Flowers to me also and we just interact with them and they asked me that how you came here and what was the process and I explained about my Bharat to them because I have personal experience from my friends sir because we visited so many places in these seven days of program and I share the pictures beautiful landscape of Neilang and Jadung valley beautiful apple orchards. I share the pictures in my Instagram and it has huge response from my friends and here there was created major FOMO from like they started fear of missing out and started like how you went and I just explain about my Bharat and someone said like you how lucky you are and said I am so jealous of you Bhavya you left us with you left with us like that the people are messaging me and I said I just share the link to but you know you are not show interest but now they are after this thing happen they are just logging into my Bharat also and said next time I will come with you sir this is the interaction we had with youth and my friends also here.
In Andhra, it doesn't get cold. It must be very cold there. How did you manage to stay in that cold? And second, the sun rises very early there, sunrise is very early. How were you managing?
Yes sir, we are the people living in 30 to 40 degrees Celsius but here in Harshil Valley it was 5 degrees Celsius sir. We just feel there was a little bit fear inside me. How we gonna survive that. And after reaching that but some of the like my birth officials give some kit to oils to some like jacket whatever it is and there was the different type of clothes was there sir to wear and but it's not like there is not that much different because there is some bedsheets and clothes which was made by woolen and also twisted some handlooming places where the woolen crafts did happen. It was such a great thing and we just wore gloves, caps, socks, what we just become like a one army man like jacket, full of green color jacket and full of gloves and trekking shoes. Whatever it is it made us so warm sir.
Bhavya garu, in your opinion, how was the lifestyle of those people different from you all? What did you observe about their lifestyle?
Yes sir. So here we are the people we feel sad for little things but after in this after the seven days programming here we just visited different villages like Mukhwa, Dharali, Bhagori we interacted with the people they are so humble and down to earth and they just show love care and with a smile. Always they are smiling like that. And we visited Dharali also where the landslide occurred. And I interacted with one of the people. Like, it was very hard to live here, right? How you are living? Like, it was happening, landslide was continuously happening, right? So how you are staying here like that I asked it. They just answered me with a smile. It will happen, but if we go from here, it was a native place of us. It was the last birth place of us. If we leave then who will stay here. Like that they answer. At that time I realized it that how people are so confident here. There are hardships. So many hardships are there. So many things are happening but they are staying here with lot of confidence. That thing I learn from them sir.
Okay, the dance of the people there is very slow and very rhythmic. Did you learn the dance or anything?
Yes sir. The dance was very slow. And we in our last day we had cultural activities also. Here we saw some of the cultural activities the Garhwali song they played and some of nach like their dance for that. It was like slow motion. First we felt like why these people are just moving like that. After that we sing with rhythm. It was a feel like very good dance. In our state we had like and I will say in Telugu it was a naatu. Like full we will dance with full of energy and we just get tired. But there it was slow motion with a rhythm sir which felt like a meditation and peaceful thing. We just felt like we are like we just went to dream and we just seeing like that only. There is no that much hard and not like that and just we are like dreaming and seeing them they are just dancing with a slow motion. We just also dancing with like that.
Bhavya garu, after talking to you, this feeling has been strengthened that for the youth of my country, the country comes first. The way you have upheld the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat will inspire others. The good thing is that you had a lot of fun. Truly, seeing your reels, your friends from Andhra Pradesh must have been amazed. May you always remain happy like this. Many congratulations. Now let's talk to someone else. Who should we talk to now?
Thank you very much Bhavya ji. Now I request our My Bharat volunteer from Andaman and Nicobar, Sayantika Mistry ji, to share her experience with all of us.
Namaskar to honorable Prime Minister sir. My name is Shayantika, a proud My Bharat volunteer from the very beautiful Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Sayantika, among all the people I have spoken to so far, I think you look the youngest, you are the smallest. Tell us about yourself and also which village did you go to, how did you go, how difficult was it to reach there?
