ABP Southern Rising Summit 2023 Wraps Up As Celebrities, Politicos Unite To Explore Region's Aspirations
ABP Southern Rising Summit 2023 HIGHLIGHTS: The event will celebrate and explore the exceptional progress, cultural richness, and social harmony exemplified by the five South Indian states.
Udhayanidhi expressed concerns about the 2026 delimitation, referring to it as a "sword hanging on the heads of the South Indian regional parties."
"In line with this principle, Delimitation Commissions were formed in 1952 and 1963. These commissions recommended two things - the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha and the number of Assembly seats that each state will have," the Tamil Nadu minister said.
He further added: "If delimitation is done without changing the total number of seats in Lok Sabha, Tamil Nadu will lose 8 seats, from the current 39 seats to 31. This is a clear attempt to silence the voice of Southern States."
"We should be mindful of the conspiracy that is being hatched to take away our rights, and act accordingly," Udhayanidhi said.
"I am hopeful that most political parties that are fighting for the state rights will oppose this move. Every right-thinking citizen will confront this move. And, I can guarantee you that DMK will be at the forefront of this people's movement," he added.
Accusing BJP-ruled union government, Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the Centre has been sending governors to obstruct the functions of the state government.
"All states had the same status after gaining independence. Whatever progress Tamil Nadu has made is due to the Dravidian mode of governance": Udhayanidhi Stalin said in Tamil.
"In the 70s, the Union Government promoted the population control program. The South Indian States implemented the program effectively," Udhayanidhi added.
"Their population growth rate slowed, in comparison to states that did not implement the program well, whose population continued to grow at a higher rate. This effectively reduced the population share of the South Indian States. Today, this is being used against us," he added further.
Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin delivered the keynote address at the ABP Southern Rising Summit.
The ABP Southern Rising Summit 2023 came to an end, marked by a vote of thanks delivered by ABP CEO Avinash Pandey.
Kavitha questions the BJP, asking why a census was not conducted in addition to raising concerns about the omission of a caste census.
Slamming the argument made on the basis of caste census row, Annamalai said: "We have an OBC Prime Minister. No other party has given the kind of representation BJP has. Don't you remember how Sonia Gandhi during Congress's times went on the records and denied revealing the caste census data citing no agreement within the cabinet."
Kavitha slammed Annamalai's criticism of 'family rule' by pointing out his party's alliances with DMK and leaders like Uddhav Thackeray, as well as the induction of Jyotiraditya Scindia into the party, raising questions about the consistency of his stance.
Karti Chidambaram challenged the Government of India, including Prime Minister Modi, the Home Minister, and the Defence Minister, to confirm whether or not China had made incursions into India. "I challenge the Government of India, PM Modi, Home Minister if they can say there were no incursions by China into India," he asked.
"I don't come from a family which has people in power. Our party has people from a common background. It is the common people who have made this party," Annamalai said stating the difference between his party and the BJP.
BRS's Kavitha questioned BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai about the 2026 delimitation, asking, "Will BJP be clear about the process of delimitation and tell people what effect it will have on the people of Tamil Nadu?" Will you tell them that, if implemented, the biggest increase, as expected, will be in Uttar Pradesh, which already has the most MPs in Parliament?"
"In a democracy, everybody matters," she explained.
"I am confident that we will surpass the 400 mark in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," said Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai.
BRS's Kavitha Kalvakuntla said there's a rise of the third player who has always emerged in Indian politics, BRS is that third party.
Further commenting on the "game changer" role, Kavitha said: "There will be a bargaining situation post 2024 polls, as AIADMK might crumble down."
Commenting on Kavitha's claim, Congress's Chidambaram said: "The I.N.D.I.A bloc has met twice and they will emerge strong in front of the BJP. So the alliance is not collapsing, for sure."
Comparing Indian elections to a tennis match in which one set can be changed and reversed in another, Congress's Karti P Chidambaram stated: "The next general elections are about the values of federalism and secularism, which the BJP does not follow."
Responding to the political landscape of Tamil Nadu gearing up for the upcoming elections, BJP's Tamil Nadu chief Annamalai said: "Next elections will be about being beside Modi or against Modi. There won't be a middle stance."
Kavitha Kalvakuntla, Karti P. Chidambaram, and K. Annamalai stepped onto the stage.
