Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' had its historic 100th episode aired on Sunday and was listened to by people around the world. Crowds gathered in several locations to listen to the Prime Minister’s 30-minute speech. During one such gathering in Auckland, New Zealand, a 100-year-old woman named Ramben blessed PM Modi’s poster and wished him a happy and prosperous life. Ramben was with other members of the Indian diaspora to listen to PM Modi's ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
In a video shared by news agency ANI, Ramben can be seen holding her hands out onto the poster and saying words of blessings in Gujarati.
The program, which is held on the last Sunday of every month, has been successful in reaching out to millions of Indians across the country. The 100th episode was aired at 11 am live across the country.
The programme, which started on October 3, 2014, has become a key pillar of the government's citizen-outreach programme addressing multiple social groups such as women, youth, and farmers and has spurred community action.
Apart from 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, Mann Ki Baat is broadcast in 11 foreign languages including French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashto, Persian, Dari and Swahili. Mann Ki Baat is being broadcast by more than 500 broadcast centres of All India Radio.
During the broadcast, PM Modi said that Mann Ki Baat filled the "emptiness" he felt after coming to Delhi in 2014 and described it as an expression of the feelings of crores of Indians which has ensured he is never cut off from people. The milestone broadcast was an occasion for Modi to walk down memory lane as he asserted that it was not merely a programme but a matter of faith and spiritual journey for him.
"Mann ki Baat has become a festival that celebrates the positivity of India and its people," he said and added he was filled with emotions at the thousands of letters he received from listeners on the occasion of its 100th episode.