From athletics to astronomy: Modi highlights India’s achievers in Mann Ki Baat

PM Modi lauded sprinters Gurindervir, Animesh for breaking 100m records during Mann Ki Baat. He also praised Kerala’s Saji Valasheril, Chola copper plates from Netherlands, astronomy clubs, and Chennai educator Girija Amma for student donations to soldiers

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday had a lively conversation with sprinters Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur, both of whom recently broke national records, and said the men’s 100-metre race at the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition is being widely discussed across the country.

The interaction took place during his monthly radio broadcast, Mann Ki Baat, in which Modi highlighted the performance of athletes who set new national records across different events at the recently concluded competition in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

---

During the event, he said, four national records were broken in four different events. “Gurindervir Singh, Vishal TK, Tejaswin Shankar, Dev Meena, and Kuldeep Kumar — these friends set new records in different categories. First of all, I extend my heartiest congratulations to all of them,” he said.

“One event that is being widely discussed across the country is the 100-metre race. Within just two days, the national record in the men’s 100-metre race was broken three times. The two athletes who achieved this feat are Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur,” he said. The two athletes then spoke about their sporting journeys and experiences during the radio programme.

“It has been a very special interaction with Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur, offering a glimpse of why the future of Indian athletics is very bright,” Modi said. Referring to a swimming club run by Saji Valasheril at Aluva, Kerala, Modi said more than 15,000 people, including specially abled individuals, have learnt swimming there.

“Saji ji has also taught swimming to Divyang children. Lying behind this effort, there is a hidden pain too,” he said. The prime minister said Saji started the initiative after a boat tragedy a few years ago, where several students had died.

“That incident shook Saji ji deeply. He thought, if the children knew how to swim, perhaps many lives could have been saved, and that’s where his campaign began,” he said. Referring to the Chola-era copper plates returned by the Netherlands during his recent five-nation tour, Modi said he had been receiving messages from people in India and abroad regarding them.

“There is a lot of curiosity among people about these copper plates. Hence, today I would like to share some information related to them. These include 21 large and 3 small copper plates. They primarily relate to King Rajendra Chola the first, fulfilling a vow made by his father, King Rajaraja Chola,” he said.
Modi said the plates mention the donation of the village of Anaimangalam to a Buddhist monastery and also document the achievements of the Chola dynasty.

“They reveal how formidable the Chola Empire’s maritime power was. They also provide information about their relations with Southeast Asian countries,” he said. The prime minister said astronomy has fascinated generations of Indians and highlighted that the Bangalore Astronomical Society has launched a mission to popularise the subject in rural areas.

“Gazing at the stars at night is an entrancing experience in itself. An organisation called Astro Kerala organises night observation camps and workshops. Here, young people learn to make telescopes and use star maps. “The Big Bang Astronomy Club of Rajkot has organised numerous astronomy events — from the Gir forests to the Rann of Kutch,” he said.

Modi further spoke about educator Girija Amma from Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu, who runs 15 schools, including the Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya in Chennai. The prime minister said her patriotic spirit inspires every Indian.

“Inspired by Mann Ki Baat, she pledged to contribute to many soldiers in the country. To do this, she inspired the students of all her schools. She asked the children to contribute one rupee every day for the brave soldiers. This means that each student collected 365 rupees in a year. Through these small contributions, approximately 40 lakh rupees were collected,” he said. Modi said Girija Amma later handed over a cheque for the entire amount. “This reflects her deep dedication to Mother India,” Modi said.

The prime minister noted that Chennai’s first Hindu school celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. “The role of this school network in advancing the country’s education and cultural pride is commendable. I congratulate everyone involved and especially appreciate the students who contributed to our brave soldiers. In every village and city of India, something or the other is happening that inspires us,” he said.