Revealing BJP's strategy for Tamil Nadu and the south Indian region, She said: "There's no special technique for winning the hearts of Tamilians. We see everyone equally. The policies that are for the rest of the country, it is for the state as well."
Khushboo refused to comment on the claims that South India has remained "BJP-Mukt". She did say that the "BJP is yet to arrive in the region, but we are not here to rule and loot rather to do what the people in authority couldn't do in decades."
Responding to a question on 'Hero-Worshipping', Khushboo Sundar said: "Yes, we (South Indians) love hero-worshipping. We are rooted. We are so proud of it. The South movie industry has made its way to the Oscars, globally acclaimed. We did accept the northern culture but we never left our roots."
Sundar recalled an incident from a political rally, saying, "I have been known for standing up. I've even slapped someone who attempted to misbehave with me. Someone tried to misbehave with me at a political rally in Chennai, so I slapped him."
Actor-politician Khushboo Sundar took the stage to address the session.
Suhasini Maniratnam sends a powerful message: "Don't compromise on respect, to all women out there."
Suhasini revealed that the South film industry is like an extended family, saying, "We have a WhatsApp group, we chat every day. We now share photos of our grandchildren as well as daily life updates. Many of them are politicians, so I had to tell them today that there would be no Gaza-Israel talks."
"We are like a family, we have managed to maintain harmony. We are there at each other's family functions. It is beautiful," she added further.
"There will soon be a reunion of all of us in December in Chennai. I am not going to reveal any details right now," she said.
Answering the question "How important politics is in Indian cinema?" "There is no film in India without politics," Suhasini stated. "But, in today's world, making a political film is difficult," she said.
Suhasini stated that it is not only women who are uncomfortable while filming scenes. Using 'Roza' and 'Dil Se' as examples, she stated that even male actors are hesitant to perform certain scenes.
Suhasini reveals that Kamal Hassan And Maniratnam are going to work together after 35 years.
Recalling how Maniratnam made the historic epic Ponniyin Selvan, Suhasini revealed: "I asked him not to make this film. After the failure of some of the politic-historic films we make, I was uncertain, if this idea would work."
She further said, "The thing that worked for the success of PS, was the fact that the story of Ponniyin Selvan has been there in our culture. People loved it even before we made it."
When asked if being Maniratnam's wife is a full-time job, Suhasini said: "It's more than a full-time job. This is how women work. All the time."
Indian actress and director Suhasini Maniratnam addresses ABP Southern Rising Summit.
Sennimalai said that whether it is announced or not, people see Rahul Gandhi as I.N.D.I.A alliance's PM candidate for 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He is one of the tallest leaders in the country now, she added.
"Ideally, if every party reserves a certain amount of seats for women that will be good. Progressive parties like Congress have more women sitting in Parliament compared to the RSS-backed BJP. Unless it becomes a law, women's participation is unlikely to go up," Jothimani Sennimalai said.
"The six years that I have worked under Rahul Gandhi is very important. We worked 20 hours a day which helped us to understand the idea of India. It helped us to understand politics better," the Congress leader said.
"I don't have a political background but I was strongly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and that is how I met Rahul Gandhi in 2006," said Jothimani Sennimalai.
Social media influencers Chaithania Prakash, Ardhra Sajan, and Deepika Venkatachalam discuss 'Social Media: Playground Or Business School.'
"The soul of India is immortal like all other souls. It is also very human and it is capable of feeling pain, distress, and agony," Gandhi describes the soul of the country.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi said that there are two wars going on in the world right now- Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Gaza-- and both of these wars are a result of hatred and Suspicion.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi said, "Relevance and Gandhi Go together. He didn't seek relevance. He Today could be least interested in being described as relevant. But Certain issues with which he grappled vital to the soul of India are not only relevant but they are at the heart of our life today."
Gopalkrishna Gandhi said that Mahatma Gandhi never wanted to be seen as the helm's man. "He always knew the reality that he had tremendous support from the ordinary people of India. He regarded himself as an ordinary man," Gopalkrishna said.
Former Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi is the next speaker.
MV Gowda of the Congress said BJP gave us demonetisation. "It devastaed the non-formal and agricultural economy. They gave us the tragedy of Manipur. They have given away our land to the Chinese," the former RS MP said while responding to BJP's Narayanan Thirupathy.
