NEW DELHI: Praising the “dedication of India’s youth” and the cultural bridge built by the Tamil Sangamam, PM Narendra Modi Sunday said these forces together embody the spirit of a rising Viksit Bharat. In his 128th ‘Mann ki Baat’ address, he linked recent achievements in space, defence, farming and sports to the energy of young Indians and the country’s deep civilisational roots.”Every time I see the dedication of our youth and the commitment of our scientists, my heart fills with enthusiasm,” the PM said, adding, “this dedication of the youth is one of the greatest strengths of Viksit Bharat.”Modi cited innovations made by space startups to agricultural initiatives, highlighting Skyroot’s new Infinity Campus, the inauguration of the world’s largest LEAP engine MRO facility in Hyderabad and the induction of INS Mahe into the Indian Navy. He also referred to a drone-flying challenge designed by Isro, wherein young participants tested equipment in Mars-like conditions using only onboard cameras and software.”In the video, our Gen-Z kept trying despite repeated crashes. The same spark was displayed by our scientists when they turned the disappointment of Chandrayaan-2 into the success of Chandrayaan-3,” he said.The PM also touched upon Nov’s cultural and national milestones: the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, Constitution Day events in the Central Hall of Parliament and the hoisting of the Dharmadhwaja atop the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A significant portion of his address was devoted to the fourth edition of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, beginning Dec 2 in Varanasi. Calling it a unique confluence of “world’s oldest language and one of world’s oldest cities,” he urged citizens to participate and “learn Tamil”.
