institute  of   been successful in developing           Applied  Dermatology,  Kerala     a   biodegradable    polymer-           that  are   using   integrated    based dressing material from           models  of  treatment  for  the   Panchavalkala so that the drug           effective  management       of    delivery at the wound site is           elephantiasis (gross swelling of   prolonged. It has also lessened           limbs  because  of  filariasis)  and   the frequency of changing the           other lymphedemas.                dressing, thus reducing the pain               Apart from integrating with   and discomfort to the patient           the modern system of medicine,    and the cost of dressing. Also,           an  integration  of  science  and   the process of wound healing           technology with Ayurveda can      becomes much faster with           further  improve   healthcare     such products than with many           delivery. It can improve the drug   conventional  wound dressings           delivery system, enhance the      available today. Promoting such           shelf-life of drugs, and improve   innovations can also reduce           the patient acceptability of      the import of costly dressing           Ayurveda   drugs.   A  recent     materials from foreign countries.           joint  scientific  work  from  the   Therefore, to attain the           Faculty of Ayurveda and IIT,      goal of equitable, affordable,           BHU,  in  the  field  of  wound   accountable    and     quality           care  is  a  significant  example   healthcare services, a judicial           in this regard. Panchavalkala     integration of Ayurveda with           (a   compound      formulation    modern science and medicine           of  barks  of  five  plants)  is  an   will be the best model to cater           important   traditional  drug     to the healthcare needs of the           used in Ayurveda in the form      population in a more cost-           of fresh decoction for wound      effective and holistic way.           management. The team has                                                               59                                         59","WAVES Challenges: Empowering                Creativity, Fostering Opportunity                                                The outcome of this has resulted                                           in a national momentum steered                                           by the Ministry of Information \&                                            Broadcasting (MoIB).                                               India’s  Animation,  Visual                                           Effects, Games \& Comics +                                           Extended   Reality  (AVGC-XR)                  Biren Ghose              sector is empowered by a                 President, ABAI                                           diverse and skilled workforce,                                           which blends technical expertise                                            and creativity. Fuelled by our                                           national bounty of nuanced                                           creative acumen, today India                                           is poised  to enhance our                                           entertainment prowess on the             I served as a part of the     global stage.          National AVGC taskforce, which        We are further propelled by         has over the last few years       the Honourable Prime Minister         authored and evangelised the      of  India,  Shri Narendra  Modi-         industry’s roadmap. This was the   ji’s clarion call to make this a         outcome of a truly successful     ‘soft-power’  for  India and his         collaboration   between     4     endorsement provides further         ministries, 2 trade bodies, 1     impetus to build on the newly          consulting group and working      launched theme of ‘Create in         groups across education, skills,   India’ as a global initiative.         games, industry and innovation.       We   are   all  incredibly                                        60                                       60","enthused that the decision by     and identify the best of the best           Ministry of Information and       among  them  to  create  world-           Broadcasting   will take this     class creative professionals and           Create in India Mission to new    students in India.            heights and showcased at the         From      Gaming,     VFX,           upcoming World Audio Visual       Animation   and   Comics   to           Entertainment Summit (WAVES)      Broadcast, Radio, Generative AI           in 2025.                          and beyond, these challenges               WAVES is a mega event and     will  mobilise  a  grassroots           is all set to bring the global Media   uprising to make this campaign           \& Entertainment (M\&E) industry    a success.            to  India.  The   government,        Companies     and    trade           industry and academia have        associations   have     come           all joined hands and we are       together   to   spread    the           working to set the stage for this   underlying message for WAVES           maiden edition.                   2025 across all regions of the                Fostering     partnerships    country. These challenges are           between industry and academia     purported  to  create   talent           will be essential for innovative           research   and   development,           pushing the boundaries of           what’s possible in AVGC-XR. The           challenges under the ‘Create           in India Challenge - Season 1’            will encourage and empower           the  future workforce of nation           building  with  a  strong  focus                                                   61                                          61","pools  in  the  specific  sectors   to all budding Visual Effects         across  both  content  creation   artists to create stunning VFX         and technology. This, in turn,    masterpieces - the completion         requires ardent protection and    Theme is-\"A Daily Life Superhero\".          safeguards for content security       The  creative  sector   is         given  new  technologies,  for    undergoing    a    remarkable         which CII has taken up the mantle   transformation,        with         with the ‘Anti-Piracy Challenge’,   technological  advancements         under which participants will     and increasingly cutting-edge         develop tools \& technology and    immersive content augmenting         propose initiatives to combat     consumer    experiences.   