Hitting back at John Brittas, Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy questioned where is freedom of press in Kerala. "Untouchability in India came only from communists. Development is Hindutva and itoday people can speak freely due to PM Narendra Modi," he said.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas said BJP works with the motto of distort, disrupt and defame against Opposition governments. "Kerala Story was made to defame a state. If you are religious you are naturally against BJP. South has a long history of reformist movements," Brittas said.
MV Rajeev Gowda, former Rajya Sabha MP of Congress, said BJP was misusing laws and enforcement agencies. "They are going after media houses and crushing them to toe their line," he said. On claims that BJP will form govt in Tamil Nadu, Gowda said, "Don't know what they are smoking".
He also said "BJP-mukt South India is what we are experiencing" and this is just the beginning. "In Karnataka, BJP got labelled as 40% sarkar commission govt. That brought them their downfall," Gowda said.
Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy said the saffron party was going to form the government in Tamil Nadu. "Apart from DMK, AIADMK and BJP, no other party can say they can form a government in Tamil Nadu," he said.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas raked up the NewsClick case to allege that bogus charges were heaped on a media house. "You can have democracy when you have a free and independent media. Of late, journalism has become terrorism, if you see the NewsClick case. PMO is the chief editor for most media houses now. Independence of journalists have been breached," Brittas said.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas, Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy and MV Rajeev Gowda, Vice Chairperson, State Institute for Transformation of Karnataka, Ex-Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, are the next speakers.
P Thiaga Rajan said he was surpised with AIADMK severing ties with BJP. "Politics makes for strange bedfellows. If not for BJP, AIADMK regime would not have lasted five years after the passing away of Jayalalithaa," the TN Minister said.
PTR said the "greatest federalist of all time was Narendra Modi till he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat". He also said there was a need to devolute power so that money can reach local bodies and benefit people.
P Thiaga Rajan, or PTR as he is known, said politics of weaponing religion or using religion to divide people won't hold anytime soon in south India. "We have democratised religion in south India," PTR said.
When asked why the per capita income of Southern states are much higher, the TN minister said there was a southern model of governance. "Governance is not thrust upon us. We have been a sea faring, outward looking society for thousands of years. Empowerment of women, social justice is also one of the driving factors," he said.
P Thiaga Rajan speaks on the problem of one-party rule. "Now, there is an all knowing and all seeing authority. Notion of democracy is that a thousand voices should be heard and we should then figure out a policy," the DMK leader said.
Tamil Nadu minister Dr P Thiaga Rajan said when there was a global demand to replace China as trading partner we should do much more. "Pride is good but it has to translate into actual improvement of quality of life of people. Too much rhetoric is divisive and not much on delivery," he said.
When asked if AI will spoil creativity in young musicians, Mahesh Raghvan says every profession has certain tools that can help you. "AI cannot judge or feel the pulse of the audience," he said.
Next, we have DMK leader Dr P Thiaga Rajan, Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services, Tamil Nadu, as our speaker. He will share his insights on the topic "State of the Union: Why India Needs Federalism".
Speaking on his childhood, Mahesh Raghvan said he was a music nerd. "I was a music nerd in my childhood, everything regarding music was interesting to me. My parents were very encouraging," Raghvan said.
Musician Nandini Shankar, who also worked as investment advisor at a bank, said in southern Indian family, dancing or singing is a must have curricular activity. "Music is a field that requires extensive practice. Gave music the full priority even as I worked as investment advisor at a bank," Shankar said. Mahesh Raghvan is married to Nandini Shankar, a well-known Hindustani classical artist.
Hello and welcome back to ABP Network's 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023'. Musicians Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar will be the next speakers. In our first session, we had Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan touching on various topics like National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the role of the Governor in a state. READ THE FULL REPORT HERE
We will now have a lunch break and the summit will resume at 2 pm. Thanks for joining us. In our next session, we will have musicians Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar speaking on the topic "Making Music: Crafting A New Style".
The author said Southern states were now showing the way. "The per capita of Tamil Nadu is double of that of Bihar," Gurcharan Das said. He also concluded his speech by saying India can grow at more than 8 per cent if it can create an industrial revolution. "That is what China did," he said.
