NEW DELHI: Addressing the nation during the 137th episode of his monthly radio broadcast, Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a direct call to India’s digital content creators, social media influencers, musicians, and young artists. He urged them to harness their creative reach to raise widespread awareness about the harmful effects of substance abuse among the country’s youth, framing creative communication as a crucial tool for nationwide social change.
Highlighting the ongoing Nasha-Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat (Drug-Free Youth for Developed India) campaign, PM Modi emphasized that drug addiction is not merely an individual crisis, but one whose devastating consequences ripple across entire families and communities. He noted that India has a rich pool of talented creators who can produce impactful content across various regional languages to educate the public. Stressing that creative efforts often resonate far more deeply than formal awareness drives, the Prime Minister encouraged young musicians to compose anti-drug songs, student theater groups to write moving short plays about recovery, and digital creators to share their messaging across platforms using the hashtag #NashaMuktYuva.
Beyond the anti-drug initiative, the 137th episode showcased several grassroots achievements and citizen-led innovations. The Prime Minister praised Mumbai developer Krishna Seshadri for creating BharatRajya, an interactive historical atlas designed to help citizens explore micro-level regional history across different eras of the Indian subcontinent. PM Modi also highlighted the economic impact of the PM SVANidhi scheme, pointing out that nearly 46% of its beneficiaries—around 3.5 million—are female street vendors expanding their small enterprises. Additionally, he lauded public participation in cleanliness drives during the Shri Amarnath Yatra, spotlighted Mission ShaktiSAT for training thousands of young women in satellite technology, and concluded by renewing his call for the Vocal for Local movement ahead of the upcoming festive season.
