Namaskar to all of you!

100 years ago, Hindustan Times was inaugurated by revered Bapu … He was a Gujarati speaker, and you have invited another Gujarati after 100 years. I congratulate Hindustan Times and all those who have been associated with this historic journey over the past 100 years, those who contributed to nurturing it, who struggled and faced challenges but remained steadfast. All of them deserve congratulations today and are worthy of respect. Completing a journey of 100 years is indeed significant. You all deserve this recognition, and I extend my best wishes for the future. When I arrived here, I met members of the family and had the opportunity to view a remarkable exhibition showcasing the 100-year journey (of Hindustan Times). I encourage all of youto spend a while there before leaving if you have the time. It is not just an exhibition, but an experience. It felt as if the history of 100 years passed before my eyes. I saw the newspapers from the day when the country gained independence and the day the Constitution was implemented. Renowned and distinguished figures such as Martin Luther King, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Dr. M. S. Swaminathanused to write for Hindustan Times. Their writings enriched the newspaper immensely. Truly, we have come a long way. From fighting for independence to riding the waves of boundless hope after freedom, this journey has been extraordinary and incredible. In your newspaper, I sensed the excitement that existed in October 1947 after the accession of Kashmir, which was felt by every citizen. At that moment, I also realized how indecisiveness kept Kashmir engulfed in violence for seven decades. Today, your newspaper covers news of record voting in Jammu and Kashmir, which contrasts sharply with that past. Another newspaper page draws attention and captivates the reader. One section reported Assam being declared a disturbed area, while another talked about Atal ji laying the foundation of the BJP. It is a pleasant coincidence that today the BJP plays a major role in bringing lasting peace to Assam.

Just yesterday, I attended a grand event with people from the Bodo region, and I was surprised that the media in Delhi missed this significant event. They do not realize that after five decades, young Bodos are now celebrating a cultural festival in Delhi, leaving behind violence, bombs, and guns. This is a major historical event. I was there yesterday, and I felt it deeply. The Bodo peace agreement has transformed the lives of these people. During the exhibition, I also saw reports on the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. It was a time when our people felt unsafe even in their own homes and cities due to acts of terrorism by a neighbouring country. But now, the situation has changed, and even terrorists from that country do not feel safe at home.

Friends,

Hindustan Times witnessed 25 years of colonial rule and 75 years of independence during its 100-year journey. The force that shaped Bharat’s destiny and provided direction throughout these 100 years is the wisdom and capability of the common Indian. Several experts have often underestimated the strength of the common Indian. When the British left Bharat, it was said that the country would break apart and had no future. During the Emergency, some believed it would become permanent, and democracy would be lost. Some people and institutions even sided with those who imposed the Emergency. Yet, the citizens of Bharat stood up, and it did not take long for the Emergency to be overthrown. Think back to the challenging times of the Corona when the world expected Bharat to become a burden on the global community. But the citizens of Bharat fought back and demonstrated resilience.

Friends,

You might remember the 1990s when Bharat went through five elections in 10 years. Five elections in 10 years in such a big country! Such instability led many experts and newspaper columnists to predict that Bharat would always remain this way. Yet, the people of Bharat proved those experts wrong once again. Today, the world faces uncertainties and instability. There are many countries in the world where governments are changing in every election, whereas, Bharat stands out, having elected the same government for the third consecutive term.

Friends,

Many of you have tracked Bharat’s politics and policies for a long time. There used to be a phrase often heard—"Good economics is bad politics." So-called experts promoted this idea, giving previous governments an excuse to do nothing. In a way, it became a way to cover up inefficiency and poor governance. Earlier, governments ran just to win the next election. Vote banks used to be created and policies were crafted to keep those vote banks happy. The biggest harm caused by this type of politics was that it greatly increased inequality and imbalance in the country. Development was announced but rarely seen. This model eroded trust in the government. We have restored this trust with a clear purpose, which is thousands of miles from vote-bank politics. The purpose of our government is grand and comprehensive: We are following the mantra of ‘Progress of the people, Progress by the People, and Progress for the People’. Our aim is to build a new Bharat, a Viksit Bharat (Developed India). And when we have set out with this huge goal, the people of Bharat have also entrusted us with the capital of their trust. You can imagine that misinformation and disinformation are rampant in this era of social media. There are numerous newspapers and channels, yet despite this, the citizens of Bharat trust us and our government.

