Mann ki Baat: PM speaks to Tamil Nadu hairdresser, lauds his library initiative
Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to a hairdresser from Tamil Nadu as part of his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme and lauded his initiative to encourage reading by converting a portion of his salon into a library.
Hailing Tamil classic 'Tirukkural', Modi said it was a guide for life and one must read it. The book is available in all Indian languages, the prime minister said in his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' radio broadcast.
Tirukkural or Kural in short is an ancient Tamil didactic literature having 1,330 couplets, offering guidance to people from all walks of life.
Beginning his conversation in Tamil with 'vanakkam' and 'nalla irukkeengala' (how are you), the prime minister asked the salon owner, Pon Mariyappan, as to how he got the idea of setting up a library.
Mariyappan, hailing from Tuticorin in southern Tamil Nadu, said since he did not get the opportunity to study beyond class 8 due to family circumstances, he established a library for the benefit of others.
When Prime Minister Modi asked him what book he liked, the hairdresser said 'Tirukkural'. Modi, who continued to speak in Tamil, said he felt happy to have spoken to him and Mariyappan too said he was extremely happy.
After conversing with him, the prime minister said: "We just spoke to Pon Mariyappan ji. See how he dresses people's hair, he gives them an opportunity to dress up their lives too".
"It felt nice to learn about the popularity of Tirukkural. All of you too heard about the popularity of Tirukkural. Today, Tirukkural is available in all languages of India. Given an opportunity, one must read it. In a way, it is a guide for life," he said.
Modi had quoted Tirukkural on a number of earlier occasions too.
In his Independence Day address last year, while speaking on the 'Jal-Jeevan' Mission, he had quoted a couplet "Neer indri Amayadhu," to underscore the importance of water.
In July, he quoted verses from the ancient text to reinforce that Indian armed forces had always followed the time honoured traditions of valour and honour.
Addressing party workers, BJP chief J P Nadda had last November said, "Thirukkural is a great source of inspiration for humanity."
Last year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had quoted another Tamil classic "Purananooru", to assert that the government was for judicious taxation.
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YouTuber Dhruv Rathee expands reach with regional language channels including Kannada
Popular YouTuber and influential social media figure, Dhruv Rathee, has extended his digital footprint by launching his YouTube channel in five prominent Indian regional languages. Widely recognized for his informative videos covering a spectrum of social, political, and environmental subjects in Hindi, Dhruv's latest endeavor aims to cater to a broader audience base across the country.
The newly inaugurated YouTube channels, introduced on Thursday, April 18, will feature dubbed versions of Dhruv's Hindi videos in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, and Marathi. Among the initial offerings on these channels is the translated rendition of his recent viral video titled, “Is India becoming a dictatorship?”
Originally released in February, the aforementioned video garnered substantial attention, amassing over 24 million views. It delved into contentious topics such as the Chandigarh mayoral election, the ongoing farmers' protest, and voiced apprehensions regarding the trajectory of India's democracy. Drawing comparisons to regimes like North Korea, the video also scrutinized the functioning of India's Election Commission, raising concerns about the state of democracy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
However, the video's critical stance attracted criticism from supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with some dismissing Dhruv's perspective due to his residence in Germany. In response, Dhruv addressed BJP supporters, urging them to approach the video with an open mind. He emphasized that personal attacks on him were merely distractions, urging viewers to focus on the underlying issues at hand. “The real issue is something very serious if you truly care about the nation. Wake up!” he asserted.
Launching in 5 Indian Languages today!
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) April 18, 2024
Share with your friends from these states! The most important video is already live on these channels.
Tamil-https://t.co/iIAY46UONr
Telugu- https://t.co/uHUFmMWOY2
Bengali-https://t.co/Ps41JJ8VuC
Kannada-https://t.co/UTgIvoU8bf… pic.twitter.com/vuKfLctR8h
