<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India bows to the&nbsp;brave martyrs who lost their lives in Ladakh.</p>

<p>Addressing the monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Modi further said that the valour of the Indian soldiers will always be remembered and families who lost their sons, still want to send their other children to defence forces... their spirit and sacrifice is venerable.</p>

<p>''The world has seen India's commitment to protecting its borders and sovereignty. In Ladakh, a befitting reply has been given to those coveting our territories,'' Modi added.</p>

<p>On making India self-reliant, Modi said that people from all over India are writing, reiterating their support to the movement to make India self-reliant, he said and added that being vocal about local is a great service to the nation.</p>

<p>Modi also urged the people to be more careful as India is unlocking.</p>

<p>''As compared to Lockdown, we need to be even more careful now during Unlock. If you don't wear masks, follow social distancing &amp; other precautions, you put yourself as well as others at risk. I appeal to all countrymen to not be careless,'' he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
People are commonly talking about one thing- when will 2020 end. They feel it has been a year of many challenges. There could be any number of challenges but our history shows that we've always overcome them. We've emerged stronger after challenges: PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat</p>


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India bows to the brave martyrs who lost their lives in Ladakh. Addressing the monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Modi further said that the valour of the Indian soldiers will always be remembered and families who lost their sons, still want to send their other children to defence forces.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India bows to the brave martyrs who lost their lives in Ladakh. Addressing the monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Modi further said that the valour of the Indian soldiers will always be remembered and families who lost their sons, still want to send their other children to defence forces... their spirit and sacrifice is venerable. ''The world has seen India's commitment to protecting its borders and sovereignty. In Ladakh, a befitting reply has been given to those coveting our territories,'' Modi added. On making India self-reliant, Modi said that people from all over India are writing, reiterating their support to the movement to make India self-reliant, he said and added that being vocal about local is a great service to the nation. Modi also urged the people to be more careful as India is unlocking. ''As compared to Lockdown, we need to be even more careful now during Unlock. If you don't wear masks, follow social distancing & other precautions, you put yourself as well as others at risk. I appeal to all countrymen to not be careless,'' he said. People are commonly talking about one thing- when will 2020 end. They feel it has been a year of many challenges. There could be any number of challenges but our history shows that we've always overcome them. We've emerged stronger after challenges: PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat

Befitting reply has been given to those coveting our territories: PM Modi

<p><br />
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that worst affected due to the pandemic are poor and the labourers and added that their pain can't be expressed in worlds.</p>

<p>Addressing the nation through his monthly radio programme Maan Ki Baat, Modi said there is no section in our country that is unaffected by the difficulties caused by the disease. However, the worst affected are the poor and the labourers. Their pain, their agony, and their ordeal can't be expressed in words, he said.</p>

<p>''When we look at other countries, we realise how big is the achievement of Indians. Our population is many times more than other countries, challenges are different still COVID-19 didn't spread so rapidly as in other countries and the fatality rate is also notably lower,'' he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi said that innovation at the moment of crisis touched his heart and lauded the efforts of small scale traders and startups for devising new ways to fight the coronavirus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A major chunk of the economy is active now. There should be no laxity in maintaining six feet distance, wearing masks and staying indoors as much as possible, he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''A few days ago, the number of Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries crossed over 1 cr. If the poor had to pay for their treatments in the hospital, if they weren't treated for free then they had to spend somewhat around Rs 14,000 cr. Ayushman Bharat has saved money of poor,'' Modi said.</p>

<p>While the eastern part of India is facing natural calamity caused by the cyclone, many parts of the country are under locus attack. These attacks have reminded us how much damage this small insect can cause, he noted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi said that adopting new innovations, he was confident India will be able to deal with this crisis in the agriculture sector.&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that worst affected due to the pandemic are poor and the labourers and added that their pain can't be expressed in worlds.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that worst affected due to the pandemic are poor and the labourers and added that their pain can't be expressed in worlds. Addressing the nation through his monthly radio programme Maan Ki Baat, Modi said there is no section in our country that is unaffected by the difficulties caused by the disease. However, the worst affected are the poor and the labourers. Their pain, their agony, and their ordeal can't be expressed in words, he said. ''When we look at other countries, we realise how big is the achievement of Indians. Our population is many times more than other countries, challenges are different still COVID-19 didn't spread so rapidly as in other countries and the fatality rate is also notably lower,'' he said. Modi said that innovation at the moment of crisis touched his heart and lauded the efforts of small scale traders and startups for devising new ways to fight the coronavirus. A major chunk of the economy is active now. There should be no laxity in maintaining six feet distance, wearing masks and staying indoors as much as possible, he said. ''A few days ago, the number of Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries crossed over 1 cr. If the poor had to pay for their treatments in the hospital, if they weren't treated for free then they had to spend somewhat around Rs 14,000 cr. Ayushman Bharat has saved money of poor,'' Modi said. While the eastern part of India is facing natural calamity caused by the cyclone, many parts of the country are under locus attack. These attacks have reminded us how much damage this small insect can cause, he noted. Modi said that adopting new innovations, he was confident India will be able to deal with this crisis in the agriculture sector.

