Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation

Salient Points of PM Modi’s speech at the public meeting at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu on 27th Jul, 2017

  • Rameshwaram is the land which has shown the way to the spiritual life of the country as a light house for thousands of years.
  • In this century Rameshwaram will also be known for one more reason – for providing this country a diligent scientist, a motivational teacher, an intelligent thinker and a great President in the form of Abdul Kalam ji.
  • It is a great honour for me to touch this sacred soil of Rameswaram. As home to one of 12 Jyotirlings of our country Rameswaram is not only a religious center. Rameswaram is also a center of deep spiritual knowledge a ज्ञान पुंज .
  • It is a very emotional moment for me to have come to Rameshwaram on the death anniversary of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
  • Last year, we had made a resolution and had promised you that in the memory of Dr. Kalam, a memorial will be built in Rameshwaram. I am happy that this resolution has been fulfilled today.
  • The Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO) has prepared this memorial in a very short span of time. This memorial will inspire the present and the future generations of the country.
  • Last year, I had formed a committee under the Chairmanship of Mr. Venkaiah Naidu to whom I had assigned the task to DRDO and the Tamil Nadu government for building such a monument on this land which should encourage the young generation of this country. Today I saw the monument and I feel proud that even within a span of such a short time, a grand memorial with the innovative ideas and imagination, perfectly in line with Dr. Abdul kalam’s thoughts, work, life, ideal, resolution has been created.
  • You would be surprised if any work in our country is completed on time as per our imagination. Then the citizens are surprised that can the government do such a thing?
  • This is possible because today we have a government in Delhi which is committed to accomplish the tasks assigned by the people of our country. This government has transformed the entire work culture and has successfully encouraged a time-bound work culture.
  • However, we should not forget that all the work was not done merely by the government, money, planning or power. I would like to share another secret behind the success of this monument which will make 125 Crore people of this country feel proud of. And that secret ingredient, apart from the government, money, planning and focussed work is manifest in the form of those artisans, labourers, artists and architects who came from every corner of the country. People from every corner of India were engaged in this work.
  • The labourers who were engaged in this work had been working as per the government norms from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then they used to rest for one hour from 5 to 6 p.m., had their evening tea, and then used to do work for extra time from 6 pm. till 8 o’clock. And they said that they would not charge for overtime works between 6 to 8pm. This indeed is their tribute to Abdul Kalam Ji in the form of sheer hard work and sweat. They said, “we would pay our tribute to him this way”.
  • I bow to all my poor labourers who have fulfilled this sacred task with this devotion. These workers, these craftsmen have done a great job and I urge all of you present here to applaud for them and give an standing ovation to them.
  • This memorial for Abdul Kalam ji in Rameshwaram is an example of the fact that whenever a labourer’s heart fills with the spirit of patriotism, great accomplishments are achieved.
  • Today, I want to request the people of the country from this holy land of Rameshwaram. People from every corner of India come to visit Rameshwaram.
  • केंद्र सरकार प्रधानमंत्री Blue Revolution Scheme के तहत मछुवारों को लॉन्ग लाइनर ट्रॉलर्स के लिए आर्थिक मदद दे रही है
  • I request the tour operators, the visitors of Rameshwaram, and the young generation of the country that whenever you visit Rameshwaram, please visit this memorial for Abdul Kalam ji and inspire the new generation. You must definitely come for this inspirational pilgrimage.
  • Kalam inspired the youth of India. I can see that today’s youth wants to scale heights of progress and become job creators
  • आज से ही रामेश्वरम और अयोध्या के बीच एक नई ट्रेन का शुभारंभ हो रहा है
  • Abdul Kalam continued to work throughout his life to realize the dream of a developed India. He always continued to inspire more than 1.25 billion citizens for achieving this goal. This inspiration is going to help us realize the dream of New India by 2022 when India will complete 75 years of its independence.
  • Our country will celebrate 75 years of its independence in 2022. Every effort by us to fulfill the dreams of our freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence, will be a tribute to Dr. Kalam.
  • And today, when I’m in Rameshwaram, I am reminded of the efforts made by the people here. Ramayana tells us a story of a little squirrel, a little squirrel of Rameshwaram that helped in building Ram-Setu. And in the same manner, the squirrel belonged to Rameshwaram and therefore the squirrel can be his parasol.
  • I see a very healthy competition among states as far as Swachh Bharat Mission is concerned