The noted author and management guru said he was neither a "Modi bhakt" nor a Modi crictic. However, Gurcharan Das said the shelf life of Hindutva was limited. "Hindutva goes against the temper of the country," he further said.
Gurcharan Das said India was economically shackled for the first 40 years. But, I do not blame Nehru for it, he said. The author said India got real independence in 1991 and not 1947.
"We didn't get independence in 1947. We got real independence in 1991, 40 years later. Real independence is not just political independence. We need to be free in work life as well. We got economic freedom in 1991. In this 30 years, we have lifted 400 million people out of poverty. Economy has grown by 7%. However, we still have not created an industrial revolution. We have not created jobs despite having a 7% growth economy," he further said.
On education system, Gurcharan Das said today 80% of Indians do not get good education. "Education is not about rote learning, its about questioning. My advice to youths will be to live and examine life," the author said.
Gurcharan Das said today's youth are lucky that they did not live through Nehruvian socialism. "Nehru did a lot of good for our country, kept our country united. But he had a tragic flaw. Two generations of Indians lost out in terms of opportunities and Indira Gandhi did it in the name of 'Garibi Hatao'. Very little help was given to the poor at the time," Das said.
Gurcharan Das says he had to wear two hats. "From Monday to Friday, I was selling vicks vaporub and on weekends I wrote plays. I wrote my first play on a Sunday. Cicks vaporub was sold in over 130 countries," Das said.
Gurcharan Das says reliving your life is better than living it. Das is an author, management guru and public intellectual, known for a much-acclaimed trilogy on the classical Indian ideal of life's goals. He was also the CEO of Procter & Gamble India.
Author, management guru and public intellectual Gurcharan Das is the next speaker. He will give his insights on the topic "In Search of Freedom: The Personal and Political".
On her childhood, Revathy said she was brought up in a family where she could speak up. On modern day means of communication, she said emojis were a huge issue and portrays a wrong meaning. "We cannot use emoji in a professional conversation," Revathy further said.
Revathy said stories like Salaam Venky, which portrays mother-son relationship, need to be told. Revathy starred in the 2022 movie along with Kajol and Vishal Jethwa. "Salaam Venky was a story of a life well lived. Some people had questioned why the film was made showing so much grief just after the Covid pandemic," Revathy said. The film centres around euthanasia and follows Venky's struggle with a rare disorder.
Tooth Pari, a Netflix series, challenged me as an actor, Revathy said. Revathy played Luna Luka, a modern-day wicca priestess. Revathy said she was very passionate with film making. "It took me 18 years to make my first film. I did not plan to become a director. It just happened," Revathy said.
The veteran actor said the importance of characterisation in films has changed. Speaking on her career, Revathy said her family had no background in the film industry. "I was introduced to films by director Bharathiraja. In the later stage of your career, there is a balance you try to create," she said.
Actor and director Revathy said nobody wanted to do 'Mouna Raagam', which was directed by Mani Ratnam. "It was the first film in my career where the performance was very realistic and it is very close to my heart. Happy that I did the film," Revathy said. 'Mouna Ragam' is a 1986 Tamil romantic drama film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran.
Revathy, actor and director, is the next speaker at the summit. She will delve on the topic "Time Traveller: 40 Years on the Big Screen".
On the question why South India has been producing better content in the past couple of years, Rana Daggubati said in the South "film comes before the business". He also said he doesn't have social media on his phone and his life is fantastic.
On his film career, Rana Daggubati said, "Most of my career is built on things I haven't done before." On fitness, the actor said he was not a fitness freak and has biryani three days a week. "Films like Baahubali will push you to the extreme but I am not a fitness freak," he said.
Rana Daggubati said the sense of India is its unity and diversity. "Today is the best time you can live and create opportunities in this country," he said. "The essence of a storyteller is to find good and bad and influence people through their story," Daggubati further said.
Rana Daggubati said cinema will continue to work and the means to monetise it will start changing. "You will start to see interactive cinema and it will start to get personalised on devices through OTT. OTT is already changing the entertainment industry landscape," he said.
On the impact of artificial intelligence in films, Rana Daggubati said AI will affect everybody. "Entertainment industry picks up tech at a very early stage. Human's understanding of AI will run the world and not vice versa," he said.
