NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded Tamil as a great language and a source of pride for India, while highlighting the country’s achievements in agriculture, science, defence, tourism and indigenous products during his Mann Ki Baat radio address.
Focusing on the upcoming fourth edition of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi from December 2, Modi urged citizens to participate and learn the language. In Tamil, he said, “Tamil kalachaaram uyarvanathu, Tamil mozhi uyarvanathu, Tamil Indiavin perumidam” (Tamil culture is great, Tamil language is great, Tamil is the pride of India). He described the event as a key platform connecting people associated with Tamil and strengthening the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.
On agriculture, Modi announced a historic milestone, stating India’s food grain production had touched 357 million tonnes—an increase of 100 million tonnes in the past decade. He also noted that honey production had more than doubled to over 1.5 lakh metric tonnes, with exports rising threefold. Under the Honey Mission, over 2.25 lakh bee boxes have been distributed by Khadi Gramodyog.
Reiterating his ‘vocal for local’ push, the Prime Minister said he gifted locally crafted items to world leaders during the G-20 Summit in South Africa, including a bronze Nataraja, silver artworks from Karimnagar and Udaipur, and a brass urli from Kerala.
Modi also highlighted achievements in the drone and defence sectors, space start-ups, the Geeta Mahotsava, Constitution Day celebrations, and the hoisting of the Dharmadhwaja at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. He further praised natural farming initiatives in South India and promoted winter tourism in Uttarakhand.