‘Viksit Bharat’ will be inclusive where no one is left behind: V-P Radhakrishnan

Kollam, Sep 27 (IANS) Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Sunday participated in the Vishwa Seva Dinam celebrations at Mata Amritanandamayi Math at Amritapuri in Kollam, and called for ensuring that Viksit Bharat is an inclusive Bharat where no one is left behind.

Speaking at an event organised on the occasion of the 73rd birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, the Vice-President said, “Bharat is progressing towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat, and development requires infrastructure, technology, investment, innovation and economic growth.”

However, Vice-President Radhakrishnan stressed that development must also have a human face.

“While marching towards attaining a Viksit Bharat, we must ensure that modernity and our civilisational values move together,” he said, adding that “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi” should be the guiding mantra.

He also called for ensuring that Viksit Bharat is an inclusive Bharat where no one is left behind.

Vice-President Radhakrishnan offered his respectful pranam to Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and said that ‘Amma’ (referring to Mata Amritanandamayi Devi) is a miracle and should continue to guide us in serving society and the nation, an official statement said.

He expressed the hope that the noble movement would continue to touch millions of lives and that ‘Seva’ (serving people) would become the foundation of a more peaceful, sustainable and compassionate world.

The programme was attended by Governor of Keralam and Tamil Nadu Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar; Chief Minister of Keralam V.D. Satheesan; Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu; Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi; Speaker of the Keralam Legislative Assembly Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan; Ministers of the Keralam government; Justice Gopinath of the Kerala High Court; MPs N.K. Premachandran and Shashi Tharoor, Ambassador of Nepal to India Surender Thapa, MLAs, devotees and volunteers.

The Vice-President said the true test of ‘Seva’ often comes during times of crisis and highlighted the Math’s humanitarian response to disasters and emergencies.

He referred to the organisation’s assistance during the Indian Ocean tsunami, Gujarat earthquake, Uttarakhand floods, Keralam floods, Covid-19 pandemic and Wayanad landslides.

He also highlighted the Math’s contribution of Rs 100 crore to the Union government’s Namami Gange programme, along with tree plantation, cleanliness drives and initiatives for sustainable rural living.

Referring to the Amala Bharatam initiative, the Vice-President said it has undertaken large numbers of cleanliness drives across the country, while more than 10 lakh trees have been planted worldwide as part of the UN Billion Tree Campaign.

He added that the spirit inspiring Amma’s work is deeply connected to the civilisational ethos of Bharat.

He said that Seva has no boundaries of caste, creed, language, region or nationality and recognises only one identity — humanity.

He described this as the underlying philosophy of Vishwa Seva Dinam, the statement said.

–IANS

rch/khz