Actor and producer Rana Daggubati said he started as a visual effects artist as he was fascinated by films from childhood. "Being famous is a job. However, there is nothing good about being famous," he said. In 2006, Daggubati received the National Film Award for co-producing Bommalata.
'Baahubali' actor Rana Daggubati is the next speaker and he will share his views on 'So Many Cinemas: Celebrating India's Diversity'.
On his favourite musicians from India, Ricky Kej said he listens to classical singers like Jayanthi Kumaresh, TH Vinayakram and Selva Ganesh. Kej also said he followed the music of carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri. He reserved his biggest praise for AR Rahman. "AR Rahman changed the face of Indian music for generations. Every Indian musician has been inspired by him in some way or another, including me," Kej said.
When asked if India is concerned about climate change, Ricky Kej, who also serves as the United Nations Refugees 'Goodwill Ambassador', said, "When it comes to climate change, India is making very large strides. Concern in India on climate change much larger than anywhere in the world. The Solar Alliance initiative taken by our government is path-breaking and PM Modi's LiFE mission is a game changer."
When asked why he does not do Bollywood music, Ricky Kej said the bollywood industry has not broken cultural barriers. "Bollywood has created false identity of our music," Kej further said.
On the connection between music and environment, Kej said he has always been inspired by nature. "When I feel inspired by something, I make music out of it. Rather than recording sounds of nature, I like to paint my music. I get to interpret the sounds of nature through musical instruments," Kej said. On his meeting with Narendra Modi, Ricky Kej said the PM encouraged him to stop all forms of commercial music and focus on environmental consiousness.
Ricky Kej, who has won over 100 music awards in 20 countries, further said music is a very powerful language for communication. "I need to harness the power of music to make the world a better place," he said.
Ricky Kej says it is a surreal feeling to be a three-time Grammy Award winner. "It is an amazing feeling to represent India on such a large stage and creating Indian music," Kej said. Speaking of his childhood, Kej said, "The centre of my universe was my music system when I was growing up. Music started from nature and we started imitating those sounds."
The next session will see internationally renowned music composer and Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej sharing his views on India's role on the global stage.
Addressing the question on the role of a Governor, Soundararajan said a Governor was not a bridge between the Centre and state but a bridge to the people. "There are certain rules and responsibilities of a Governor. But there is a belief that they should be in four walls and act like a rubber stamp. Governor should be a speed breaker so that mishaps do not take place," she further said.
Soundararajan also said she had undergone "so much humiliation" during her tenure as Telangana Governor. "You throw stones at me, but I will built a fort with those stones for the people. I don't need a crown, my head itself is my crown. I don't want to be a contradictory person but a constructive person," she said.
Citing Article 167 of the Constitution on Chief Minister's responsibilities towards the Governor, Tamilisai Soundararajan said the Telangana CM did not meet her in three years. "It's not Governor's mansion (Maaligai) but Governor's office (Aluvalagam)," she further said.
Speaking on her relation with Telangana Chief Minister KCR, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said there should be a good relationship between the CM and Governor. "Unfortunately, the relationship is strained with Telangana CM," she said. She further said, "As a Governor, we cannot be a rubber stamp and confined to four walls. As a doctor, I know the pulse of the people."
Speaking at the event, Governor of Telangana Tamilisai Soundararajan said most of the times southern states are not projected properly and their talents are not shown the way they should be shown to the country. Sharing her views on "redefining the Governor's role", she wanted to be the "people's Governor". "A politician can be a Governor but a Governor cannot be a politician," Soundararajan said.
Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network, in his welcome address, says the South has already risen. "The South India story is an amalgamation of culture, economic progress and social cohesion. The Southern states have the highest GDP in our country. The difference between South and North is very stark on aspects like healthcare etec. The story of the South is the story of human spirit," Avinash Pandey says.
The welcome song is being played and the lamp is being lit by Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network, Gooti Veera Nageswara Rao, Editor, ABP Desam, and Ganesh Ramachandran, Assistant Editor, ABP Nadu.
The Tamizh Thai Vazhthu, the state anthem of Tamil Nadu, is being sung by classical singers VS Abirami and Gurupriya Mahesh Vinayakram. Tamil Thai Valthu is the state anthem of Tamil Nadu. The song was penned by Manonmaniam Sundaranar.
