Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked the Startups in the country to use their skills and scientific character in “nation building”.

Addressing the 86th episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi underscored that this is also “our collective scientific responsibility towards the country”.

Hailing the efforts of startups in the field of “virtual reality”, Modi also called upon them— in the era of virtual classes— to set up a “virtual lab” keeping in mind the considerations of children. “Through virtual reality, we can also make children experience chemistry lab at home. I urge teachers and parents to encourage students and children to ask questions and look for answers along with them”, he said. 

SCIENTIFIC TEMPERAMENT

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the National Science Day, which falls on February 28, Modi asked families to develop “scientific temperament” in their children. 

“Friends technology has made our life easier and simple. Which technology is good and how to make better use of a particular technology we are familiar with all these. But it is also true that we don’t pay attention to apprise children in our family as to what is the basis of that technology , what is the science behind it”, Modi said.

He suggested that scientific issue be discussed at home and noted that it is possible to explain the science behind several issues in everybody’s daily lives. 

PAT FOR SCIENTISTS

Modi appreciated the role of Indian scientists in the fight against corona. “It is because of their hard work that the production of made in India vaccine was possible, which has helped the entire world. This is the gift of science to humanity”, he said. 

INVALUABLE ARTIFACTS

Modi highlighted that Indus has been successful in bringing back invaluable artifacts. “Many idols were smuggled from India, sold in different nations. Bringing those idols back was our responsibility. Till 2013, just 13 idols were brought back but after 2014, India brought back over 200 precious idols from nations like the US, Britain and Canada”, Modi said. 

LANGUAGE DIVERSITY

Modi stressed the need for Indians to proudly speak in their mother tongue, noting that ‘our mother tongue shapes our lives just as our mothers’. He highlighted that Indian languages had their own special characteristics and mother tongue has its own science. 

“Even after 75 years of independence, some people are facing a mental dilemma due to which they have reservations with regard to their language, their dress, their food, and drink, whereas, it is not like this anywhere else in the world”, Modi said.

He highlighted that India is so rich in terms of languages that it cannot be compared. 

“The biggest beauty of our languages is that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Kohima, hundreds of languages, thousands of dialects which are different from each other but are mutually integrated…many languages —one expression”, he said.

Modi also highlighted that people of India are proud to be associated with 121 forms of mother tongues and 14 of these languages are spoken by more than 1 crore people in everyday life. 

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