Friends,

When public trust and self-confidence grow, it has a unique impact on the nation's development. You are aware that from ancient developed civilizations to today’s developed countries, one common trait has been the culture of risk-taking. There was a time when our country was a hotspot of commerce and culture. On one hand, our merchants and sellers were active in South East Asia, on the other hand, they also had deep ties with the Arab world, Africa, and the Roman Empire. This was possible because they took risks, enabling Bharat’s products and services to reach distant shores. After independence, we needed to cultivate this risk-taking spirit, but the earlier governments did not instil that confidence in citizens. As a result, generations spent time taking one step forward and two steps back. In the past decade, the changes in the country have rekindled this risk-taking spirit among Indians. Today, our youth are risk-takers across various fields. Starting a company was once considered risky, and start-up stories were rare even ten years ago. Now, there are more than 125,000 registered start-ups in the country. There was a time when sports and adopting sports as a profession was seen as risky career choices, but today even the youth of our small towns are taking these risks and bringing glory to the country. Women involved in self-help groups are another example. Today, around one crore women have become ‘LakhpatiDidis’, running their businesses and driving entrepreneurship in villages. I recently spoke to a rural woman who shared how she bought a tractor and increased her family’s income. One woman took a risk and transformed her family's life. When the poor and middle class begin to take risks, true change becomes visible. This is what we are witnessing in Bharat today.

Friends,

Bharat’s society is now filled with unprecedented aspirations, which we have made a foundation of our policies. Our government has provided a unique combination of investment to the citizens that leads to employment and development that ensures dignity. We are promoting a development model that generates investment, creates employment, and elevates the dignity of Indian citizens. For example, it is about building toilets in the country. I am talking about issues which might seem minor but have significant value. Let me explain it through an example. Our mission to build toilets was not just about providing facilities but ensuring safety and dignity of a large population. When this scheme is mentioned, people often talk about the crores of toilets that have been built. The numbers are fine, but each toilet that was built involved materials such as bricks, iron, and cement, creating jobs. And all this stuff has come from some shop, has been produced by some industry. Some transporter has delivered it to someone's home. This means that the economy has also got a boost, a large number of jobs have been created. As a result, life has become easier, and respect and self-esteem have increased among the people. Additionally, it also paved the way for development. This shows the success of the mantra: Investment leading to Employment, Development ensuring Dignity.

Friends,

Another example is that of LPG gas cylinders. In the past, having a gas cylinder in one’s home was seen as a status symbol. Neighbours would view such a person as influential, someone with stature, because they owned a gas stove. Those without a gas connection would long for the day when their meals could also be prepared on a gas stove. The situation was such that people had to seek letters of recommendation from Members of Parliament to obtain a gas connection. And I am speaking about the early 21st century, not the 18th century. Before 2014, the governments used to debate whether to provide six or nine cylinders annually. We shifted the focus from debating the number of cylinders to ensuring that every household had access to a gas connection. We have given more gas connections in the last 10 years than were given in the 70 years after independence. In 2014, there were 14 crore gas connections in the country; today, there are over 30 croregas connections. Despite this massive increase in consumers, have you ever heard of a gas shortage? No, you haven’t. Has it ever been reported in Hindustan Times? No, it hasn’t, because it hasn’t occurred. This is because we invested in building a supporting infrastructure. We established bottling plants and distribution centres across the country. Employment opportunities were created everywhere right from bottling plants to distribution of cylinders.

Friends,

I can give you countless such examples. Take mobile phones, for instance, or the RuPay card. Previously, having a debit or credit card gave a sense of pride to some people, who would show it off as a status symbol. The poor, seeing these cards, would wish to own one someday. But with the advent of the RuPay card, even the poorest in our country now have debit and credit cards. This newfound access makes them feel equal and boosts their self-respect. Today, even the poorest person makes online transactions. Someone stepping out of a luxury car at a mall uses the same UPI payment system that a street vendor uses. This is also a brilliant example of how investment leads to employment and how development fosters dignity.