As          piracy and safeguard creative     we enter this new  economy,         content and digital assets.              imagery and storytelling             Each challenge is                       are moving beyond         curated  specifically                         TV  and  films  into         to         mobilise                           museums, airports          thousands of Indians                          and across public         in every ‘nook and                            spaces. This will         corner’  of  the  country                   foster    innovation         to spotlight every facet of               and        encourage         AVGC-XR  and  help  excellence    new skills based talent and         'bubble up to  the top' while     provide diverse employment         being able to present at WAVES    opportunities to ‘Create In and         on a ‘world stage’ for the finals.  From India’.              At ABAI - the Karnataka           WAVES is a game-changer:         based     pioneering    trade     the developed world sees M\&E         association for the AVGC-XR       as 1-3% of their GDP. In a story         industry,  we    have  launched  a   rich land like ours, with our         national initiative called ‘WAFX   cultural  vibrancy,  India’s  M\&E          Challenge,’ with a \"call to action\"   revenues are about 0.5% of our                                         62                                       62","GDP. The solution to bridge           this  difference  lies  in           increasing our distribution            infrastructure,  ensuring           that  we  benefit  rights           holders by plugging any           piracy, by leveraging           the huge global Indian            diaspora and by building           story  franchises  and           universes of Indian origin           which ‘charms’ the world in            a manner that Hollywood has           done in the past. These are among           the key objectives and priorities for WAVES.               As we look at cementing India’s position           in the ever-dynamic global M\&E           landscape, as well as the            AVGC-XR     business,  we           are  full  of  optimism  that           WAVES will help accelerate           creativity,   innovation,            business   and    impact           globally.               We   are  grateful  to           the PM, PMO and Ministry of           Information \& Broadcasting for            listening  to  the  industry’s  ‘Mann  ki  Baat’  and  articulating           how ‘Create in India’ can be the global opportunity whose           time has come.                                          63                                         63","WAVES              A New Frontier for Creators Across the          Creative Spectrum          India is emerging as a major hub for cost-effective, high-quality content         development. The World Audio Visual \& Entertainment Summit (WAVES)         aims to promote discussions, collaboration, and innovation within the media         and entertainment (M\&E) industry, propelling India onto the global stage.         With Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s endorsement of WAVES and the 'Create         in India Challenge,' creators across the country are inspired to contribute         to India’s growing creator economy. Industry leaders and association heads         have also expressed optimism about PM Modi’s support, as highlighted in his         September 'Mann ki Baat' address.              The WAVES Challenges offer immense potential for India's            electronic industry, especially in AI, esports, and digital            media. With its rapidly growing gaming market, India is            becoming a global leader. Animation plays a crucial role in            enhancing player engagement and immersion. The AVGC            industry is expanding rapidly, projected to reach $6.8 billion            by 2026. WAVES Esports Championship (WESC) is one of            the key challenges under the 'Create in India Challenge -            Season 1.' The creator economy has the potential to create                                                       Lokesh Suji            significant employment opportunities in India. Initiatives like  Director- Esports Federation            WAVES can contribute to the growth of esports in India   of India, VP- Asian Electronic            through various strategies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's   Sports Federation            endorsement of WAVES can inspire and mobilise the creative            community of the country.             WAVES is a platform that aims to democratise creativity           in India. It offers a chance for citizens to participate and           showcase their talents in various forms, such as music,           dialects, and storytelling. By identifying and promoting local           creativity, WAVES can contribute to economic growth and           cultural exchange. The initiative has received recognition           from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which signals India's           openness to the global creative community and investment.           WAVES  serves  as  a  local  platform  for  Indian  creators  to           reach the global stage, similar to what IPL did for Indian           cricket.                                                         Blaise J Fernandes                                                        President, The Indian                                                        Music Indutsry                                       64                                       64","The WAVES Challenges are designed to inspire           students to explore filmmaking and other creative           disciplines as part of their education. Although           India has immense creative talent, formal education           in filmmaking is not yet part of the high school           curriculum. WAVES will not only encourage students           to undertake creative projects but also introduce           them to various career paths within the media and           entertainment industry. By mainstreaming creative           and performing arts, these challenges will elevate           the importance of media-related skills in students'           minds, aligning with India's 'Create in India' mission.           This initiative also highlights the country's vast           cultural heritage, empowering Indian creators to   Chaitanya Chinchlikar           share it globally.                    