Highlighting the expansion of Indian culture and heritage around the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the Kuwait government has started a special program on its National Radio in Hindi and thanked the government and people of the country for taking this “wonderful initiative.”

During the 111th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi played the audio clip of the radio program broadcast in Kuwait. In the audio clip, the radio jockey said that they talk about the ties between India and Kuwait and the culture of the two nations. He noted that the radio program broadcast for 30 minutes every Sunday in Hindi features different colours of Indian culture.

PM Modi said, “Kuwait government has started a special program on its National Radio and that too in Hindi. It is broadcast for half an hour every Sunday on ‘Kuwait Radio’. It includes different colors of Indian culture. Our films and discussions on the art world are very popular among the Indian community there.”

He further said, “I have even been told that the local people of Kuwait are also taking a lot of interest in it. I heartily thank the Government and people of Kuwait for taking this wonderful initiative. Which Indian will not be happy with the way our culture is earning glory all over the world today!”

Earlier in April, the first-ever Hindi radio broadcast started in Kuwait. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait lauded Kuwait’s Ministry of Information for starting a Hindi programme on Kuwait Radio on FM 93.3 and AM 96.3 every Sunday.

During the 111th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi also said that Turkmenistan President unveiled the statue of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of their national poet in May.

He said, “In Turkmenistan, the 300th birth anniversary of their national poet was celebrated in May this year. On this occasion, Turkmenistan President unveiled the statues of 24 famous poets of the world. One of these statues is of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. This is honour for Gurudev, honour for India.”

The Prime Minister said that the Indian community in Suriname every year celebrates Indian Arrival Day and Pravasi Diwas on June 5. He further said that nearly 6,000 Indian-origin people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are proud of their Indian heritage.

PM Modi said, “Caribbean nations Suriname and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in June celebrated their Indian heritage with full zeal and enthusiasm. Every year, the Indian community in Suriname celebrates Indian Arrival Day and Pravasi Diwas on June 5. Along with Hindi, Bhojpuri is widely spoken here (Suriname).”

“Nearly 6,000 Indian-origin brothers and sisters are living in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. They are proud of their Indian heritage. On June 1, the way they all celebrated the Indian Arrival Day with great jubilation reflects their emotions. Every Indian feels proud when we see such an expansion of Indian heritage and culture worldwide,” he added.

Referring to this year’s International Day of Yoga celebrations across the world, PM Modi said, “This month, the entire world celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga with full zeal and excitement. I also participated in the Yoga Programme organised in Kashmir.” This year marked the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Yoga on June 21.

In December 2014, the United Nations unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by India to celebrate the International Day of Yoga on June 21 which is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The proposal was first introduced by PM Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly. (ANI)

Since 2015, PM Modi has led the International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations at various iconic locations, including Kartavya Path in Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Ranchi, Lucknow, Mysuru, Kashmir and even the United Nations Headquarters in New York.