‘Nation First’ key to India’s progress: Prez

Hyderabad: President Draupadi Murmu called upon the people to shun the colonial mindset and embrace unity in diversity, which is the strength and courage of the nation.

The President addressed a gathering after inaugurating the Lokmanthan Bhagynagar-2024 at Shilparamam in the city on Friday. Murmu said she takes pride in inaugurating the programme this year as she had directly participated in the Lokmanthan 2018 edition held earlier in Ranchi.

Recalling how "foreign powers have oppressed us for centuries”, the President said: “They have destroyed our culture, language, traditions and customs. They acted to damage our unity and instilled slave mindset in us. However, the people of our country kept their culture and tradition alive.”

Murmu said India is striving to eradicate the roots of slavery. As part of it, the name of Raj Path was changed to Kartavyapath. The name of the Durbar Hall has been changed to Ganatantra Mandap. These are an attempt to remove the ideas of slavery, she added.

Accordingly, our thoughts should also change, she said, adding that recently, a statue of a female judge was inaugurated in a court. But the idol did not wear black blindfolds. This is a sign of the change we are making, the President said. “Our thoughts should also change. Only then can we achieve our goals,” she stressed, adding that Lokmanthan is a great programme to strengthen country’s culture and traditions.

President Murmu underscored that India’s culture, customs and heritage are very rich and our nation is like a beautiful rainbow of all the above and it is great to have so many different cultures meeting in one place in Lokmanthan.

The President said whether we are from a rural background or urban we should be united and take pride of being Indians. She expressed happiness over invoking great Indian women like Ahalyabai Holkar, Rani Rudramadevi and Jhansi Lakshmibai during Lokmanthan, adding that they inspires generations.

The President said that many people are practising Indian culture and traditions abroad and appreciated the representatives of various countries including Indonesia for participating in Lokmanthan.

Murmu said India’s spiritual concepts, arts, music, education, and medical practices are respected worldwide. “We have given knowledge to the world. During the current situation in the world there is a need to spread Indian knowledge to the betterment of the world,” she added.

“Unity and harmony are our civility and our future. To this end, let us all work together in this direction,” she said. Telangana Governor Vishnudev Verma, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, RSS Sangh Chalak Mohan Bhagwat, Telangana Minister of Women and Child Welfare Sitakka, Convenor of Prajna Bharati Hanuman Chowdary and eminent persons from various fields participated.