“Aatmanirbharta”, meaning self-reliance, is a frequently used Hindi word, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invested it with a special meaning over the past few years. In his nationalistic lexicon, it signifies self-respect and pride in personal accomplishments and the achievements of one’s country. Currently a national obsession, Aatmanirbharta was rightly chosen the Oxford Hindi Word of the Year for 2020.
The Oxford Hindi Word of the Year, chosen by Oxford Languages – the world’s leading dictionary publisher with over 150 years of experience in creating and delivering authoritative dictionaries in more than 50 languages – is a word or expression that is chosen to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the passing year and has lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.
In the context of Covid-19 pandemic, which forced several lockdowns that tested the resilience of Indians, the word Aatmanirbharta defines the indomitable human spirit that helped the people of this country weather the toughest of the times. Many discovered that the source of hope for the future lay within themselves. The Prime Minister, with his emphasis on self-reliance, was only making them aware of this.
When Modi announced India’s Covid-19 recovery package in May last year, he simultaneously emphasized the need for the country to become self-reliant as an economy and as a society. His message was to individuals as well as to the country as a whole. He spoke of Aatmanirbharta as the talisman that would help Indians navigate the perils of the pandemic. Making it clear that a self-reliant India will not be closed to the world but will be self-sustaining and self-generating while contributing to the welfare of the entire human race, Modi talked about pursuing policies that promote efficiency, equity and resilience.
Following the Prime Minister’s address, there was a significant increase in the usage of the word Aatmanirbharta in everyday communication, which highlighted its increasing prominence. The spirit of self-reliance continues to permeate the nation’s consciousness in the present year, with a countrywide immunisation programme against Covid-19 being carried out successfully. The large-scale manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccine in India itself is a major success story.
Apart from its Covid-19 vaccination drive, India is also supplying vaccines to neighbouring countries. This is Aatmanirbharta in the true sense of the term. The Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament a couple of days ago expectedly focused on the plan to take the Prime Minister’s Atmanirbhar Bharat mission forward. Sitharaman announced the introduction of the Atmanirbhar health programme with an outlay of Rs 64,180 crore which would boost the health sector tremendously.
Thus, the term Aatmanirbharta reflects the spirit of a New India that is resilient, ready to take up challenges and help others while meeting its own needs. This India is self-sustaining and takes genuine pride in its achievements, but continues to respect the idea and ideal of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is a family).
Comment here