Worst affected by pandemic are poor and labourers, says PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat address

<p>Today, my morning started with a very mixed feeling. It happens to be the National Organ Donation Day, and coming from a family with a large number of Diabetic patients, this day is of crucial importance to me. Diabetes slowly gnaws away one&#39;s body, rendering the organs dysfunctional, the skin fragile and itchy, and the muscles languid. When you watch your nearest and dearest ones suffering from kidney failure or losing the eye-sight, you do wish the world was more sympathetic and supportive to the cause of organ donation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>People without a properly functioning organ are akin to physically disabled people. Someone with a dysfunctional kidney is as much helpless as one without eyesight or amputated legs and arms. Thus, closely coupled with this very personal concern for people with disability is a larger anxiety about how we respond to disability in India.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>India does not behave well with physically disabled.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=India does not behave well with physically disabled." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>India does not behave well with physically disabled; we have little time, patience or empathy for them. Society considers them as a burden and little ones as much as old people suffering from disabilities are subjected to ridicule. Bollywood is no exception. In fact, the tinsel town has added to society&#39;s mockery of the disabled by making slapstick comedy scenes in movies, such as Humshakals, Golmaal 2 and Houseful 3.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a country where diseases are often linked to sins committed in either this life or in the past life, if not by the person concerned then by his/her parents, disability is seen as a bane, a burden. But instead of empowering these people so that they could live a life of independence, our apathy is pushing them further into oblivion and into a dark dungeon of pessimism.</p>

<p>India&#39;s prime minister Narendra Modi in his Maan ki Baat speech to the nation has congratulated the Indian blind cricket team for winning the T20 World Cup for the Blind. This is a very fine gesture. For a very long time, we have celebrated the winning performance of our able-bodied male cricketers. The fact that even a team of blind players can make the nation proud, is definitely a game changer. This shows a shift in our attitude to excellence in sports and our ideas about victory.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>But simply congratulating the winners who have made India proud at the international arena will not make India more habitable for the physically disabled.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=But simply congratulating the winners who have made India proud at the international arena will not make India more habitable for the physically disabled." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>I am hoping that the prime minister did not choose to congratulate the cricket team because it won a thrashing victory against Pakistan. I believe the prime minister chose to celebrate the indomitable spirit of these people rather than one win against India&#39;s arch nemesis as he also mentioned, in the same speech, the Indian sportspersons who won medals at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. As a nation of people who are obsessed with their national cricket team led by superman Virat Kohli, this is indeed a welcome break. Though it is too early to tell, this may also mean that with the prime minister making special mention, players from other sports may get a better chance of getting sponsorship, media coverage and improved training opportunities. &nbsp;</p>

<p>But simply congratulating the winners who have made India proud at the international arena will not make India more habitable for the physically disabled. For that, we need a conscious effort, an informed team of policymakers, and commitment on the part of the state as well as the civil society to translate those policies into action. &nbsp;</p>

<p>As a nation, we are not sensitive to the needs of the physically disabled in the public spaces. I know many heart patients who have gone through a heart transplant and are scared to visit the malls. They can&#39;t climb steps and would definitely prefer a ramp to walk into the mall. Very few of Indian malls or for that matter almost none of the shopping complexes, comprising of small shops have ramps. Under the circumstance, how will someone with any form of disability be able to perform the normal functions of life? Already challenged by diseases, our callousness is making their lives even more challenging.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Our cinema halls, bus stands, libraries, marts and offices need to cater to the physically disabled.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Our cinema halls, bus stands, libraries, marts and offices need to cater to the physically disabled." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>India desperately needs more disability-friendly public buildings. Our cinema halls, bus stands, libraries, marts and offices need to cater to the physically disabled.&nbsp; I have always wondered why there is not a single toilet in my office that is accessible to people with physical problems. Similarly, our public transports are equally apathetic. Buses in the uses all come equipped with automatic staircases which can come down to the level of the footpath, so that anyone with a disability can get into the bus in the wheelchair. I still remember in one of my cross-country bus journeys in the US, we waited for 3 hours because the stairs got jammed, preventing someone with an amputated leg to get into the bus. The bus did not leave without taking the passenger concerned.</p>

<p>India is getting all these fancy, air-conditioned buses with huge glass windows but none of these are equipped to serve better the physically disabled.</p>

<p>So, as a nation which is fast developing, it will be prudent to not only pay lip-service to the disabled. As we work towards encouraging more people to donate their working organs to those without, we should also strive to make the world more habitable for them. If India&#39;s public spaces are made more hospitable to people with special needs, it will definitely help to challenge the taboo against physically handicapped. Far from being a burden to the society, then they will become an asset. Even without being a trailblazer, such a person can be a valuable member of the civil society.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


If India's public spaces are made more hospitable to people with special needs, it will definitely help to challenge the taboo against physically disabled.

