Naru, a film that captures PM Modi’s idea of India

I recently saw the short film, ‘Chalo Jeete Hain’, inspired by events from the childhood of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The protagonist of the story is a young boy, Naru, who is inspired in life by the powerful words of Swami Vivekananda: “They alone live who live for others.” These magical words transform Naru’s life and inspire him to do the same for millions of people.

I am sure watching this short film will be an enriching experience for our young people.

At a personal level, Naru begins his philosophical quest by asking a fundamental question, “Who do you live for?”, and in his endearing innocence, he begins to ask this question to everyone around him. Soon he attempts to find out who he should live for. Interestingly, he finds the answer not from someone else, but from deep within.

By helping a schoolmate who belongs to a poor family, Naru discovers the meaning of living for others and ends up sowing the seeds of compassion. While there are many ways to divide society in the name of caste or creed, Naru finds a way to unite society.

The man who inspired the film, Prime Minister Modi, has done the same by emphasising the imperative of serving the poor and underprivileged, and working for the development of 125 crore Indians.

One of the core values of India is empathy. This has permeated into our subconscious . Compassion, be it in our work, beliefs or even our foreign policy — India is the largest contributor to the UN’s peacekeeping forces — is the cornerstone of our lives.

It is at the root of the historic initiatives to enable women to live a life of dignity by building toilets through the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan; to help women live smoke-free lives through free gas connections; or to help poor students study for exams with electricity rather than lamps. It is what drives government officers to open 31 crore bank accounts for the poor in record time, and provide collateral-free bank loans to small entrepreneurs to help them not just start a business, but build their lives. Whether it be doubling farmers’ incomes, ensuring One Rank One Pension for soldiers, or working for our divyang brothers and sisters, all these are driven by a government that cares and believes in creating a better society.