The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu graced the inaugural session of LokManthan-2024 in Hyderabad, Telangana today (November 22, 2024).
Speaking on the occasion, the President appreciated all stakeholders for organizing the LokManthan. She said that this is a commendable effort to strengthen the threads of unity in India's rich culture, traditions, and heritage.
She emphasised that all citizens must understand India's cultural and intellectual heritage and strengthen our invaluable traditions. The President said that diversity provides a rainbow of beauty to our fundamental unity.
Whether we are forest dwellers, villagers, or city dwellers, we are all Indians. This feeling of national unity has kept us united despite all the challenges.
She stated that efforts have been made for centuries to divide and weaken our society. Artificial distinctions have been created to break our natural unity.
But, our citizens imbued with the spirit of Indianness have kept the torch of national unity lighting. The President said that the influence of Indian ideology has spread far and wide in the world since ancient times.
India's religious beliefs, art, music, technology, medical systems, language, and literature have been appreciated all over the world. Indian philosophical systems were the first who gave the gift of ideal life values to the world community.
It is our responsibility to strengthen that glorious tradition of our ancestors. The President said that for centuries, imperialism and colonial powers not only exploited India economically but also tried to destroy our social fabric.
The rulers who looked down upon our rich intellectual tradition instilled a sense of cultural inferiority among citizens. Such traditions were imposed on us, which were harmful to our unity.
Due to centuries of subjugation, our citizens became victims of the mentality of slavery. Instilling the feeling of ‘Nation First’ among the citizens is essential to make India a developed nation. She was happy to note that LokManthan is spreading this feeling.