NEW DELHI, October 23 (ANI) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday outlined the philosophy behind declaring the 75th anniversary of India’s independence as “Amrit Mahotsav,” describing it as a launching pad for reviving ancient values while advancing the vision of a developed nation by 2047.
Addressing the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan at Bharat Mandapam, Modi emphasized that civil society participation is central to reviving India’s ancient wisdom and realizing the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Explaining the vision behind the national celebration, Modi said, “As we approached the 75th anniversary of our nation’s independence, I envisioned this occasion not only as a springboard for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ but also as an opportunity to revive that essence of India which embraces ‘Amrit’ ideals—an India that, drawing upon the wisdom of countless centuries, remains deeply committed to the well-being of humanity across the ages. That is why I called for this celebration to be observed as ‘Amrit Mahotsav.’”
Modi urged citizens to stand united against divisive forces, emphasizing that addressing emerging challenges and societal distortions is a shared national responsibility. He called on people to work toward self-reliance as India approaches the centenary of its independence in 2047, which will also mark the centenary of the Chinmaya Mission.
“Times have changed over the past few decades. New challenges have emerged before the nation, and new distortions have appeared in society. Today, the responsibility to address these issues rests upon us all. We must unite society against the forces that seek to divide us. We need to raise awareness among our fellow citizens about the importance of self-reliance. We must engage every individual in the resolve to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047. To achieve these goals, we must become even more proactive. In 2047, when India marks 100 years of its independence, Chinmaya Mission will also be celebrating its own centenary year,” he said.
The prime minister praised spiritual, cultural and social organizations for adopting “Amrit Sankalps” at significant milestones in their journeys.
“Numerous spiritual, cultural, and social organisations have embraced ‘Amrit Sankalps’ at significant milestones in their own journeys, and now, the ‘Chinmaya Mission’ has also joined this national endeavour—this ‘Amrit Kaal’—as part of the ‘Amrit Mahotsav,’” he added.
Modi also recalled his meeting with Swami Chinmayananda in Vadodara in 1993. He said seeing and interacting with a holographic projection of the spiritual leader at the event brought back memories from more than three decades ago.
“The experience I felt in my heart upon arriving here today has been brought to life even more vividly through the use of modern technology in this event. Seeing the revered Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda in this form—and having the privilege of interacting with his holographic projection—made me feel as though I had travelled 33 years back in time. My meeting with Gurudev in Vadodara in 1993, our conversations, his affection, and his blessings—it all came flooding back before my eyes today,” Modi said.
He recalled that their conversation had focused on nurturing young people and harnessing their potential to build a strong and capable India. A few years after that meeting, he said, the public had given him the opportunity to serve as Gujarat’s chief minister.
Reflecting on the significance of the event, Modi described the Chinmaya Mission as a living expression of Vedantic philosophy.
“I have had the opportunity today to participate in the ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ of the Chinmaya Mission. It is a truly unique spiritual experience. This reflects the special affection and blessings that the saints have for me. The Chinmaya Mission is not merely an organisation; it embodies the ‘Chinmaya’ philosophy—a vision established by a ‘Chinmaya’ sage. Thus, the name of this event—the ‘Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav’—being held here at Bharat Mandapam is deeply meaningful,” he said.
Highlighting his 25 years of continuous service as head of government, first as Gujarat chief minister and later as prime minister, Modi praised the Chinmaya Mission’s youth wing for its national outreach efforts.
“However, for the past twenty-five years—continuously serving as the head of the government—I have dedicated myself to serving the nation to the best of my ability. Throughout this journey, the youth of the country have remained at the core of my efforts and policies. I am pleased that the youth have also taken on significant responsibilities during the ‘Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav.’ Many of our young associates have travelled 40,000 kilometres over the course of approximately 300 days. During this period, they have reached out to more than 1 lakh young people,” he said.
Emphasizing educational reforms, Modi said the National Education Policy seeks to bridge traditional Indian knowledge systems with modern science and technology.
“Our education system should be aligned with the needs of a new India. To this end, we have introduced a new National Education Policy. This policy places significant emphasis on the Indian knowledge tradition, education in the mother tongue, modern science, and new technology,” he said.
He also cited the Vivekananda Rock Memorial as a source of inspiration for hundreds of thousands of visitors from India and around the world. (ANI)
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