ABP Network's 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023' kicks off with the national anthem. The summit is being held at Taj Coromandel, Chennai, and is being streamed LIVE on news.abplive.com, abpnadu.com, and abpdesam.com.
An array of speakers will share their views at ABP Network's 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023'. The session will start with Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan sharing her views on "redefining the Governor's role". Internationally renowned music composer and Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej will share his views on India's role on the global stage.
Actor Rana Daggubati will speak on India's diversity in films, while actor-director Revathy will share her experience of 40 years on the big screen. The summit will also see renowned author Gurcharan Das and musicians Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar speak on contemporary issues.
The ABP Network's 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023' event will see personalities and politicians from a diverse set of fields sharing their views on their idea of a 'New India', the role of women in politics, diversity, and the upcoming 2024 general election. 'Baahubali' actor Rana Daggubati will speak on India's diversity in films, while veteran actor-director Revathy will share her experience of 40 years on the big screen. The summit will also see renowned author Gurcharan Das and musicians Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar speak on contemporary issues. Tamil Nadu Minister of Information Technology P Thiaga Rajan, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy, Congress MP Jothimani Sennimalai, actor and politician Kushboo Sundar, Udhayanidhi Stalin will delve on varied topics such as why India needs federalism, the Tamil Nadu model and what the country can learn as well as women in politics.
The ABP Network's 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023' event will see personalities and politicians from a diverse set of fields sharing their views on their idea of a 'New India', the role of women in politics, diversity, and the upcoming 2024 general election. 'Baahubali' actor Rana Daggubati will speak on India's diversity in films, while veteran actor-director Revathy will share her experience of 40 years on the big screen. The summit will also see renowned author Gurcharan Das and musicians Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar speak on contemporary issues. Tamil Nadu Minister of Information Technology P Thiaga Rajan, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy, Congress MP Jothimani Sennimalai, actor and politician Kushboo Sundar, Udhayanidhi Stalin will delve on varied topics such as why India needs federalism, the Tamil Nadu model and what the country can learn as well as women in politics.
ABP Network's 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023' will start with Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan sharing her views on "redefining the Governor's role". Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is in the eye of the storm over his comments on Sanatan Dharma, will also share his thoughts. The summit will take place at Taj Coromandel, Chennai, and will be streamed LIVE on news.abplive.com, abpnadu.com, and abpdesam.com from 10 am.
Background
ABP Southern Rising Summit 2023 HIGHLIGHTS: Noted personalities from business, politics, cinema, sports, science, and other fields will converge on one platform as ABP Network holds 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023' on Thursday in Chennai. The event will celebrate and explore the exceptional progress, cultural richness, and social harmony exemplified by the five South Indian states -- Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
The summit will take place at Taj Coromandel, Chennai, and will be streamed LIVE on news.abplive.com, abpnadu.com, and abpdesam.com from 10 am.
The event will see personalities and politicians from a diverse set of fields sharing their views on their idea of a 'New India', role of women in politics, diversity, and also the upcoming 2024 general election.
The summit is taking place at a time when South India has seen hectic political activity -- from AIADMK severing ties with the BJP to the controversy over Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's remark on 'Sanatana Dharma'.
ABP Network's 'The Southern Rising Summit 2023' will start with Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan sharing her views on "redefining the Governor's role". Internationally renowned music composer and Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej will share his views on India's role on the global stage.
'Baahubali' actor Rana Daggubati will speak on India's diversity in films, while veteran actor-director Revathy will share her experience of 40 years on the big screen. The summit will also see renowned author Gurcharan Das and musicians Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar speak on contemporary issues.
With the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha election just months away, a host of politicians will give their insights on varied topics such as why India needs federalism, the Tamil Nadu model and what the country can learn as well as women in politics.
Tamil Nadu Minister of Information Technology P Thiaga Rajan, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy, Congress MP Jothimani Sennimalai, actor and politican Kushboo Sundar, Udhayanidhi Stalin will delve on the above topics.
The closing session will see three heavyweight politicans — BRS MLC and Telangana CM's daughter Kavitha Kalvakuntla, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai — debating on the prospects of the 2024 general elections and if the Opposition can upset BJP's applecart.
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