NEW DELHI, October 23 (Aalimi Nation) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on institutions and citizens to unite society against forces that seek to divide it, as he inaugurated a global gathering marking 75 years of the Chinmaya Mission at Bharat Mandapam in the capital.

The three-day Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan has drawn more than 9,000 participants from India and abroad. It closes a year-long celebration of the Mission, a spiritual movement founded in 1951 by Swami Chinmayananda to make Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita accessible to a wider public.

Call to unite against divisive forces

Speaking at the event, Modi said the country had faced new challenges and new social problems in recent decades. "Today, the responsibility of solving them rests upon all of us," he said. "We must unite society against the forces that seek to divide us."

The Prime Minister linked social cohesion with the national goal of a developed India by 2047, the year the country completes 100 years of independence. "We must make our citizens aware and inspired towards self-reliance," he said, adding that every individual should be connected with the resolve of a developed India by 2047. He urged all institutions to work towards national development.

Modi noted that the Chinmaya Mission will mark its own centenary in 2047, the same year as India's. He described the Mission as more than an institution, calling it a "thought".

Youth and education

The Prime Minister praised the Mission's work with young people, saying it had led "millions of youth" to act as "cultural brand ambassadors of India". A youth initiative linked to the Mission's anniversary has covered more than 40,000 kilometres, according to details shared at the event.

Modi said youth had always been central to his government's policies. He said the National Education Policy aligns the education system with a "New India", with an emphasis on Indian traditions and knowledge, instruction in the mother tongue, modern science and emerging technologies.

Heritage recovered from abroad

The Prime Minister also spoke about cultural heritage. He said India had recovered more than 650 stolen ancient idols and antiquities from abroad over the past twelve years, and that more Indian cultural sites were being added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. These figures were stated by the Prime Minister in his address.

The year-long celebration of the Mission's 75th anniversary began last year, when Modi released a Tamil versification of the Bhagavad Gita. Friday's session marked its formal close. The Sammelan runs for three days. In the portions of the speech available at the time of writing, the Prime Minister did not name any group or organisation when he referred to divisive forces.