Matters of Mind: Modi’s Mann ki Baat

Anurag Singh Thakur

(The author is Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is universally acknowledged as an exceptionally gifted communicator who can establish instant rapport with the masses. His daunting oratorial skills are only one of the explanations for this unique ability. The sincerity with which he speaks, the integrity for which he is known, and the trust-based relationships he has struck with the people over the past eight years all contribute to his success as a mass communicator.

His inclusionary approach has found unprecedented acceptance across demographics. It’s PM Modi’s people-centric model of development that has endeared him to the vast multitudes. And it’s his non-elitist idea of a continuous dialogue with the people that led to what we now know as ‘Mann ki Baat’, launched in October 2014. Over the years, it has become a last Sunday-of-the-month fixture. It began as a radio talk; it is now simultaneously broadcast from various platforms in multiple languages.

Mann ki Baat shows there are two Modis: the strong, powerful, purposeful Prime Minister Modi; and the soft, kindly, gentle Paterfamilias Modi. If you were to shut your eyes and listen to ‘Mann ki Baat’, you would think that Modi Ji was sitting at a village chaupal, conversing with people—listening to them, speaking to them, and offering sage advice where needed or complimenting someone for an exemplary deed. Recently, he shared his conversation with families of accident victims who had bravely decided to donate the organs of their loved ones. Modi Ji used that conversation to promote the noble idea of organ donation.

One could cite numerous examples, ranging from coping with climate extremes to health and hygiene to complimenting ordinary people with extraordinary hearts for their good deeds. PM Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ is essentially about real-life stories and experiences, stories that reflect the real India that exists beyond the narrow confines of Lutyens’s Delhi. It explains why each episode of ‘Mann ki Baat’ is wildly popular and receives tens of thousands of responses. It resonates with the people as it is about their concerns.

The first episode of Mann Ki Baat was aired on October 3, 2014. It will complete 100 episodes on April 30, 2023. Mann Ki Baat is unique in terms of its subject matter, design, interaction, and innovative way of communicating with people and society as a whole. Through ‘All India Radio’, the largest radio network in the world with 262 radio stations and over 375 private and community radio stations, the Prime Minister of India reaches a vast spectrum of the socio-economically and culturally diverse populace, inspires and energises them not just on social, cultural, and economic issues but on challenging problems that the world is facing today, such as climate change, waste management, the energy crisis, etc.

Prasar Bharati, the Indian public service broadcaster, undertakes the translation and broadcast of Mann Ki Baat in 52 languages and dialects, including 11 foreign languages, catering to the remotest regions of the country while also taking it to the Indian diaspora. Mann Ki Baat is India’s first virtually enriched radio programme that is simultaneously broadcast by TV channels. 34 channels of the Doordarshan network and over 100 private satellite TV channels broadcast this innovative programme across the lengths and breadths of the country, creating a renewed interest in and awareness about this traditional medium of communication. A smartly curated booklet, with articles by experts and changemakers from various walks of life, is also published each month since February 2022, reaching over 60 million people digitally.

With such a colossal impact, Mann Ki Baat has been widely characterised (and rightfully so) as a social revolution and finds its solid base in Jan Bhagidari. The programme has been conceived and implemented around the idea of citizen engagement and participation, right from the formulation of the name of the show to the choice of subjects and calls to action that the Prime Minister includes in this programme. Every episode is a curation of a monthly reminder of the Prime Minister’s unshaken faith in the transformative power of individuals and is instrumental in encouraging Jan Bhagidari in governance. Through Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister has been able to reach out to millions of people across the country. He uses the platform to share his vision for the country and seeks the participation of citizens in the nation-building process.

The primary objective of Mann Ki Baat is to build a direct connection between the Prime Minister of India and its citizens. Every month, the Prime Minister receives millions of letters from across the nation, which he sheds light on during the programme. It is also not uncommon for the Hon’ble PM to have telephone conversations with the people during the show. Such a mode of communication between the elected leader and the masses significantly strengthens people’s belief in democracy and governance.

Throughout its successful course of 99 episodes spanning over 8 years, Mann Ki Baat has endeavoured to not only generate awareness in the masses about important issues but also inspire them to take action on social and national causes. One of the key features of the programme is the inspiring stories of change-makers who are working relentlessly and selflessly on the ground, which not only become a source of motivation for them to keep on working but also inspire millions of others.

Since its inception, Mann Ki Baat has emerged as an effective tool of Jan Andolan for catalysing social movements involving communities across the nation. The social messages delivered by the Prime Minister in the programme became a social media trend in a matter of hours as well as a mass movement (janandolan) in a few weeks. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, COVID Vaccination, and Har Ghar Tiranga are a few glorious examples of the same. Recently, in the 88th episode of Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of water conservation and urged the citizens to build Amrit Sarovars in their localities. Within a few months, the message was converted into a janandolan, and numerous Amrit Sarovars emerged across the nation, which were created by locals with the help of government bodies in the region. Subsequently, on the 92nd episode, the Prime Minister lauded the prompt efforts of the citizens as he mentioned various Amrit Sarovars, like Bhagat Singh Amrit Sarovar in Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh and Amrit Sarovar in Bilkerur of Karnataka.

Furthering the vision of building a ‘Sashakt Bharat’, Mann Ki Baat is focused on highlighting the national and global successes of the nation, urging people to participate in the nation’s development, and instilling a sense of pride, belonging, and nationalism in the citizens. In the 89th episode, the Prime Minister highlighted the number of unicorns in India reaching the figure of 100; the 91st episode celebrated the mass participation and nationwide success of the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign, swelling the hearts of every Indian with pride; and many more such examples showcase how Mann Ki Baat is not just a radio programme but a reflection of India’s holistic development and an expression of public participation.

With Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister has successfully established a mechanism to take welfare schemes and policies to the people at every level and generate awareness about the same. Not only that, but the Prime Minister also shares success stories of how these schemes benefit people at the grass-roots level to motivate more and more people to become beneficiaries. Even during times of crisis, the programme has played an important role in keeping people informed, as during the COVID pandemic, and motivating them to get vaccinated. India’s vaccine story owes its success in great measure to Mann ki Baat. That alone is tribute enough to the relevance of Mann ki Baat and its significance in our lives.