Indian culture earning glory world over: PM Narendra Modi

Asserting that Indian culture is earning glory around the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited a host of developments to highlight increasing acceptance abroad of practices and products linked to the country.

In his monthly Mann Ki Baat, Modi played a clip of a Hindi programme broadcast on Kuwait Radio.

"The Kuwait government has started a special programme on its national radio. And that too in Hindi. It is broadcast every Sunday for half an hour on Kuwait Radio. It includes myriad shades of Indian culture. Our films and discussions related to the art world are very popular among the Indian community there," he said.

He added that the local population in Kuwait was also taking a lot of interest and thanked its government and people for taking this "wonderful initiative".

"Which Indian will not be happy with the way our culture is earning glory all over the world today! For example, in Turkmenistan, the 300th birth anniversary of its national poet was celebrated in May this year. On this occasion, the president of Turkmenistan unveiled the statues of 24 famous poets of the world. One of these statues is also that of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore," Modi said.

This is an honour for Gurudev and an honour for India, he added.

Similarly, in June, two Caribbean countries -- Suriname and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -- celebrated their Indian heritage with full zeal and enthusiasm, Modi said.

The Indian community in Suriname celebrates June 5 as Indian Arrival Day and Pravasi Din, and Bhojpuri is also widely spoken there along with Hindi, he added.

"The number of our brothers and sisters of Indian origin living in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also around 6,000. All of them are very proud of their heritage. 

The way they celebrated Indian Heritage Day on June 1 with great jubilation reflects this feeling. Every Indian feels proud when such a spread of Indian heritage and culture is seen all over the world," the prime minister said.

Noting that the entire world celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga with great enthusiasm and zeal on June 21, the prime minister said locals, including women, joined him in participating in the yoga programme in Srinagar.

"As the observance of yoga day is progressing, even new records are being made. Yoga day has attained many great achievements all over the world. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, a woman, Al Hanouf Saad ji, led the common yoga protocol. This is the first time a Saudi woman has instructed a main yoga session. This time in Egypt, a photo competition was organised on yoga day," he said.

Pictures of lakhs of people performing yoga on the banks of the Nile river, on the beaches of the Red Sea and in front of pyramids became very popular, he said.

Yoga sessions were held at Myanmar's Maravijaya Pagoda complex, famous for its marble Buddha statue, for children with disabilities in Bahrain, at Galle Fort in Sri Lanka and at the Observation Deck in New York, among other places the world over, Modi said.

"A grand yoga day programme was also organised in Thimpu, Bhutan, in which my friend, Prime Minister Tobgay, also participated," he said, adding that people should practise yoga regularly.

He said, "There are so many products of India which are in great demand all over the world and when we see a local product of India going global, it is natural to feel proud. One such product is Araku coffee." 

Araku coffee is produced in large quantities in the Alluri Sita Rama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh and is known for its rich flavour and aroma, he said.

"This coffee is amazing! Araku coffee has received many global awards. The coffee was also a hit at the G20 Summit held in Delhi. Whenever you get a chance, you must enjoy Araku coffee," the prime minister added.

Jammu and Kashmir is also not lagging behind in making local products global, he said."What Jammu and Kashmir has achieved last month is an example for people across the country. The first consignment of snow peas was sent to London from Pulwama," he said.

Modi said this success opened new doors for prosperity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.