Ramnath Goenka Lecture LIVE: PM Modi begins address – ‘India not just an emerging market, but emerging model’

Anant Goenka recalled the first time he had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his vote of thanks.

“I was all of 14 years old. He had invited several leading educators across India to discuss the future of education in Gujarat. One of them happened to be my mother, and so she asked me to tag along. And I remember telling her after the event that I was so surprised that throughout the four plus hours of discussion with 100s of educators…just how patiently and attentively the (then) chief minister sat through and listened,” he recalled.

‘Indian Express Group has been part of every growth story in India’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the need to take pride in domestic developments and Indian culture rather than trying to adapt Western norms.

He noted that most other countries had not eschewed their own language in favour of foreign alternatives — citing the emphasis laid on language within the New Education Policy. Modi insisted that his fight was not specifically against the English language.

He urged people to shake off the shackles imposed by Macaulay nearly 200 years ago.

Modi calls how British historian Macaulay revamped Indian education system

Modi accused the Congress government of failing to address a surge in Maoist terror issues. The party, he alleged, had also nurtured Naxalities in cities and promoted “urban Naxalites”. Modi also echoed his Bihar election victory speech to accuse the Opposition party of becoming the “Muslim League Maoist Congress”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government had worked to transform backward zones into ‘aspirational’ areas by adopting a new policy — consulting with state governments and formulating individual plans and policies for each area.

He cited the improvements in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar to underscore his point.

“The country’s development must reach every section of society. We have seen over the past decades how some parties focused only on their own interests…. But our mission to build 12 crore toilets has restored dignity to those who were once forced to defecate in the open,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BJP workers were working tirelessly in various states (such as the poll-bound West Bengal and Kerala) to persuade voters. He noted that they had poured their blood and sweat into improving the lives of people and contributing positively.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged political parties across the spectrum to focus on development and “compete” for progress and better infrastructure in their states. He reiterated that the voters of today were simply looking for progress.

Modi also addressed insinuations that the BJP and he himself were perpetually linked to elections and the Election Commission. He countered that their goal was to help the poor and improve the lives of voters.

“Opposition says PM Modi and BJP are over the Election board 24X7..but to win the election, one needs to be in election mode 24X7…Govt always strives for the betterment of society, and it reflects in the election results,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged political parties across the spectrum to learn a lesson from the recent Bihar elections — to take heed of the kind of politics voters now preferred.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that India has shown steady growth despite the turbulence of the past five years. He noted that the ‘Indian growth model’ was now being held up as an example for the whole world.

“Although the past four to five years have brought significant global challenges, India has nevertheless sustained a high growth rate,” he said.

PM Modi begins address, hails Ramnath Goenka

PM Modi was presented with a memento by Group CEO George Varghese before beginning his address.

The Ramnath Goenka Lecture will begin in a few minutes.

Stay tuned here for updates.

The lecture will be streamed live via the Financial Express website. You can also watch through the official YouTube channels of the publication or simply press the play button below…

Viveck Goenka, Chairman, Express Group, said that the Prime Minister, speaking in Ramnath Goenka’s name, is “a reaffirmation that the dialogue between the state and the free press remains the heartbeat of a confident nation.”

“This lecture is not a ceremony but a commitment to the values of truth-telling, accountability, and the power of ideas,” he said. This is a time when power equations of the world are being upended, when nations are redefining both their place and purpose and when uncertainty and volatility are the keywords of our times. That’s why listening to the Prime Minister, representing the highest elected office in the world’s largest democracy, has a deeper resonance,” he added.

“At around 8:15 PM this evening, will be delivering the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture in Delhi. This platform celebrates the life and work of one of India’s most respected media pioneers. Shri Ramnath Goenka Ji stood for courage and integrity in public life. Glad to see this Lecture become a significant forum for ideas that shape our national discourse,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.