Sir, first of all I would like to thank you that you thought of a one-stop solution like the My Bharat portal, through which 2.5 crore youth like me got the opportunity to become the voice of our country. And under this, this year's Viksit Vibrant Village Program 2026, I got the opportunity to go to the border villages and I got the opportunity to go to a very beautiful village, Manavi village in Ladakh. Sir, going from zero feet to 17,000 feet suddenly was a very new experience for me and the climate conditions there were very different and harsh. We were given five days for acclimatization and on the first day of acclimatization I fell ill. But the My Bharat team and the ITBP jawans took great care of me. I want to share a small incident that touched my heart. When I fell ill, my oxygen level was dropping due to acute mountain sickness, then I was taken to the ITBP hospital of the 5th Battalion. Then sir, I heard the doctors there, the ITBP doctors, talking to their own jawans that we will check you later. First we have to make this daughter well who has come as our guest. From this I realized that our ITBP jawans not only know how to protect our borders but also have so much love and care for their countrymen in their hearts.
You completed the journey from Andaman Nicobar to Ladakh. The experience of traveling from an island to 17,000 feet, in a way going from the ground to the peak. For you, the life in Andaman, the difficulties of the people there, the cold weather, very thin air - how did you feel? What did you experience?
Sir, when I went to Ladakh, I experienced that the daily life where I live is so easy, and going to Ladakh I felt that there is lack of oxygen due to low air pressure, and going there I felt that to upgrade your body every day is an achievement in itself. Sir, besides that, I must say that we were worried about the climate, but before going to Ladakh, before going to the border villages, our expectations were that we would not get good internet there, roads would not be good. So we prepared accordingly and went to the border villages. For example, my parents gave me cash because there would be need for cash as internet service is not there so UPI won't work. But there I was surprised to see that in those border villages, which people call the last village, there was good internet facility and we also did UPI payment there.
Now we call it the first village. Now we don't call it the last village, we call it the first village. You did UPI there?
Yes sir, I did UPI there. The people there are aware of UPI, they use UPI.
So then you got Wi-Fi, so you must have been in your own world.
Not at all sir. I don't look at my phone that much and I was completely lost in the valleys there with the lovely people. I spent most of my time with the children and the names of the children there were also very cute and unique. I will share. I remember some children's names: Gasket, Bisket, Dholkar, Namyang, Tenzing. These are the names of my child friends I made in the border villages.
What were the questions in those children's minds? They must have asked you, what is the sea like? You came from Andaman Nicobar?
Yes sir. Those children wanted to know where we came from. Sir, when I went to the primary school of Man Village, their class was very beautiful. There were lovely paintings on the wall and there was also a map of India. But sir, I noticed there that the map of Andaman and Nicobar was not there. So I could not show them that look, here is Andaman. Then I explained to them, this sea below India, here is our Andaman. And I want to share a small incident sir. I asked a girl, will you come to Andaman where I live? That girl said, I will come to Andaman, I have to study a lot. I know, but I will definitely come to Andaman when I grow up. So such lovely children were there sir.
Sayantika, did you experience in the border village that because the villagers do everything collectively, together. Did you have any experience where you could say that yes, a common thing that we rarely see down below, in cities we rarely see. But you might have experienced there.
Yes sir, I observed many such things there which show how strong the community spirit is there. There sir, we got a chance to see a lucky wedding. Where we saw unlike our cities where we give contract and get married, book a hotel, all the people there together were cooking food, setting up chairs, decorating everything. Apart from that, the locals are quite connected to the local monasteries and whatever event happens there, religious, they all do together. Apart from that, I want to share one more incident which I did not see myself but heard from the numberdar there sir. Once a tower fell, the villagers, without waiting for any authority, themselves decided among themselves that they will erect that tower. And not only that, sir, I have no idea but probably some batteries are needed for the tower and those people together built a warehouse for those batteries themselves.
