Mann ki Baat | Cheer for 'Bharat' in Olympics, visit Charaideo Maidam: Modi

As the 2024 Paris Olympics gets underway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann ki Baat on Sunday (July 28) urged all Indians to cheer for Indian players since the Games give our athletes a chance to hoist the national flag at the international level. 

During the broadcast, he also interacted with Indian students who performed very well in the recently held Mathematics olympiad.

In his Mann Ki Baat monthly radio broadcast, he congratulated the students who won four gold medals and one silver medal in the International Mathematics Olympiad. "Youth from more than a 100 countries had participated in the International Mathematics Olympiad and in the overall tally, our team has been successful in reaching the top five," he pointed out.

Charaideo Maidam of Assam becomes heritage site

After an interaction with the Olympiad winners, Modi also revealed that Charaideo Maidam in Assam is being included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites making it the 43rd site in India, and the first site from the north-east to become a heritage site.

Modi then explained the origins of Charaideo, the first capital of the Ahom dynasty. The people of the Ahom dynasty traditionally kept the mortal remains of their ancestors and their valuables in the Maidam, PM Modi said.

A Maidam then is a mound-like structure, covered with soil on top, and has one or more rooms underneath, he said. It is a symbol of reverence for the departed kings and dignitaries of the Ahom Empire since it is a way to show respect to one's ancestors, said PM Modi, adding that this Ahom empire which started ruling in the 13th century lasted till the beginning of the 19th century.

Modi also recalled how on March 9, this year, he had unveiled the tallest statue of the great Ahom warrior Lasit Borphukan, a symbol of indomitable courage and bravery. "It is indeed a great feeling for me to have the privilege of paying respect to the ancestors of the Ahom community at Lasit Maidam," PM Modi said, adding that Charaideo Madam becoming a World Heritage Site now will mean more tourists will visit the place and urged people to visit this site in the future.

Khadi Gramodyog

PM Modi went on to talk about Khadi since Independence Day will be celebrated in August.

Khadi Gramodyog's business has crossed ₹1.5 lakh crore for the first time and asserted that the rising sales of Khadi and handloom were creating new job opportunities in large numbers.

In the broadcast, Modi said many people who would not be using Khadi products earlier now wear them with great pride.

"The Khadi Gramodyog's business has crossed Rs 1.5 lakh crore for the first time. Do you know how much sales of Khadi have gone up? '400 per cent', he said, adding that the rising sales of Khadi and handloom are creating new job opportunities in large numbers," he said.

Mostly women are associated with this industry so they are benefitting the most, he added.

"You must be having different types of clothes and till now if you have not bought khadi clothes then start buying them," Modi said.

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