New Delhi: In his first Mann Ki Baat broadcast of 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday commended the Election Commission for its dedication to fair polls and urged citizens to exercise their right to vote. Held a week early due to Republic Day falling on January 26, the PM’s address also highlighted the 75th anniversary of the Indian Republic.
Recalling India’s inaugural elections of 1951-52, Modi lauded the EC’s modernisation efforts, including the use of technology, and underscored the Constitution’s emphasis on public participation in democracy. He played archival audio clips of Dr Rajendra Prasad, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
Drawing attention to the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, the PM celebrated the massive gathering as a living symbol of India’s unity in diversity. He noted the absence of discrimination at this centuries-old event and underlined how cultural traditions like Kumbh bind the nation.
Prime Minister Modi also mentioned the first anniversary of the Pran Pratishtha Parv of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, terming it the “re-establishment of India’s cultural consciousness.” He stressed the importance of preserving the country’s heritage while advancing on the path of development.
Highlighting India’s strides in space research at the start of 2025, Modi cited the launch of ‘Firefly,’ the first private satellite constellation, and successful space-docking efforts. He lauded Indian scientists’ endeavours to grow plants in space and spotlighted IIT Madras’s ExTeM Centre for pioneering work on 3D-printed buildings, metal foams, and optical fibers for future space missions.
Concluding, the PM paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose ahead of his January 23 birth anniversary, urging the nation to draw inspiration from Bose’s valor as India continues to strengthen its democratic foundations and global standing.
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