Sure, this journey will definitely have a great impact on your life. When you share joy, it multiplies. When you talk to your family, your friends, in school college maybe you share these experiences. Then you should keep writing something about this. Spread awareness in the form of a book, article, so that others also know how vast the country is, what the spirit of the people is, and how your journey has created a sense of attachment to the country. You should share all these things, teach and explain to others. It was very nice. Thank you. Many congratulations to you. Now let's see from which part of the country we are connecting.
Thank you very much Sayantika and now I request our My Bharat volunteer from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, Ashish Soni ji to share his experience with all of us.
Namaskar honorable Prime Minister ji. Namaste. I am Ashish Soni, a proud volunteer from Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh. I bow to our beloved Prime Minister ji from the sacred land of Shaktipeeth Maa Sheetal, who is the friend of all of us youths.
Namaskar to you too. Ashish ji, first tell us about yourself and second, which village did you go to?
Sir, I am currently preparing for UPSC. Sir, I got the opportunity to go to Kaza Khas in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. Sir, when my parents at home came to know that I have to go to Himachal, they were very worried because they were saying that there was a time when we had to go to the terrace repeatedly to talk to someone. There was no network. Sir, when I reached Spiti and video called them from 14,000 feet altitude, there was a spark in their eyes and surprise on their faces. At that time I felt sir that My Bharat has connected two generations. One generation that saw struggle and one generation that is seeing change.
So technology has spread its empire to every corner of India. Well Ashish ji, did you make use of the world's highest post office in Sikkim?
Yes sir, I want to tell you that when I reached the world's highest post office in Sikkim, sir, I thought the location has gone out of coverage, but this country is not out of connection. Sir, I specially wrote a letter to my friend Prime Minister ji in which I said that sir, I am very grateful to you that you give youth a new opportunity every day so that these youth can lead a developed India. From there I wrote letters to my family, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Defense Minister and my DM sir. Sir, I felt there that this country is not only connected through metro airports. This country is also connected through those small post offices which stand firm like our tricolor. Sir, from the post office in Sikkim we can send our message to any corner of the country. Sir, there I was only remembering a song: 'Sare jahan se accha Hindustan hamara'.
Ashish ji, going to the world's highest post office is a very important event in itself. Did you stand there and take a selfie, photos, send those photos of the post office to your friends? Did you capture that memorable event in your camera?
Sir, I took lots of photos, made reels, also made blogs and uploaded on social media and My Bharat government has also reposted it.
Yes sir, I took it. Lots of photos made sir, blogs made, reels made.
Okay Ashish, when you went to these border villages and also there it is said that digital payment has reached every village now. Maybe UPI payment also happened there. Did you have that experience?
Sir, for me the most surprising thing was that making payment with QR code at 14,000 feet altitude. Sir, where breathing was difficult, there was lack of oxygen, there Digital India was running with complete ease. I did not consider Digital India just a mission. Sir, Digital India is a mission that has built trust among people in every corner of the country.
After coming back, what are your friends asking you and what are you telling them?
Sir, after coming back, everyone asked how did you go? What happened? Then I told them about My Bharat registration. Sir, I want to share one more experience that sir, I got the opportunity to meet mothers and sisters in self-help groups. When I reached there, sir, I saw with my own eyes that they are writing the future of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat. Someone has a phone in hand, using digital medium to sell their goods. Some mothers and sisters are running homestays. And sir, sea buckthorn farming is done there. Some are making energy drinks from sea buckthorn. I sat with all of them and told them about PM Mudra Yojana, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, how they can use these government schemes to boost their economic activity. And sir, the best thing for me was that I went to Chicham Bridge. Before 2017, Chicham Bridge was built sir. Before 2017, there was no connectivity between Kibb village and Chicham. Sir, when the Border Roads Organisation built that bridge, today the connectivity of Kibber and Chicham villages has become very good. Tourism there is increasing very well. Economic activity is boosting very well and sir, there is a good scope for night tourism there because at night sir, the stars there are very clear.
