Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday touched upon a variety of topics including India’s preparedness for upcoming Tokyo Olympics, vaccine hesitancy, need to conserve rainwater during the ongoing monsoon as well as Independence Day celebrations coming up soon.

Modi also used his monthly national broadcast Mann ki Baat pay tributes to former Olympian Milkha Singh as well as Guru Prasad Mohapatra, former Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, both died of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister recollected how legendary Milkha Singh, came to the limelight with 1964 Tokyo Olympics, promised him to be present when Indian athletes leave for Tokyo Olympics, expected to commence from next month, but Modi said unfortunately providence had other plans.

The Prime Minister also used the occasion to remind people how a number of sportspersons competing with the world’s best in Tokyo have come up a hard way in life, citing the examples of Indian archers Praveen Jadhav and Dipika Kumari, Indian Hockey team member Neha Goyal, race-walker Priyanka Goswami and Shivpal Singh, all whom hailed from humble backgrounds.

He also cited the names of boxer Manish Kaushik and C A Bhavani Devi, first Indian fencer to qualify for Olympics, reminded all Indians about the sacrifices that they and their families made for making them eligible for competing at the highest level and urged people to cheer for them without putting pressure on them.

Talking to two villagers hailed from a village in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, the Prime Minister urged them not to fall for rumours being spread about Covid-19 vaccines by unscrupulous elements and requested them to take the vaccine shots when their turn comes so that they can be safe from the infection.

Reminding them that already 31 crore people have taken vaccines, Modi said not getting vaccinated can prove to be dangerous. He also cited examples of many villages in Jammu & Kashmir and Northeastern States where the vaccination has been 100 per cent among people above 18 years of age.

Modi said someday how people living in villages in India during the Covid period displayed their capabilities and understanding by setting up quarantine centres and making Covid protocols as per local requirements among other things would be a subject of case study for the world.

During the latest radio talk, first in the current monsoon season, the Prime Minister urged people to do rainwater harvesting so that water can be conserved not for the present, but future generations too. He also buttressed the importance of celebrating National Doctor’s Day and Chartered Accountant’s Day, both falling on July 1.

“We are all grateful for the contribution of doctors in the Corona period. Our doctors have served us without caring about their lives. Therefore, this time around National Doctors Day becomes all the more special,” Modi said. He also cited how Tariq Ahmad Patloo, a Shikara owner in Dal Lake in Srinagar, started a boat ambulance service to help people.

Patloo himself fought the battle with Covid-19 and this inspired him to start the Ambulance Service. A campaign is also underway to make people aware of this ambulance, and continuous announcements from the ambulance are being made by him, the Prime Minister said.

Regarding the approaching Amrit Mahotsav, which India would commence the marking of its 75th year of independence, Modi said he was happy to know that over 2,500 young people came forward to research and write about stories about those who died for the country. He said he was happy to see people who were born much after India won freedom are taking up cudgels to bring to the forefront the history of he Freedom Struggle of 19th and 20th century.

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