Both excited, express thanks to Modi
Sanjeev Pargal/Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Oct 27: Gouri Nath of Udhampur and Firdousa Bashir of Anantnag today found special mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s `Mann Ki Baat’ for popularizing local culture.
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Gauri Nath said with the Prime Minister’s mention of his `sarangi’, his dream has been fulfilled.
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“Many of our school children are very interested in calligraphy. Through this our handwriting remains legible, beautiful and attractive. These days it is being used in Jammu and Kashmir to popularize local culture. Firdousa Bashir from Anantnag, who has expertise in calligraphy, is bringing forth many aspects of local culture though this,” Modi said in his monthly Radio Address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ today.
He said Firdousa’s calligraphy has attracted the local people especially the youth.
A similar effort, the Prime Minister said, is being made by Gouri Nath of Udhampur. He is engaged in preserving myriad forms of Dogra culture and heritage playing a `sarangi’ which is more than a century old.
“Over the tunes of the ‘sarangi’, he narrates the ancient stories and historical events related to their culture in an interesting way. In different parts of the country, you will find many such extraordinary people who have come forward to preserve cultural heritage,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister recalled his visit to Srinagar on International Yoga Day on June 21 this year saying despite rains so many people had gathered for yoga.
“I noticed the same enthusiasm for staying fit in the marathon that took place in Srinagar a few days ago. This spirit of ‘Fit India’ is more becoming a mass movement,” he said.
The Prime Minister said: “We were just talking about how our art and culture is spreading new colours from the Valley of Kashmir to the forests of Chhattisgarh, but the matter does not end here. The fragrance of these arts is spreading far and wide. People in different countries of the world are getting mesmerized by Indian art and culture.”
“When I was telling you about the sarangi resonating in Udhampur, I remembered how the sweet tune of Indian art is resonating in the Russian city of Yakutsk, thousands of miles away,” he added.
Meanwhile, Gauri Nath putting up at Shakti Nagar in Udhampur district in Jammu region whose ‘sarangi’ was mentioned by the Prime Minister was excited and thanked Modi for highlighting his art before the nation as he heard the PM’s monthly radio address.
He said that with the Prime Minister’s mention, this old musical instrument and the culture associated with it will be known among the youth.
“The Prime Minister has fulfilled my dream,” Gauri Nath said thanking Modi for giving a much-needed boost to the tradition of playing this instrument popular in various folk cultures and music.
Gauri Nath wants to teach ‘sarangi’ to the younger generation and wants them to take the legacy forward.
In her village of Kehribal, Anantnag, Firdousa expressed her excitement over being mentioned in the Prime Minister’s program. “I would love to meet PM Modi. Everyone here is very happy, and my family members are proud. Our neighbors and the Sarpanch are also congratulating me. I never imagined PM Modi would mention my name in Mann Ki Baat,” she said.
Firdousa appreciated the program for recognizing local talent. “It inspires people to come forward and showcase their skills. I want to advance in calligraphy, become a successful calligrapher, and teach others this beautiful art,” she added.
Her journey began after she completed her 12th-grade education in Kehribal. Rather than following a conventional career path, she enrolled in an Islamic seminary to study Islamic literature, where she discovered her passion for Arabic script.
Her interest in calligraphy deepened after watching a YouTube video of a young calligrapher who, without any formal training, was making intriguing calligraphy works.
PTI adds: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged the issue of fraudsters targeting people with the cyber crime of “digital arrests” and urged people to adopt the mantra of “stop, think and take action” when faced with such a scam, asserting that these steps will provide digital security to them.
In his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast, he said probe agencies are working with States to deal with the issue but added that awareness is essential in protecting oneself from this crime.
The Prime Minister also highlighted that the country has decided to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Bhagwan Birsa Munda, noting that while Patel’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations will begin from October 31, Munda’s will start from November 15.
Modi also informed that with Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary on October 31 coinciding with the festival of Deepawali, the ‘Run For Unity’ event this year will be held on October 29.
He said both these great souls — Munda and Patel — faced different challenges but their vision was the same, one that of ‘unity of the country’.
“If you ask me what the most memorable moments of my life have been, I remember many incidents, but there is one moment which is very special. That moment was when on the 15th of November last year, I had gone to Ulihatu village in Jharkhand, the birthplace of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, on his birth anniversary. This visit had a great impact on me,” he said.
Modi said that he is the first Prime Minister of the country who has had the privilege of bowing his head in this holy land.”At that moment, I not only felt the power of the freedom struggle, but also got an opportunity to connect with the strength of this land,” he said.
During his broadcast, he also shared a conversation between a victim and a fraudster to highlight the cyber crime of digital arrest.
“The fraudsters of digital arrest phone calls, at times, impersonate as police, CBI, Narcotics; at times RBI… Using such various labels, they converse as fake officers with a lot of confidence. Many listeners of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ have wished that we must discuss that,” he said.
“Let me tell you how these fraud gangs work. What is this dangerous game? It is very important for you to understand this,” Modi said.
Explaining the modus operandi of such fraudsters, he said they collect personal information as their first move and then in their second move create an atmosphere of fear.
“‘You went to Goa last month, didn’t you? Your daughter studies in Delhi, right’? They collect so much information about you that you will be surprised. The second move – create an atmosphere of fear… uniform, Government office set-up, legal sections. They will scare you so much on the phone. In the midst of the conversation you will not be able to even think,” Modi said.
He said the third move of such fraudsters is the pressure of time.
“‘You have to decide now or else you will be arrested’ -? these people create so much psychological pressure on the victim that one gets scared.People from every class and age group fall victim to digital arrest,” he said.
Modi also pointed out that people have lost lakhs of rupees earned through their hard work, out of sheer fear.
“Whenever you receive such a call, don’t be scared. You should be aware that no investigative agency inquires like this through a phone call or a video call. I am enumerating the three steps to digital security. These three steps are – ‘stop ‘? think ‘? take action’,” he said.
“As soon as you get a call, stop… – don’t panic, stay calm, don’t take any hasty steps, don’t give away your personal information to anyone; if possible take a screenshot and record it for sure. The first step was ‘stop’ and the second step was ‘think’. No Government agency threatens you on the phone like this, neither inquires nor demands money on a video call like this,” he said.
The third step is ‘take action’, Modi said and urged victims to dial the national cyber helpline 1930 and report such incidents on cybercrime.Gov.In.
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