From NCC Day to Indian Culture's Global Reach: PM Modi Addresses 116th Episode of Mann ki Baat

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (November 24)  addressed the nation during the 116th episode of the 'Mann Ki Baat' episode where he shared his enthusiasm for staying connected with people, saying, "I eagerly wait for 'Mann Ki Baat' throughout the month so that I can have direct communication with you."

During the episode, the PM emphasised several topics including the significance National Cadet Corps (NCC) in shaping the personality of young people. He further announced the upcoming 'Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue,' an initiative that aims to bring together young leaders from across India to discuss and strategise the way forward for a developed India.

Here are the Top Takeaways From PM's 116th Mann Ki Baat:

• 'Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue'

"Next year marks the 162nd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. This time it will be celebrated in a special manner. On this occasion, on January 11 and 12 at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam 'Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue' will be organised...Around 2000 youths from all the state, district and village will participate in this."

• NCC Day: Instilling Discipline, Leadership, and Service in the Youth

"Today is NCC Day. As soon as we hear the name of NCC, we remember our school and college days. I myself have been an NCC Cadet, so, I can say with full confidence that the experience I got from it is invaluable for me. NCC instils a spirit of discipline, leadership and service in the youth. You must have seen around you that whenever there is a disaster somewhere, be it a flood, an earthquake or any accident, NCC cadets are definitely present there to help...."

• PM Modi Encourages Youth to Join Politics

"From the ramparts of Red Fort, I have appealed to such youth to join politics, whose entire family has no political background. To connect one lakh such youth, new youth, with politics, many special campaigns will be run in the country.  'Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue' is also one such effort."

• A 'Mini India' in Guyana

"A 'Mini India' also exists in Guyana, thousands of kilometres away from India.  About 180 years ago, people from India were taken to Guyana to work as labourers in the fields and for other work. Today, people of Indian origin in Guyana are leading Guyana in every field of politics, business, education and culture. Guyana's President Dr Irfaan Ali is also of Indian origin and is proud of his Indian heritage."

• Indian Culture's Global Reach

"Numerous Indian families have been living in Oman for many centuries. Most of them who have settled there are from Kutch in Gujarat.  With the support of the Indian Embassy in Oman and the National Archives of India, a team has started the work of preserving the history of these families."

"I have come to know about another such effort being done in Slovakia which is related to preserving and promoting our culture. Here, for the first time, our Upanishads have been translated into the Slovak language. These efforts also show the global influence of Indian culture. It is a matter of pride for all of us that there are crores of people around the world who have India in their hearts...."

• 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'

"A few months ago, we started the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. People from all over the country participated in this campaign with great enthusiasm.  Now this initiative is reaching other countries of the world as well. During my recent visit to Guyana, President Dr Irfaan Ali, his mother-in-law and other family members joined me in the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign..."

• Reviving the Sparrow Population

"Sparrows play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity around us, but today sparrows are rarely seen in cities. Due to increasing urbanization, sparrows have gone away from us. Many children of today's generation have seen sparrows only in pictures or videos. Some unique efforts are being made to bring back this lovely bird in the lives of such children. Chennai's Kudugal Trust has involved school children in its campaign to increase the sparrow population. The people of the institute go to schools and tell the children how important sparrows are in everyday life. This institute trains children to make sparrows' nests. For this, the people of the institute taught the children to make a small wooden house. Arrangements were made for the sparrows to live and eat in it...."