“Talking on a one hour radio show once a month, while addressing challenging task as Prime minister, requires tremendous efforts, and I cannot but feel his strong passion for dialogue with his people. Having met a number of leaders in the international society, I found Prime Minister Modi comes next to nobody in caring for the development of his own country from a strategic and long-term perspective” — Shinzo Abe, Former Prime Minister of Japan
Name: KC Mohan, Place: Tamil Nadu, Initiative: Feeding needy
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded KC Mohan, a salon owner in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, during the Mann Ki Baat programme, locals felicitated him for helping people during the lockdown. During his radio program on May 31, 2020, PM Modi had praised Mohan for spending Rs 5 lakh from his life’s savings to help people during COVID-19 induced lockdown.
Name: SK Manju Place: Kerala, Initiatives: Sign Language teacher
In September 2022, SK Manju and residents of Pattanakkad in Cherthala, were elated when Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann ki Baat mentioned her. Manju is a student at the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre in Delhi. During his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi spoke about Manju who has congenital hearing loss. She overcame the challenges she faced to complete her graduation and went to Delhi for her higher education. Both her parents and brother Manu are also hearing impaired.
“Manjuji of Kerala has also benefited a lot from these efforts. Manjuji is not able to hear since birth. Not only that, this has been the situation in the lives of her parents as well. In such a situation, sign language has become a means of communication for the whole family. Now Manjuji herself has decided to become a Sign Language teacher,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Manjuji of Kerala has also benefited a lot from these efforts. Manjuji is not able to hear since birth. Not only that, this has been the situation in the lives of her parents as well. In such a situation, sign language has become a means of communication for the whole family. Now Manjuji herself has decided to become a Sign Language teacher,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Name: Chandrakishore Patil, Place: Nashik, Maharashtra, Initiative: Garbage free Godavari River
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 87th Mann Ki Baat, praised ChandrakishorePatil, a resident of Maharashtra’s Nashik, who constantly encourages people not to throw garbage in the Godavari River. Prime Minister said, “Chandrakishoreji’s resolve regarding cleanliness is very heartfelt. He stands by the Godavari river, and constantly encourages people not to throw garbage in the river. If he sees someone doing this, he immediately stops them. Chandrakishoreji invests a lot of his time in this endeavour. By evening, he has a pile of such things, which people have brought to throw into the river. This effort of Chandrakishoreji also raises awareness and is also inspiring.”
Name: Javed Ahmed, Place: South Kashmir, J&K, Initiative: Child education
In November 2015, in his Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Praised Javed Ahmed from Kashmir, while talking about Javed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “He is 40-42 years old. In 1996, the terrorists had shot Jawed Ahmed in Kashmir. He was a victim of the terrorists but he survived. But the bullet damaged his kidney and a part of the intestine was lost. He suffered serious spinal injury. He lost the ability to stand on his own feet, but Jawed Ahmed did not concede defeat. The grave injury caused by terrorism could not deter him. He turned this crisis into compassion and dedicated his life to social work. The body does not support him but for the past 20 years he has devoted himself to child education. How to improve the infrastructure for the physically challenged? How to develop systems for the disabled in government offices and public spaces? He is working on those issues.”
Name: Dilip Kumar Ravidas. Place: Hazaribag, Jharkhand. Initiative: Jal Sanrakshan
Dilip Kumar Ravidas (30) from Ranchi was left stunned when Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised him in his Mann ki Baat’ in 2019 for his work in the field of Jal Sanrakshan (water conservation) in his village. PM Modi said, “let’s listen to what the Sarpanch of Lupung Panchayat of Katakmasandi block in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand has to say to all of us through this message. This is Birsa Munda’s land, where cohabiting in harmony with nature is a part of the culture. The people here, once again, are ready to play their active role in water conservation. For my part I wish good luck to all the village heads and all the sarpanchs for their dynamism. There are several Sarpanchs across the country who have taken the lead in water conservation. In a way, entire villages have grasped this opportunity as collective responsibility. And it seems that the denizens of the villages have become involved in the competition for raising a ‘water temple,’ in their respective villages. As I’ve said, a collective effort begets massive positive results.”
