Hailing astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s return from ISS, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said a new wave of curiosity about space among children has awakened and noted that today more than 200 startups have come up in the space sector alone.In his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi said the path to a developed India in 2047 passes through self-reliance and the biggest basis of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is ‘vocal for local’.The prime minister noted that during the last few weeks, be it sports, science or culture, a lot has happened that every Indian is proud of. “Recently, there was a lot of talk in the country over Shubhanshu Shukla’s return from Space. As soon as Shubhanshu landed safely on Earth, people jumped with joy; a wave of happiness rippled through every heart. The entire country was filled with pride,” Modi said.”I remember, when Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed in August 2023, a new ambience was created in the country. A new curiosity also arose among children about science, about space. Little children now say, we will also go to Space; we will also land on the moon – we will become space scientists,” he said.Talking about the INSPIRE-MANAK Abhiyan, Modi said this is a campaign to promote innovation among children. “In this, five children are selected from each school. Each child brings up a new idea. So far, lakhs of children have joined this, and after Chandrayaan-3, their number has doubled,” he said.Noting that Space start-ups are also growing rapidly in the country, Modi said five years ago, there were fewer than 50 start-ups, but today, there are more than 200, just in the space sector. Modi said that in the 21st-century India, science is progressing with renewed energy.”A few days ago, our students won medals in the International Chemistry Olympiad. Devesh Pankaj, Sandeep Kuchi, Debdutt Priyadarshi and Ujjwal Kesari, all four of them, brought glory to India. India has strengthened its image in the world of Mathematics as well. In the International Mathematical Olympiad held in Australia, our students won three gold, two silver and one bronze medal,” he said.The prime minister pointed out that next month, the Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad is going to be held in Mumbai. This will be the biggest Olympiad to date, he noted. The prime minister also hailed the development of UNESCO recognising 12 Maratha forts as World Heritage Sites.”Eleven forts in Maharashtra; one in Tamil Nadu. Each fort has a chapter of history attached to it. Every stone is a testimony to a historical event… Salher Fort, where the Mughals were defeated, Shivneri, where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born. A fort that is unbreachable for the enemy. Khanderi Fort is an amazing fort built in the middle of the sea,” he said.”The enemy wanted to stop him, but Shivaji Maharaj made the impossible possible. Pratapgarh Fort, where Afzal Khan was defeated, the echo of that saga still remains entrenched in the walls of the fort. Vijaydurg, which had secret tunnels, is proof of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s farsightedness. I visited Raigad a few years ago… bowed in front of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue. This experience will stay with me all my life,” Modi said.He recalled that on August 11, 1908, in a jail in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur city, an 18-year-old youth was paying the price for expressing his patriotism against the British. “Inside the jail, British officers were preparing to hang a young man. There was no fear on the face of that youth; rather, it was full of pride. The very pride that those who die for their country feel. That brave, courageous youth was Khudiram Bose. At the age of just 18, he showed such courage that it shook the whole country,” Modi said.He said the month of August is therefore the month of revolution. He noted that August 1 is the death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and during the same month, on August 8, the ‘Quit India Movement’ began under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.”Then comes the 15th of August, our Independence Day… we remember our freedom fighters, get inspired by them, but friends, the pain of the Partition of the country is also associated with our independence. That is why we observe the 14th of August as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’,” he said.Modi also said that another revolution started on August 7, 1905, which was the Swadeshi Movement that lent a new energy to local products.”To commemorate that, the country celebrates ‘National Handloom Day’ on the 7th of August every year. This year, 7th August marks the completion of 10 years of ‘National Handloom Day’. Just like our Khadi gave new strength to the freedom movement during the freedom struggle, today, when the country is moving towards becoming a developed India, the textile sector is turning out to be the strength of the country,” he said.”Textile is not just a sector of India. It is an example of our cultural diversity. Today, the textile and apparel market is growing very fast, and the most beautiful thing about this development is that women from villages, designers from cities, elderly weavers and our youth who have begun start-ups are all taking it forward together,” Modi said.Noting that today, more than 3,000 textile start-ups are active in India, Modi said many start-ups have lent global height to India’s handloom identity. “The path to a developed India in 2047 passes through self-reliance, and the biggest basis of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is – ‘vocal for local’. Buy and sell only those things that are made in India, in which an Indian has shed sweat. This should be our resolve,” he asserted.He said sometimes a task comes across as impossible to some people, but when the country comes together on one thought, even the impossible becomes possible. “‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ is the biggest example of this. Soon, this mission will complete 11 years. But, its strength and its need are still the same,” he said.In these 11 years, ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ has become a mass movement, and people consider it their duty, and this is real public participation, Modi said. “The Swachh Survey conducted every year, has lifted this feeling further. This year, more than 4500 cities and towns of the country joined it. More than 15 crore people participated in it. This is not an ordinary number. This is the voice of Swachh Bharat,” he said.
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