Vice President, Whistling                                                 Woods International              IAMAI is partnering with the MIB on three WAVES           challenges: AI Art, Reel Making, and Explorer. These           offer creators and technologists a platform to           showcase their work and contribute to India's 'Make           in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives. WAVES           Explorer, focusing on tourism and cultural exchange,           aligns perfectly with these goals. Government-           backed initiatives like WAVES are crucial for talent           development  in  India.  Prime  Minister  Narendra           Modi's endorsement of WAVES in his 'Mann ki Baat'           address has significantly  boosted the initiative,           inspiring creators to participate and strengthening   Dr. Subho Ray           India's position as a hub for homegrown talent and   President- Internet and           innovation. WAVES underscores the MIB's drive to   Mobile Association of India           propel India's creative talent globally by showcasing           the richness of Indian culture and innovation through           original and quality content.               The WAVES challenges promote creativity and           innovation in AVGC, broadcasting, and digital           media, fostering collaboration, talent growth,           and  tech  adoption.  They  support  the  Make  in           India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives by           boosting local talent and creating global export           opportunities. WAVES provides a platform for           showcasing  talent, encouraging  skill  development,           and driving sustainable models. Prime Minister           Modi’s  mention  in  'Mann  ki Baat'  elevates           the initiative,  enhancing  national recognition,   Siddharth Jain           entrepreneurship,  and  institutional  support,  Secretary General- Indian           positioning India’s creative talent on the global stage.   Broadcasting \& Digital                                                 Foundation                                         65                                         65","Crafting Cultural Confidence          जन भागीदारी क े                  साल  ‘Make in India’ Campaign Paves Way for Quality                                                       Indian Products                                                  As stated by PM Narendra             My    dear   countrymen,            this  month    marks   the     Modi, “…the country is narrating         culmination  of  10  years  of    the  success  saga  of  the ‘Make         another  important  campaign.                                           in India’ campaign.”  However, it         The success of this campaign         includes the contribution of      is more than just a government         the country’s big industries as   initiative to boost manufacturing.         well as small shopkeepers. I am   Launched in 2014, ‘Make in India’         talking about ‘Make in India’.    is a celebration of India's cultural         Today, it gives me immense        heritage  and  an  affirmation         joy  to  see  that  the  poor,  the         middle class, and MSMEs are       of its potential on the global         getting a lot of benefit from this   stage. At its core, the campaign         campaign.                         aims to transform India into                                           a global manufacturing hub,          -Prime Minister Narendra Modi              (in 'Mann ki Baat' address)  but its cultural  implications                                           resonate deeply, fostering a                                           renewed sense of pride in Indian                                           craftsmanship, innovation and                                           entrepreneurship.                                              Reviving        Traditional          “In  2014, under the  visionary   Industries          leadership of Prime Minister                                              One  of  the  most  significant          Narendra Modi, the 'Make                                           aspects of the ‘Make in India’          in India' (MII) initiative was                                           campaign    is  its  emphasis          launched…Over    the    past          decade,   it  has  not  only     on  reviving  and   promoting          galvanised    GDP    growth      traditional Indian industries. From          and employment but has           textiles  to pottery,  handloom          also positioned the nation       to  metalwork,  the campaign          as   an   emerging    global     has encouraged artisans and          manufacturing   powerhouse.                                           craftsmen to showcase their          From textiles and electronics                                           skills.  By  integrating  these          to   automobiles,   aviation,                                           traditional practices with modern          renewable    energy,    and                                           manufacturing      techniques,          defence, India's manufacturing          sectors have surged ahead.”      ‘Make in India’ honours the                                           rich tapestry of Indian culture                    -Pankaj Mohindroo                                           while simultaneously making                                       66                                       66","it relevant in today's economy.   Today, India has become a           This not only creates jobs but    manufacturing    powerhouse,           also helps sustain and revive     and it is because of the youth           local cultures and crafts that    power of the country that the           have been passed down through     whole world is looking up to us.”           generations.                      Companies are now creating               Innovation            and     contemporary  designs inspired           Entrepreneurship                  by traditional motifs, merging               The campaign promotes a       heritage with modern aesthetics.           spirit of innovation, encouraging   This not only appeals to domestic           young     entrepreneurs    to     consumers but also attracts           harness their creativity and      international markets eager for           cultural heritage in new and      authentic Indian products.           