Yes sir, shopped a lot. Did digital payment.
Because I urge all the people of the country. Whenever you go on a trip, tourism, it is our responsibility that at least 5% of the total expenditure of the journey, travel, tour, from the time you leave home until you return, you should buy something from the local people. You should buy something and bring it back so that the people there also get employment and their identity reaches every corner of India. Therefore, you must buy.
Well, Ashish ji, it was very nice talking to you all. Talking to all the young people, my best wishes to you. Perhaps there is still some program left. I am waiting for what information is coming.
Thank you all very much. Friends, what we just heard was not just a simple conversation, but it was the memories of our young colleagues' first interaction with the country's borders. And sir, this is the very feeling that is the foundation of the Viksit Vibrant Village Program. Where you have resolved that every village on the border will now not be the last village but the first sentinel of the country and the first gateway of a developed India. So, young friends, to give new heights to this mission, now we await the words of the one who is the biggest source of inspiration for the country. Therefore, with immense respect, pride and honor, I cordially invite our youth's friend, the honorable Prime Minister ji, for his inspiring address.
Friends, it was very nice talking to all of you. Today, with us are my colleagues from the Union Cabinet, Mansukh Mandaviya ji, Minister Raksha Khadse ji, and all my young friends connected from across the country. Today's program is very special. Around 250 districts' youth are connected to this program. I commend all of you. Friends, a few years ago we created the Mera Yuva Bharat, My Bharat platform. Today, crores of youth from across the country are connected to it and today, across the country, the young friends of My Bharat are doing commendable work. From the Viksit Bharat Dialogue to the Viksit Vibrant Village Program, all of you have shown your capability very well. Friends, during the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, I had put forward an idea to the youth. The idea was that why don't young friends, instead of virtual medium, go down to the ground, know India, connect with India. Try to live India, understand India.
How many aspirations are there to develop in the villages of India, this is known only by going to the villages. And in our border villages, the aspiration for development and the spirit of patriotism are equal, and sometimes it seems that for them, the country comes before themselves. Country first, all other facilities later, this is a special experience we get in border villages. And therefore the objective was that the youth from different districts of the country should travel to the villages of Himachal, Uttarakhand and Ladakh. How do people live there? What is their food? Work, culture, life behavior, what are all these things? What are the challenges? How aware are the people sitting in the first villages of the country about the security of the country? How much is their connection and closeness with other parts of the country? The youth of my country should experience all these things. This was our objective. And the enthusiasm that was seen among the youth across the country is amazing. About 3 lakh youth participated in this competition. And out of them, more than 400 youth were selected. All of you stayed in these remote villages for a week. It was an unknown place for you. You tried to live the life there. You mingled with them. You connected your culture with their culture. Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, there can hardly be a better example than this.
Friends, today's program is also very special for me because when I was away from government and political life, I got the opportunity to visit such border villages many times. I used to know the people there. I had long-term contact with many villages. When I came into government, I still do not miss the opportunity to visit border villages. All of you know that I celebrate the festival of Diwali by going to the border, to the border, with our brave soldiers who protect our country, and this tradition of mine has been going on for 25 years. Among the friends who were part of this journey, many villages are such where I have visited earlier and when you were describing them, I was seeing all those old things. Like me, all of you also had a wonderful experience. Someone told about the thrill of high mountain ranges. Someone was impressed by the affection and warmth of the people of the border villages. Someone saw the dreams of the children there closely. And someone became a witness to the amazing courage and discipline of our army. That is, this entire experience of the Viksit Vibrant Village was wonderful. Coincidentally, today is also Kargil Vijay Diwas. Many of you have also seen the area around Kargil. Under how challenging circumstances our brave soldiers hoisted the flag of victory, you have seen this too. I congratulate all of you for being a part of this program and for the wonderful experience.