Friends,

To understand Bharat’s current growth trajectory, it is essential to look at our government’s approach. One approach is ‘Spending Big for the People,’ but we also have another approach: ‘Saving Big for the People.’ It might interest you to know how we are doing this. In 2014, our union budget was around 16 lakh crore rupees. Today, this budget stands at 48 lakh crore rupees. In 2013-14, we spent approximately 2.25 lakh crore rupees on capital expenditure. Today, our capital expenditure exceeds 11 lakh crore rupees. This 11 lakh crore rupees is being used for new hospitals, schools, roads, railways, research facilities, and various other public infrastructure projects. While we increase public spending, we are also saving the public’s money. I want to share some figures with you that might interest you.

For instance, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) has saved the country 3.5 lakh crore rupees by preventing leakages. The Ayushman Bharat scheme has saved the poor 1.1 lakh crore rupees through free medical treatment. Citizens have saved 30,000 crore rupees through the Jan Aushadhi centres, which offer medicines at an 80% discount. Price controls on stents and knee implants have saved thousands of crores for people. The UJALA scheme, by promoting LED bulbs, has reduced electricity bills by 20,000 crore rupees. The Swachh Bharat Mission has reduced illness, saving each rural household approximately 50,000 rupees. UNICEF reports that families with their own toilets save around 70,000 rupees each.

Friends,

A WHO study on the 12 crore households that received tap water for the first time shows that these families save over 80,000 rupees annually due to access to clean water.

Friends,

Ten years ago, no one could have imagined such a transformation in Bharat. Our success has inspired us to dream bigger and work harder to achieve those dreams. Today, there is hope and a belief that this century will be India’s century. But to make this a reality, we need to accelerate our efforts in many areas. We are rapidly advancing in that direction. We have to move forward to do our best in every sector. We need to adopt the mindset that nothing less than the best is acceptable to us. We need to create processes so that Bharat’s standards are recognized as world-class. We must produce goods that are known globally for their excellence. Our construction projects should be regarded as world-class infrastructure. In the field of education, our work should be recognized worldwide. In the entertainment industry, we should create works that are acclaimed internationally. Hindustan Times has an important role to play in maintaining and promoting this approach. Your 100 years of experience will be invaluable on the journey to a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

Friends,

I am confident that we will maintain this pace of development and soon become the world’s third-largest economy. When Bharat celebrates the 100th anniversary of its independence, Hindustan Times will also be around 125 years old and will be recognized as the premier newspaper of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. You will be witnesses to this journey. However, since I am here, I must assign you a task, (Shobhana) Bhartia ji and this will be your responsibility.

Our great literary figures have had research conducted on their works. PhDs have been awarded for research on various topics. What if a PhD were conducted on the 100-year journey of Hindustan Times? This would be a great service, bringing forth research that highlights the journey of Indian journalism, a journey that witnessed both the colonial and post-independence eras, days of scarcity, and days of influence. I believe this would be a significant contribution. The Birla family has always been known for its charitable activities. Why not establish a Hindustan Times Chair in universities within Bharat and abroad, dedicated to research that brings out Bharat’s true identity in a global context? Your newspaper has accomplished great things, but the respect and trust you have earned over the past 100 years could serve generations beyond the scope of Hindustan Times. I am confident that this centenary seminar won’t just end here but will pave the way for more initiatives. Secondly, the exhibition I saw was indeed impressive. Could you create a digital version with comprehensive commentary and make it accessible to all school children across the country? This would provide valuable insight into Bharat’s history, the challenges faced, and the progress made. I believe you have worked hard on this, and by creating a digital version, you could make it a source of attraction and learning for children across the nation.

Friends,

100 years is a significant milestone. These days, I am quite occupied with various tasks. But this is an occasion I did not want to miss; I wanted to be here personally. Because completing a journey of 100 years is, in itself, a great achievement. And therefore, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and all your colleagues. Thank you very much!

*****

MJPS/ST/VK