PM’s address in the 122nd Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’
Modi refers to ‘Drone Didi’ of Sanga Reddy district, who sprays pesticides and earns a living
Families pledged to spend their next vacation in India: Modi
NEW DELHI, MAY 25, 2025: The valour displayed by our forces during Operation Sindoor has made every Indian proud and holds the same resolve to end terrorism, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Participating in the 122nd episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, Mr Modi said that ‘the precision and accuracy with which our forces destroyed the terrorist hideouts across the border is amazing. Operation Sindoor has lent a new confidence and enthusiasm to the fight against terrorism across the world’. He said that the ‘Operation Sindoor’ has influenced the people of the country so much that many families have made it a part of their lives. In Katihar in Bihar, Kushinagar in UP, and many other cities, children born during that period have been named ‘Sindoor’.
He said that after Operation Sindoor, in which several Made-in-India weapons were used to defeat Pakistan, numerous families in the country have pledged to spend their vacation in India in recognition of ‘vocal for local’ calls. His remarks were in apparent reference to boycott calls that grew in the country for Turkey, which backed Pakistan against India after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Turkey had condemned India’s Operation Sindoor and provided Pakistan with drones, which were later used against India to target civilian areas and military installations during Operation Sindoor. Ankara’s support for Pakistan triggered anger across India, raising boycott calls, including tourism to the country.
“After this campaign, a fresh wave of enthusiasm towards ‘vocal for local’ is being witnessed across the country. Certain instances truly touched the heart. Some families pledged ‘we will spend our next vacation at a beautiful place in the country itself’. Many young people made a resolution to ‘Wed in India’. They will marry in the country itself,” PM Modi said.
“Friends, travelling to a place by bus is such a common thing. But I want to tell you about a village where a bus has reached for the first time. People there had been waiting for this day for years. And when the bus reached the village for the first time, people welcomed it by playing the Dhol-Nagara. Upon seeing the bus, their joy knew no bounds! There was a paved road in the village… people needed it, but a bus could never run here before. Why… because this village was affected by Maoist violence. This place is in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, and the name of this village is Katejhari. This change in Katejhari is being felt in the entire surrounding region. Now the situation here is becoming normal rapidly. On account of the collective fight against Maoism, basic facilities have started reaching such areas as well. The people of the village say that with the arrival of the bus, their lives would become much easier”, he pointed out.
The Prime Minister referred to the women of the Sangareddy district in Telangana state flying drones as ‘Drone Didi’ and ushering in a new revolution in agriculture. These women who had to depend on others till some time ago… today, these very women are completing the work of spraying pesticides on 50 acres of land with the help of drones. Three hours in the morning, two hours in the evening and the work is done. Neither the scorching sun, nor the danger of poisonous chemicals. The villagers have also accepted this change wholeheartedly. Now these women are not known as ‘drone operators’ but as ‘sky warriors’. These women are telling us that change comes when technology and determination go together.