exciting ways. Startups that         Global Presence with Local           focus on indigenous products      Identity           and sustainable practices are        ‘Make in India’ also aims           gaining traction, illustrating how   to establish a strong global           cultural pride can drive economic   presence for Indian products,           growth. As PM Modi said, “This    advocating   for  the  ‘Vocal           campaign has provided an          for Local’ mantra. This push           opportunity to people of every    encourages    consumers    to           class to showcase their talent.   support local brands, which                                                                           67                                         67","are often steeped in cultural     a tool for cultural diplomacy.         significance. By promoting local   By    showcasing       Indian         goods, the campaign fosters a     craftsmanship and innovation         sense of community and identity,   at international trade fairs and         reinforcing the idea that every   expos, the initiative allows India         purchase contributes to the       to present its cultural richness to         preservation of cultural heritage.   the world. This enhances India's         When consumers buy Indian-        soft power, establishing it as a         made products, they are not       nation that values its heritage         just making a purchase, they are   while  being forward-thinking         participating in a larger narrative   and dynamic. Events like the         of national pride and identity.   ‘India International Trade Fair’         As  mentioned  by  PM Modi,       have become platforms for         “More than 50 Self Help Groups    artisans to connect with global         are  working  to  preserve  the   audiences, sharing their stories         ‘Bhandara Tussar Silk’. Women     and skills.         have a huge participation in          Educational Initiatives         that. This silk is fast becoming      The    campaign      also         popular    and    empowering      emphasises   the   importance         local communities…and that is     of education and vocational         the spirit of the ‘Make in India’   training, vital for nurturing the next         campaign.”                        generation of manufacturers             Cultural Diplomacy            and   entrepreneurs.  Various             Furthermore,  the   ‘Make     initiatives aim to educate youth         in  India’  campaign  serves  as   about traditional arts, crafts,                                        68                                       68","and manufacturing  processes,        The campaign promotes a           instilling a sense of pride in their   spirit of innovation, encouraging           cultural roots. This education not   young  entrepreneurs    to           only fosters skill development    harness their creativity and           but also encourages young         cultural heritage in new and           people to innovate within the     exciting ways. Startups that           framework   of  their  cultural   focus on indigenous products           heritage, creating a bridge       and sustainable practices are           between past and future.          gaining  traction,  illustrating               In conclusion, the ‘Make      how cultural pride can drive           in India’ campaign is a multi-    economic    growth.  As   PM           faceted initiative that transcends   Narendra  Modi  said,  “This           economic goals. It celebrates     campaign has provided an           cultural   heritage,   revives    opportunity to people of every           traditional industries, and calls for   class to showcase their talent.           innovation and entrepreneurship.   Today, India has become a           By intertwining this heritage with   manufacturing  powerhouse,           modern manufacturing, ‘Make in    and it is because of the youth           India’ fosters a sense of national   power of the country that           identity, encourages community    the whole world is looking up           support  for  local  industries,  to us.”   Companies are now           and enhances India's global       creating contemporary designs           presence. As India continues      inspired by traditional motifs,           to carve its path in the global   merging heritage with modern           economy, the cultural essence     aesthetics. This not only appeals           embedded in the ‘Make in India’   to domestic consumers but also           campaign plays  a  crucial  role   attracts international  markets           in shaping its narrative for the   eager  for  authentic  Indian           future.                           products.                                          69                                         69","Reflecting on a Decade of Make in India:                 Reviving Our Manufacturing Future                                                 and ITES services. However, we                                           missed a crucial opportunity in                                           manufacturing—a sector that                                           has generated immense job                                           opportunities  and  propelled                                           many competing nations to                                           significant economic prosperity.                                               In 2014, under the visionary                                           leadership of Prime Minister                                           Narendra   Modi,   the  'Make               Pankaj Mohindroo            in India' (MII) initiative was            Chairman, India Cellular \&     launched.    Symbolised    by          Electronics Association (ICEA)                                           the  majestic   Bengal  Tiger,                                           this initiative roared onto the                                           global stage, declaring India's                                           readiness to lead and innovate.                                           Over the past decade, it has not                                           only galvanised GDP growth                                           and employment but has also                                           positioned the nation as an                                           emerging global manufacturing                                           powerhouse. From textiles and             “लहरोों से डरोकरो नौका पारो नहीं   electronics  to  automobiles,         होती,                             aviation, renewable energy, and             कोशिि करोने वालों की कभी हारो   defence, India's manufacturing         नहीं होती”                        sectors have surged ahead.                       –हररोवि रोाय बच्चन      What makes MII unique                             ं             India's economic  journey     is our democratic framework         has been marked by ambition,      ensuring   transparency   and         resilience and transformation.    accountability.  Our   young         After liberalising the economy    and dynamic workforce offers         in 1991 from the crutches of      a   significant   demographic         excessive    regulations,  we     dividend. With a projected GDP         emerged as a global leader in IT   growth between 6.5-7% in 2024-                                         70                                        70","25, India's robust constitutional   mobile phone exports reaching           values and stable political,      Rs  1,29,000 crores,  marking  a           policy,  and   legal  systems     remarkable transformation that           provide a favourable business     underscores India's   growing           environment.                      prominence   in   the  global               A further fillip in the form of   market. The sector now employs           the ingenious PLI schemes in 14   about 15 lakh people directly           key industries has helped India   and almost 60 lakhs indirectly.           establish itself as a trusted        The     domestic     auto-           partner, showcasing resiliency    components     industry   has           and integrating into the Global   also been able to expand           Value Chains (GVCs).              by   supplying   parts   and               Global market integration     components globally, growing           is essential for sustainable      at around 10% to clock the           economic              growth.     highest-ever turnover of US           Approximately 70% of global       Dollar  74.1 Billion  and exporting           trade is linked to GVCs, where    over US Dollar 21.2 Billion.           different stages of production       Boosted  by the  Ease  of           are located across various        Doing Business (EoDB) initiatives           countries. In the mobile phone    to reduce regulations, promote           and  electronics  sector,  this   single-window     clearances,           figure  is  even  higher,  with   and    minimal    procedures,           almost all trade connected to     coupled with the intensive           GVCs. Recognising this, India     worldwide outreach led by the           has made concerted efforts to           integrate its industries into these           global  networks,  enhancing           efficiency,  technology  transfer,           and market access.               India’s electronics industry           has   benefitted   significantly,           with manufacturing increasing           5 times to Rs 9,52,000 crores           in   2023-24,   primarily           driven by mobile phones.           Exports  have  also  seen           exponential    growth,           with electronics exports           rising to Rs 2,41,157           crores in 2023-24, and                                            71 71","Hon’ble Prime Minister himself,   deeply integrate with GVCs, set         companies have built some of      up large-scale manufacturing         the largest factories in India,   units, and increase domestic         employing  a large  number  of    value addition with a key         workers.                          emphasis   on   exports.  This             These       achievements      requires streamlining policies         stem from a conducive policy      and initiatives across all levels         environment – enabled by          to foster economic prosperity,         a   ‘Whole   of   Government’     technological   advancement,                                           and sustainable developments.         approach       and       close                                               To  elevate   our  global         collaboration between industry                                           technological position, we must         and key government ministries.                                           enhance MII by integrating             The Prime Minister has                                           innovation  and    design   –         laid out an ambitious vision                                           moving beyond assembly to         of Viksit Bharat– making India                                           become a hub for cutting-         into a ‘Developed Economy’ by                                           edge   product   development         2047 where the manufacturing                                           and    intellectual  property         industry    holds    strategic                                           creation. Manufacturing alone         importance – contributing over                                           is not sufficient; by fostering an         25% to GDP. India’s focus now is to                                           environment that encourages                                           R\&D, we can enhance our value                                           proposition in the global market.                                           By nurturing 'Make and Design                                           in India', we aim to nurture                                           robust hardware and software                                           ecosystems,        leveraging                                           advanced    technologies  like                                           AI,  Machine   Learning,  and                                           Blockchain   to   revolutionise                                           product design and create                                           innovative business models.                                               Let the initiative of MII                                           and Aatmanirbhar Bharat be                                           our guiding light as we move                                           forward—to    elevate  India's                                           manufacturing prowess to such                                           heights that we shape not just                                           our own destiny but the future                                           of the global economy.                                          