Viksit Bharat Young Leaders dialogue will be held on January 11, 12: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked people to celebrate inspiring stories of the Indian diaspora who have made their mark globally, contributed to freedom struggles and preserved “our heritage”. In his monthly radio show "Mann Ki Baat", he announced that the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders dialogue, an initiative to connect youngsters with no political background with politics, will be held on January 11-12 in Delhi.

In his address, Mr Modi said that he waits throughout the month to communicate with the people through the radio show. Citing his recent official visit to Guyana, the PM mentioned how thousands of kilometers away from India, a "Mini India" dwells in Guyana too. He said people of Indian origin are leading in every field in Guyana.

"The President of Guyana Irfan Ali is also of Indian origin and is proud of his Indian heritage," Mr Modi said.

"When I was in Guyana, a thought struck my mind that I am sharing with you. Just like Guyana, there are lakhs of Indians in dozens of countries across the world. Their ancestors have their own stories of decades, even those over 200-300 years ago. Can you be on the lookout for such stories of how Indian immigrants made their mark in different countries?... I want you to find out such true stories and share them with me. You can also share these stories on the NaMo App or on MyGov with #IndianDiasporaStories," said PM Modi.

Talking about the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders dialogue,' Mr Modi said, "You might remember that from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I urged such youths to join politics, none of whose family members or even the entire family have had a political background. To connect one lakh such youths, new youths, to politics, many special campaigns will be run in the country. The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue is one such effort," he said.

Mr Modi informed that experts from the country and abroad, along with several national and international personalities, will be there at the dialogue. "I will also be present in it for as much time as possible. The youth will get an opportunity to present their ideas directly before us," said Mr Modi.

In his radio address, the Prime Minister also hailed the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and noted that the NCC name reminded one of their school and college days.

"I myself have been an NCC cadet, so I can say with full confidence that the experience I got from it is invaluable for me. The NCC instills a spirit of discipline, leadership and service in the youth,” he said.

The compassion and energy of India’s “Yuva Shakti” in helping senior citizens is commendable, PM Modi said, citing the example of a young person from Lucknow helping the elderly submit digital life certificates.

Mr Modi also talked about a person from Ahmedabad making the elderly aware of cybercrimes, including digital arrests. He also mentioned Chennai's Kudugal Trust, which works with school children in helping the sparrow population grow and about the Mumbai-based Akshara and Prakriti, who create fashion items through fabric scraps.

"I eagerly await your feedback, letter and suggestions throughout the month. Your messages every month inspire me to do even better," said Mr Modi.