New Delhi: Stating that Indian culture is gaining glory across the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited a series of developments to highlight the growing acceptance abroad of practices and products linked to the country.
In his monthly Mann Ki Baat, Modi played a clip from a Hindi program broadcast on Kuwait radio.
"The government of Kuwait has started a special program on its national radio. And that too in Hindi. It is broadcast every Sunday for half an hour on Kuwait Radio. It includes countless shades of Indian culture. Our films and discussions related to the world of art are very popular among the Indian community there," he said.
He added that the local population of Kuwait was also showing a lot of interest and thanked his government and people for taking this "wonderful initiative".
"What Indian would not be happy with the way our culture is gaining glory around the world today? For example, in Turkmenistan, May this year celebrated the 300th birth anniversary of its national poet. On this occasion , the President of Turkmenistan unveiled the statues of 24 famous poets of the world. One of these statues is also that of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore," Modi said.
This is an honor for Gurudev and an honor for India, he added.
Similarly, in June, two Caribbean countries - Suriname and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - celebrated their Indian heritage with full zeal and enthusiasm, Modi said.
The Indian community in Suriname celebrates June 5 as Indian Arrival Day and the Pravasi Din, and Bhojpuri and Hindi are also widely spoken there, he added.
"The number of our brothers and sisters of Indian origin living in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also around 6,000. All of them are very proud of their heritage. The way they celebrated Indian Heritage Day on June 1 with great jubilation reflects this sentiment. Every Indian feels proud when such spread of Indian heritage and culture is seen across the world," the Prime Minister said.
Noting that the entire world celebrated the 10th International Yoga Day with great enthusiasm and zeal on June 21, the Prime Minister said locals, including women, joined him to participate in the yoga program in Srinagar.
"As the celebration of yoga day progresses, even new records are being achieved. Yoga day has made great achievements around the world. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, a woman, Al Hanouf Saad ji, led the protocol "This is the first time a Saudi woman has led a main yoga session. This time in Egypt, a photography contest was organized on yoga day," she said.
Images of thousands of people practicing yoga on the banks of the Nile River, on the beaches of the Red Sea and in front of the pyramids became very popular, she said.
Yoga sessions were held at Myanmar's Maravijaya Pagoda complex, famous for its marble Buddha statue, for children with disabilities in Bahrain, at the Galle Fort in Sri Lanka and at the Observation Deck in New York, among other places around the world, Modi said.
"A big one-day yoga program was also organized in Thimpu, Bhutan, in which my friend Prime Minister Tobgay also participated," he said, adding that people should practice yoga regularly.
He said, "There are so many Indian products that are in high demand across the world and when we see a local Indian product going global, it is natural to feel proud. One such product is Araku coffee."
Araku coffee is produced in large quantities in Alluri Sita Rama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh and is known for its rich taste and aroma, he said.
"This coffee is amazing! Araku coffee has received many global awards. The coffee was also a hit at the G20 Summit held in Delhi. Whenever you get a chance, you must enjoy Araku coffee," the Prime Minister added.
Jammu and Kashmir is also not lagging behind in globalization of local products, he said.
"What Jammu and Kashmir achieved last month is an example for people across the country. The first consignment of snow peas was sent to London from Pulwama," he said.
Modi said this success opened new doors for the prosperity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
In his monthly Mann Ki Baat, Modi played a clip from a Hindi program broadcast on Kuwait radio.
"The government of Kuwait has started a special program on its national radio. And that too in Hindi. It is broadcast every Sunday for half an hour on Kuwait Radio. It includes countless shades of Indian culture. Our films and discussions related to the world of art are very popular among the Indian community there," he said.
He added that the local population of Kuwait was also showing a lot of interest and thanked his government and people for taking this "wonderful initiative".
"What Indian would not be happy with the way our culture is gaining glory around the world today? For example, in Turkmenistan, May this year celebrated the 300th birth anniversary of its national poet. On this occasion , the President of Turkmenistan unveiled the statues of 24 famous poets of the world. One of these statues is also that of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore," Modi said.
This is an honor for Gurudev and an honor for India, he added.
Similarly, in June, two Caribbean countries - Suriname and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - celebrated their Indian heritage with full zeal and enthusiasm, Modi said.
The Indian community in Suriname celebrates June 5 as Indian Arrival Day and the Pravasi Din, and Bhojpuri and Hindi are also widely spoken there, he added.
"The number of our brothers and sisters of Indian origin living in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also around 6,000. All of them are very proud of their heritage. The way they celebrated Indian Heritage Day on June 1 with great jubilation reflects this sentiment. Every Indian feels proud when such spread of Indian heritage and culture is seen across the world," the Prime Minister said.
Noting that the entire world celebrated the 10th International Yoga Day with great enthusiasm and zeal on June 21, the Prime Minister said locals, including women, joined him to participate in the yoga program in Srinagar.
"As the celebration of yoga day progresses, even new records are being achieved. Yoga day has made great achievements around the world. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, a woman, Al Hanouf Saad ji, led the protocol "This is the first time a Saudi woman has led a main yoga session. This time in Egypt, a photography contest was organized on yoga day," she said.
Images of thousands of people practicing yoga on the banks of the Nile River, on the beaches of the Red Sea and in front of the pyramids became very popular, she said.
Yoga sessions were held at Myanmar's Maravijaya Pagoda complex, famous for its marble Buddha statue, for children with disabilities in Bahrain, at the Galle Fort in Sri Lanka and at the Observation Deck in New York, among other places around the world, Modi said.
"A big one-day yoga program was also organized in Thimpu, Bhutan, in which my friend Prime Minister Tobgay also participated," he said, adding that people should practice yoga regularly.
He said, "There are so many Indian products that are in high demand across the world and when we see a local Indian product going global, it is natural to feel proud. One such product is Araku coffee."
Araku coffee is produced in large quantities in Alluri Sita Rama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh and is known for its rich taste and aroma, he said.
"This coffee is amazing! Araku coffee has received many global awards. The coffee was also a hit at the G20 Summit held in Delhi. Whenever you get a chance, you must enjoy Araku coffee," the Prime Minister added.
Jammu and Kashmir is also not lagging behind in globalization of local products, he said.
"What Jammu and Kashmir achieved last month is an example for people across the country. The first consignment of snow peas was sent to London from Pulwama," he said.
Modi said this success opened new doors for the prosperity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