72                                        72","‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’                                                     K.N. Rajasekhar                                       Telangana                “Friends,  when  there’s  a  confluence  of  our  strong  resolve  and           collective  participation,  it  leads  to  amasing  results  for  the  entire           society. Its most recent example is 'Ek Ped Maa ke Naam' - this was           an amasing campaign; such an example of public participation is           truly inspiring…”                    -Prime Minister Narendra Modi (in 'Mann ki Baat' address)               One  such  inspiration  is  a   Rajasekhar.  Many  call  me           nature lover, from the Bhadradri   Mokkala Rajasekhar. I am working           Kothagudem      district,  KN     as  a  fitter  at  Singareni  Central           Rajasekhar, who took up the       Workshop    at   Kothagudem           ‘fifteen days plantation activity’,   (Telangana). My father K. Pandu           planting over 1,500 saplings.     was  the  first  inspiration  for  me               Interview of KN Rajasekhar    to become a nature lover. When           on inspiration behind planting    I was 11 years old in the 1980s,           one tree a day, community         my  father  explained  to  me           involvement and support in the    the  benefits  of  the  plants  and           campaign.                         this inspired me to take up the               What inspired you to start    plantation activity. Some of the           planting trees daily and how did   trees planted by my father have           the idea for the campaign come    become big and are giving me           about?                            fruits. I would like to inform all               My name is Kotturi Nurvi      that the trees planted now will                                             benefit all of us in the future.                                         73                                         73","Planting    over     1,500    Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji         saplings is an extraordinary      took my name in the 114th 'Mann         achievement. What challenges      ki Baat'. Now all these people,         did you face while maintaining    who used to humiliate  me, are         this commitment?                  appreciating me and they are             Many people humiliated me,    coming forward in the plantation         when I took up the plantation     activity.         activity. This happened when          Even after facing a mishap,         I would travel by bike with       you continued your mission.         plants.  They  used  to  question   How did you stay motivated         me, saying why are you doing      during such a difficult time?         the plantation every day?  But, I     I faced many hurdles during         never felt bad for their words as   the 1563 days of plantation         I have been doing this activity   activity. Due to a road accident,         for Mother Nature. I always       I got an injury in my stomach.         wanted my good intentions to      And during this time my family         be known to the people who        members also became ill. I         were humiliating me. And this     also  faced  financial  difficulties.         was realised when Honourable      Despite all of this, I continued the                                                                        74                                        74","plantation activity with the help   employees, and all nature lovers           of my family and friends who are   congratulated me on the Prime           also nature lovers. I have taken   Minister taking my name in MKB.           selfies and videos while planting   He has made the entire world           saplings.                         aware of my efforts. Thank you               In your opinion, how can      so much.           individuals contribute more to       In   your  opinion,  what           environmental conservation?       role does 'Mann ki Baat' play               Everyone who is interested    in motivating individuals to           in environmental protection is    engage    in   environmental           planting saplings. Whether it is   conservation   and     social           a nature lover or anyone...It is   initiatives?           good to plant saplings. Because      Prime   Minister  Narendra           it is the plant which provides    Modi has taken up a novel           us oxygen...it is the plant which   programme  that  no   other           provides fruits and vegetables,   prime minister has done. 'Mann           it is the plant which gives us    ki Baat' is very useful as it is           shade, it is the plant which gives   taking many schemes of the           us  herbal  medicines.  It  also   government to the people. Not           stops soil erosion. It is a plant   only that, those who have made           which brings rain. So, everybody   special contribution to society,           should take up plantation like a   right from those who are in           movement and I feel happy to      the top position to the poor,           save nature.                      were  brought to  the limelight               How  did  you  feel  upon     through 'Mann ki Baat'. People           being featured in the 'Mann ki    are getting motivated. Besides,           Baat' program alongside other     the PM has initiated so many           inspiring initiatives?            programmes for society, like the               Honourable  Prime Minister    Swachh Bharat,  International           has recognised 'service to nature'   Day of Yoga, etc. He launched           and  my  efforts.  He  mentioned   Ayushman Bharat to bring           me in the 114th episode of 'Mann   qualitative medicare to people           ki Baat'. It is a memorable day.   at an affordable cost. He has           I am so blessed that my name      launched so many programs.           was mentioned by him. My wife,    As a result, people are getting           daughter, relatives,  Singareni   benefits.                                          75                                         75","76","MANN                                                 KI                                                  BAAT                                                  Media Scan                                                             77","78                                        78","79                                         79","80                                       80","81 81","82                                       82","83                                         83","84                                       84","85                                         85","86                                       86","87","88","89","90","91","92"];