New Delhi
In his 110th episode of Mann Ki Baat radio programme, among others Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched upon some commendable work done by tribals from across India — be it in Maharashtra or in Arunachal Pradesh.
He pointed out that the ‘World Wildlife Day’ will be celebrated on March 3 with the aim of spreading awareness on the conservation of wild animals and this year, Digital Innovation has been kept paramount in the theme of the Day.
“You will be happy to know that technology is being used extensively for the conservation of wildlife in different parts of our country. During the last few years, through the efforts of the government, the number of tigers in the country has increased. The number of tigers in the Tiger Reserve of Chandrapur, Maharashtra has risen to more than 250. In India, harmony with nature has been an integral part of our culture. We have been living with a spirit of coexistence with nature and wildlife for thousands of years,” he said.
“If you ever go to the Melghat Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, you will be able to experience it for yourself. Tribal families living in Khatkali village near this Tiger Reserve have converted their houses into home stays with the help of the government. This is becoming a big source of income for them,” the PM mentioned in his Mann Ki Baat programme.
“Prakash Jamkar of Korku tribe living in the same village has built a seven-room home stay on his two-hectare land. His family makes arrangements for food and drink for the tourists staying at his place. Along with medicinal plants, he has also planted mango and coffee trees around his house. This has not only increased the attraction of tourists; it has also created new employment opportunities for other people,” the PM elaborated.
The PM further said that the beauty of India lies in her diversity and also in the different hues of our culture and that he feels good to see how many people are selflessly making efforts to preserve and beautify Indian culture. You will find such people in every part of India.
Among these, a large number are also those who are working in the field of language. Mohammad Manshah of Ganderbal in Jammu and Kashmir has been engaged in efforts to preserve the Gojri language for the last three decades, the PM said.
The scope of Manshah work in the field of literature is so extensive that it has been conserved in about 50 volumes, he said adding these also include poems and folk songs. He has translated many books into Gojri language.
“Mohammad Manshah comes from the Gujjar Bakarwal community which is a tribal community. In his childhood he had to work hard to study, he used to cover a distance of 20 kilometers on foot every day. Amidst such challenges, he obtained a Master’s degree and it was only then that his resolve to preserve his language became stronger,” Modi maintained in his monthly radio address.
The Prime Minister then cited the example of Banwang Losu of Tirap, a teacher in Arunachal Pradesh, who has made an important contribution in the spread of Wancho language.
“This (tribal) language is spoken in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and some parts of Assam. He has undertaken the task of setting up a language school. A script of Wancho language has also been prepared. He is also teaching Wancho language to the coming generations so that it can be saved from extinction.,” the PM pointed out.
He then showcased the example Venkappa Ambaji Sugetkar of Karnataka, saying there are many people in our country who are engaged in preserving their culture and language through songs and dances. The life of Sugetkar is also very inspiring in this regard, he said.
“Sugetkar, resident of Bagalkot, is a folk singer. He has sung more than 1000 Gondhali songs and has also widely propagated stories in this language. He has also imparted training to hundreds of students without charging any fees. There is no dearth of such people full of zeal and enthusiasm in India, who are continuously enriching our culture. You too take inspiration from them; try to do something of your own. You will feel immense satisfaction,” the PM said.
Ending his talk show, Modi said the atmosphere of Lok Sabha elections is all pervasive in the country and as happened last time, there is a possibility that the code of conduct might also be in place in the month of March. It is a huge success of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ that in the last 110 episodes, we have kept it away from even the shadow of the government. In ‘Mann Ki Baat’, there is mention of the collective power of the country;
“…adhering to political decorum, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ will not be broadcast for the next three months in these days of Lok Sabha elections. Next when we will interact with you in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, it will be the 111th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Next time ‘Mann Ki Baat’ starting with the auspicious number 111… what could be better than that!”
