Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a decisive shift towards strengthening instruction in local languages, which he termed essential to “breaking a 190-year-old colonial mindset”.
Delivering the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture, organised by The Indian Express in New Delhi, Modi said India is moving through a period of rapid global uncertainty but remains “impatient to become developed and self-reliant”. Modi said Goenka was described as “impatient” in the positive sense, impatience that drives change. “Today’s India too is impatient: impatient to become developed, impatient to become self-reliant,” he said. Despite global disruptions over the past five years, from Covid-19 to the European and West Asian crises, India’s economy continued to register strong growth near 7 per cent. He emphasised that democratic participation remains a defining strength. “The world sees the Indian growth model as a model of hope,” he said, adding that India is not just an emerging market but an emerging model.
Modi recalled Goenka’s adherence to a Bhagavad Gita principle, performing one’s duty with equanimity, and said Goenka placed national interest above ideology throughout his life. He referred to Goenka’s support to Sardar Patel during the Hyderabad crisis, his role in persuading Jayaprakash Narayan to lead the Bihar student movement, and his defiance during the Emergency despite threats of imprisonment. These examples, he said, showed Goenka’s unwavering commitment to truth.
Citing the election results in Bihar, he said the state recorded its highest voter turnout, with women’s participation about 9 per cent higher than men’s, adding that such trends show “why democracy delivers”. Modi urged all state governments, regardless of ideology, to prioritise development and compete on investment, ease of doing business and governance outcomes. He said public trust now aligns with governments that deliver measurable improvements.
Citing the Aspirational Districts Programme, Modi said more than 100 districts once labelled backward were ignored for decades. Detailed studies, state coordination and deployment of top officials have transformed these districts, with many now outperforming others in their states. He cited Bastar as an example, noting its progress and events like the Bastar Olympics.
The Prime Minister said tourism thrives when nations value their own heritage, but India spent decades distancing itself from its legacy, leading to neglect of historical sites. He also questioned why India allowed the erosion of its languages, noting that countries like Japan, China and South Korea never compromised on their native languages while adopting global practices. He said the National Education Policy gives special emphasis to local languages, clarifying that the government supports Indian languages without opposing English.
The Prime Minister also stressed the government’s approach of saturation, ensuring no eligible beneficiary is left out of welfare programmes. He pointed to the expansion of the social security net from 25 crore to 94 crore people in the past 11 years. “When schemes reach every beneficiary, discrimination ends,” he said, adding that 25 crore people have exited poverty in the same period.
Modi closed by linking contemporary reforms to the legacy of Ramnath Goenka, noting his resistance to both colonial rule and the Emergency. The Prime Minister said the next decade must be dedicated to freeing India from the “mindset of slavery” imposed since 1835, adding: “Local languages, indigenous knowledge and cultural pride must shape India’s road to becoming a developed nation.” |