Name: Dileep Singh Malviya, Place: Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, Initiative: Buielding toilets
In his last episode on Mann Ki Baat of 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Dileep Singh Malviya, who constructed 100 toilets for the people. While talking about him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Dileep Singh Malviya is an elderly artisan from Bhojpura village in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh. He is a mason by profession to earn his livelihood. He did something so different that the newspapers printed his story. And when it came to my notice, I wanted to share this story with you. Hailing from a small village, Dileep Singh Malviya decided that if anyone provides materials for toilet in the village, he will render his labour services free of cost. And hats off to him, he has constructed 100 toilets in Bhojpura village so far taking it as a divine cause and providing his labour services without charging a penny. My heartfelt congratulations to Dileep Singh Malviya for his earnest efforts.”
Name: Sange Sherpa, Place: Sikkim, Initiative: Clean the Tsomgo lake
In December 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the work of the Sange Sherpa of Sikkim in his monthly radio program Mann Ki Baat. The PM said that Sange has changed the look of Glacier Lake. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “when the power of our resolve is strong, even the biggest challenge becomes easy. The example of this has been set by Sange Sherpa ji of Thegu village of Sikkim. For the last 14 years, he is engaged in the work of environmental protection at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet. Sangeji has taken up the task of keeping clean the Tsomgo (Somgo) lake that is of cultural and mythological importance. With his untiring efforts, he has changed the look and feel of this glacier lake. When Sange Sherpa ji started this campaign of cleanliness in the year 2008, he had to face many difficulties. But within no time, along with the youth and villagers, the panchayat also started offering full support in this noble work.”
Name: Saayee Praneeth,Place: Andhra Paradesh,Initiative: Weather forecasts
Andhra Pradesh Weather Man Sai Praneeth was in full of joy when Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned his name and lauded his services on his monthly programme Mann Ki Baat in July 2021. Praneeth provides accurate weather forecasts through his website and social media platforms and has been given the name Andhra Pradesh Weather Man. While talking about Saayee Praneeth, Prime Minister said, Last year Saayee Praneethsaw that in his area farmers had to suffer a lot due to the vagaries of weather. For years he had interest in meteorology. So, he decided to use his interest and talent for the welfare of farmers. Now he purchases weather data from different data sources, analyses them and sends necessary information through various media to farmers in local language. Besides weather updates, Praneethji also gives guidance to people about what they should do in different climatic conditions… Especially how to be safe from floods or how to avoid storm or lightning, he talks about this too.”
Name: Vikas Thakur,Place: Sirmour, Himachal, Initiative: Defecation-free
ITBP jawan, Vikas Thakur, from Badhana village of Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh, donated Rs 57,000 towards PM Modi’s goal of ‘making India defecation-free by 2019.’In his Mann Ki Baat in November 2016, PM said, “In the village there was supposed to be a meeting of the Gram Sabha, so Vikas went to the meeting where a discussion about construction of toilets was in progress. And he found that some of the families were unable to construct toilets due to lack of funds. So, Vikas Thakur of our ITBP, brimming with patriotism felt that no! No! This stigma must be eradicated! See his patriotism for the country; it is not that he serves the nation only by firing bullets on the enemies! Out came his cheque book, and a cheque of Rs 57,000 was handed to the head of the village Panchayat with a request that the 57 households having no toilets be give Rs 1000 each from his side, so that 57 toilets can get constructed and Badhana becomes an Open Defecation Free village!”
Name: Kame Gowda, Place: Mandya, Karnataka, Initiative: Digging Ponds
In June 2020, octogenarian farmer Kame Gowda from Dasanadoddi village in Mandya district of Karnataka found his name referred to by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat programme. While talking about Kame, Prime Minister said, “InMandavali, Karnataka there is an 80-85-year-old elder Kame Gowda. Kamegowdaji is an ordinary farmer, albeit possessing an extraordinary personality. He has achieved a personal feat that will leave anyone awestruck! Kamegowdaji, aged 80-85 takes out his animals for grasing but at the same time he has taken it upon himself to build new ponds in his area. He wants to overcome the problem of water scarcity in his area; therefore, in the work of water conservation, he is engaged in the work of constructing small ponds. You will be surprised that an octagenerarian like Kamegowdaji, till now, has dug 16 ponds, through his hard work and the sweat of his brow. Today, the entire area has got a new lease of life on account of these ponds.”