Today, my morning started with a very mixed feeling. It happens to be the National Organ Donation Day, and coming from a family with a large number of Diabetic patients, this day is of crucial importance to me. Diabetes slowly gnaws away one's body, rendering the organs dysfunctional, the skin fragile and itchy, and the muscles languid. When you watch your nearest and dearest ones suffering from kidney failure or losing the eye-sight, you do wish the world was more sympathetic and supportive to the cause of organ donation. People without a properly functioning organ are akin to physically disabled people. Someone with a dysfunctional kidney is as much helpless as one without eyesight or amputated legs and arms. Thus, closely coupled with this very personal concern for people with disability is a larger anxiety about how we respond to disability in India. India does not behave well with physically disabled. × India does not behave well with physically disabled; we have little time, patience or empathy for them. Society considers them as a burden and little ones as much as old people suffering from disabilities are subjected to ridicule. Bollywood is no exception. In fact, the tinsel town has added to society's mockery of the disabled by making slapstick comedy scenes in movies, such as Humshakals, Golmaal 2 and Houseful 3. In a country where diseases are often linked to sins committed in either this life or in the past life, if not by the person concerned then by his/her parents, disability is seen as a bane, a burden. But instead of empowering these people so that they could live a life of independence, our apathy is pushing them further into oblivion and into a dark dungeon of pessimism. India's prime minister Narendra Modi in his Maan ki Baat speech to the nation has congratulated the Indian blind cricket team for winning the T20 World Cup for the Blind. This is a very fine gesture. For a very long time, we have celebrated the winning performance of our able-bodied male cricketers. The fact that even a team of blind players can make the nation proud, is definitely a game changer. This shows a shift in our attitude to excellence in sports and our ideas about victory. But simply congratulating the winners who have made India proud at the international arena will not make India more habitable for the physically disabled. × I am hoping that the prime minister did not choose to congratulate the cricket team because it won a thrashing victory against Pakistan. I believe the prime minister chose to celebrate the indomitable spirit of these people rather than one win against India's arch nemesis as he also mentioned, in the same speech, the Indian sportspersons who won medals at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. As a nation of people who are obsessed with their national cricket team led by superman Virat Kohli, this is indeed a welcome break. Though it is too early to tell, this may also mean that with the prime minister making special mention, players from other sports may get a better chance of getting sponsorship, media coverage and improved training opportunities. But simply congratulating the winners who have made India proud at the international arena will not make India more habitable for the physically disabled. For that, we need a conscious effort, an informed team of policymakers, and commitment on the part of the state as well as the civil society to translate those policies into action. As a nation, we are not sensitive to the needs of the physically disabled in the public spaces. I know many heart patients who have gone through a heart transplant and are scared to visit the malls. They can't climb steps and would definitely prefer a ramp to walk into the mall. Very few of Indian malls or for that matter almost none of the shopping complexes, comprising of small shops have ramps. Under the circumstance, how will someone with any form of disability be able to perform the normal functions of life? Already challenged by diseases, our callousness is making their lives even more challenging. Our cinema halls, bus stands, libraries, marts and offices need to cater to the physically disabled. × India desperately needs more disability-friendly public buildings. Our cinema halls, bus stands, libraries, marts and offices need to cater to the physically disabled. I have always wondered why there is not a single toilet in my office that is accessible to people with physical problems. Similarly, our public transports are equally apathetic. Buses in the uses all come equipped with automatic staircases which can come down to the level of the footpath, so that anyone with a disability can get into the bus in the wheelchair. I still remember in one of my cross-country bus journeys in the US, we waited for 3 hours because the stairs got jammed, preventing someone with an amputated leg to get into the bus. The bus did not leave without taking the passenger concerned. India is getting all these fancy, air-conditioned buses with huge glass windows but none of these are equipped to serve better the physically disabled. So, as a nation which is fast developing, it will be prudent to not only pay lip-service to the disabled. As we work towards encouraging more people to donate their working organs to those without, we should also strive to make the world more habitable for them. If India's public spaces are made more hospitable to people with special needs, it will definitely help to challenge the taboo against physically handicapped. Far from being a burden to the society, then they will become an asset. Even without being a trailblazer, such a person can be a valuable member of the civil society.

Opinion: Modi praises blind cricketers but is India sensitive to the disabled

maan-ki-bat

Maan Ki Bat, News on Maan Ki Bat, stories on Maan Ki Bat, articles on Maan Ki Bat, Maan Ki Bat stories at Wion, Maan Ki Bat news, Maan Ki Bat latest news

maan ki-bat

Befitting reply has been given to those coveting our territories: PM Modi

Worst affected by pandemic are poor and labourers, says PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat address

Opinion: Modi praises blind cricketers but is India sensitive to the disabled