Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 139th episode of Mann Ki Baat marked 12 years of the monthly radio program, which the PM described as a pilgrimage to understand and celebrate the efforts of common people. The address highlighted various local initiatives across India, including organic cotton farming by Kheti Virasat Mission in Punjab's Malwa region under the Nav-Trinjan project, which grows chemical-free cotton including naturally colored varieties. A weaving school established by Nav-Trinjan has trained women like Ramandeep Kaur, Rekha Rani, Suneha Devi, and Rajni Kaur, transforming them from laborers to skilled weavers creating shawls, towels, and textiles.
In Uttarakhand's Tehri Garhwal, local administration and villagers successfully revitalized the Heval river through rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and tree planting efforts. The PM noted the growing preference for Swadeshi products, with examples including makhana from Purnia, Bihar being exported to Greece and arhar dal from Kalaburagi, Karnataka reaching Maldives. Tribal communities in Maharashtra through Shabari Naturals have focused on packaging tribal products like honey, mahua, and chironji, winning Japan's Good Design Award, while a Karnataka bamboo startup creates packaging from agricultural residue.
Khadi Gram Udyog achieved sales exceeding ₹28 crore on Gandhi Jayanti, an increase of ₹1.5 crore over the previous year. The e-Sanjeevani tele-consultation platform has conducted approximately 50 crore consultations, with specific examples from Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Jarawa tribe child Oho-Tahane), Lakshadweep (Kunhi Koya), Ladakh (Kunjang Dolma), and Nagaland (12-year-old Mushem) benefiting from remote medical consultations. Nearly 190,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are evolving into wellness centers in rural areas.
The PM inaugurated the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras, which is mapping 100 human brains in minute detail using the Param Shakti supercomputer, with data being made open-source for research. The address mentioned organ donation inspiration from Shivani of Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh, and highlighted IIT Madras startups working on gold quality verification, bank fraud recovery, AI-assisted cervical cancer screening, electric flying vehicles, fast-charging batteries, and AI in defense.
The episode noted the 100th birth anniversary of fiber optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and promoted participation in the Run for Unity on October 31st. Millet cultivation revival efforts were highlighted in Meghalaya's Khanduli village (where women created millet-based products), West Garo Hills (farmer Chekjing Sangma using modern methods), and Nagaland's Kezoma village (which celebrated its first millet festival in 2025 after resuming cultivation in 2024). The address concluded with references to Maharishi Valmiki's birth anniversary and the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhai Parmanand, while extending festive wishes for Diwali and Chhath.