Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the contribution of women across all sectors and said on International Women’s Day on March 8, he would hand over his social media accounts to women achievers who will share their insights with fellow Indians. In the 119th episode of Mann Ki Baat on February 23, he said the International Women’s Day was a special occasion to salute “our Nari Shakti”.
Prime Minister Modi also raised concerns over the rising incidences of obesity in the country. Along with javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and boxer Nikhat Zareen, he highlighted the disadvantages of obesity, and advised people to reduce consumption of cooking oil. The following are excerpts from Mann Ki Baat: My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Welcome to ‘Mann Ki Baat’. These days the Champions Trophy is going on and there is an atmosphere of cricket everywhere. All of us know very well what the thrill of a century in cricket is… But today I am not going to talk to you about cricket, albeit about the wonderful century that India has made in Space. Last month, the country witnessed the launch of ISRO’s 100th rocket. This is not just a number; it also reflects our resolve to touch new heights in space science every day. Our space journey had commenced in a rather modest way.
There were challenges at every step, but our scientists kept moving forward, conquering them…Who would have thought a few years ago that the number of startups and private sector space companies in this field would be in hundreds. For our youth who want to do something thrilling and exciting in life, the Space Sector is turning out to be an excellent option… Next month, the 8th of March is ‘International Women’s Day’. This is a special occasion to salute our Nari Shakti. Devi Mahatmya says – Vidya: Samastaas-tava Devi Bheda: Streeya: Samasta: Sakala Jagatsu.
That is, all the Vidyas are the expressions of the various forms of the Goddess and all the woman power of the world is also her reflection. In our culture, respect for daughters has been paramount. The Matri Shakti of the country has also played a big role in our freedom struggle and the creation of the Constitution… Friends, this time on Women’s Day I am going to embark upon an initiative for a day, which will be dedicated to our Nari Shakti. On this special occasion, I am going to hand over my social media accounts like X, Instagram to some inspiring ladies of the country. Women who have achieved success in myriad fields; who have innovated and created a unique identity for themselves in various fields. On the 8th of March, they will share their work and experiences with the countrymen. The platform might be mine, but it will be about their experiences, their challenges and their achievements…
During the opening of the National Games in Dehradun, I raised a very important topic, which has started a new discussion in the country – this topic is ‘obesity’. To become a fit and healthy nation, we will certainly have to deal with the problem of obesity. According to a study, one in every eight people today is troubled by the problem of obesity. Cases of obesity have doubled in the past years, but, what is even more worrying is that the problem of obesity has increased fourfold even among children. WHO data shows that in 2022, about 250 crore people around the world were overweight, that is, they had more weight than required.
These statistics are very serious and force all of us to think why this is happening. Excess weight or obesity gives rise to many kinds of problems and diseases. We can together deal with this challenge with minor efforts. For example, one method I suggested was “reducing the consumption of edible oil by 10 per cent. Decide that you will use 10 pc less oil every month. You can decide that while buying oil for cooking, you will buy 10% less oil. This will be an important step towards reducing obesity”… Friends, do you know what the similarity between the Asiatic Lion, Hangul, Pygmy Hog and Lion-tailed Macaque is? The answer is that all of these are not found anywhere else in the world… they are found only in our country. Indeed, we have a very vibrant eco-system of flora and fauna. And these wild animals are deeply embedded in our history and culture. Many animals are also observed as the vehicles of our gods and goddesses.
Many tribes in central India worship Bagheshwar. There is a tradition of worshipping Waghoba in Maharashtra. Lord Ayyappa also has a very deep connection with the tiger. Bonbibi, whose Vaahan is the tiger, is worshipped in Sundarbans. We have many cultural dances like Huli Vesha of Karnataka, Pooli of Tamil Nadu and Pulikali of Kerala, which are associated with nature and wildlife. I would also like to thank my tribal brothers and sisters, because they actively participate in work related to wildlife protection.
The population of tigers has risen continuously in Karnataka’s BRT Tiger Reserve. A lot of credit for this goes to the Soliga tribe, who worship the tiger. Owing to them, there is almost no mananimal conflict in this area. In Gujarat as well, people have contributed significantly in the protection and conservation of Asiatic Lions in Gir. They have shown the world what co-existence with nature means. Friends, on account of these efforts, the population of tigers, leopards, Asiatic Lions, Rhinos and Barasingha has increased rapidly in the last few years…
Friends, this is the season of Board Exams. I wish my young friends, i.e., Exam Warriors, the best of luck for their exams. Appear for your papers without any stress and with a completely positive spirit. Every year in ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, we discuss various topics related to exams with our Exam Warriors. I am happy that this programme is now taking an institutional form… it is getting institutionalized. Many New experts are also joining it. This year, we tried to conduct ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ in a new format. Along with the experts, eight different episodes were also included. We covered topics ranging from Overall Exams to Health Care and Mental Health as well as food and nutrition. Past toppers also shared their thoughts and experiences with everyone. Many youngsters, their parents and teachers have written letters to me on this. They have told me that they liked this format very much because every topic was discussed in detail.