Friends, a developed village is the foundation of a developed India. The journey of building a developed India is ongoing. And in this, all of you young friends have a big role. Therefore, when the youth of the country connects with the ground, it makes the vision of a developed India more comprehensive. This strengthens the resolve in the young mind to live for the country, to do something for the country. Friends, in this campaign, you must have experienced how difficult the life in the border villages is. But despite every difficulty, the people of the border villages live patriotism every moment. Until a few years ago, the border villages were called the last villages and were left to their fate. These villages lacked every basic facility like roads, electricity, water, schools, hospitals. It is possible that you also heard many such stories from the people there. They would have told you about the earlier conditions. And we should be proud that even in such circumstances, the patriotism of the people of the border villages never weakened even a bit. Therefore, friends, our government considered these border villages as the first villages of the country. Those first villages where the first ray of the sun greets India and where the last ray says good night and departs. Where the tricolor first communicates with the wind. Where the world sees India for the first time. It is the result of this change in thinking that today our border areas are changing.
Many villages got electricity for the first time after independence. For the first time, roads reached. For the first time, tap water reached homes. For the first time, gas connections reached homes. In cities, these seem like normal facilities. But for the people there, these are life-changing facilities. Due to this, the life of farmers and horticulturists there is changing. It has become easier to send fruits and vegetables to big markets. Due to better connectivity, life no longer stops. It runs non-stop. And you must have also seen that today even in these remote villages, there is excellent internet connectivity. You friends were telling with so much happiness. Friends, there is another benefit of every such facility. Today, tourism is also flourishing in these areas. The villages that had become desolate, today there is bustle again. Daughters go to school and college. An environment of good education and good income is also being created. And the Vibrant Village Program is giving further impetus to this development of border villages. Friends, this journey of the Viksit Vibrant Village is a powerful medium to connect with everyone and connect everyone. And now your responsibility has increased even more. Your journey is a journey of unity through participation.
The more the youth of India get to know the border villages of India, the more easily they will know India. They will easily connect with every corner of India and these efforts will become a reason for new strength. You also remember, the houses in these villages, there was no separate guest house for you, no hotel. It was just the village, the whole village was in a way hosting you. But you must have seen that it was not just about staying in the village. For you, this meeting, this journey of connecting with the life of the village, in a way also became a school of culture. There you got more satisfaction and respect than facilities. Whatever you have experienced, you will not learn in any classroom. Therefore, share your experience with other youth. Inspire them too that more and more of our youth should visit the border villages. The more youth go there, stay there, they will see the country, understand the country and when people start going to the villages, then facilities will also reach those villages faster. Friends, our government is promoting tourism in these border villages very much. You can expand these efforts of the government. My request is that every young friend should share their experience with at least 100 youth. Stay in touch with the people of the area where you lived. If you have taken any photos there, made videos, then share them widely on your social media accounts. You can collaborate with the content creators of those villages to promote nature and culture. If you saw any local product there, think about how you can promote it in your area.
There is a lot of information on the internet. But you can share authentic information about these villages. Now you yourself can also go to these villages with your friends, family, and I would also ask schools, colleges, universities to organize education tours to border villages. Friends, I have always had a firm belief that the youth of India like you are going to shape the world of the 21st century. This is the true destiny of the Indian youth. Today's youth is both the energy of a developed India and the biggest beneficiary of a developed India. Therefore, when the youth power directly connects with the challenges and solutions of the country, the future will certainly be bright. With this spirit, once again, many many best wishes to all of you. Thank you very much.
Friends and like a family here we came as strangers but left as one family. That is the real vibe of India. And at the same time, people often say India is diverse, but in this journey I really felt it myself. And coming to the youth in Harshil Valley, we met different people through My Bharat registration and drive here. They interacted with us and they treat me like their own sister sir, and they just shared their love to me and just gave some flowers to me also and they just interact with them and they asked me that how you came here and what was the process and I explained about my Bharat to them because I have personal experience from my friends sir because we visited so many places in these seven days of program and I share the pictures beautiful landscape of Neilang and Jadung valley beautiful apple orchards. I share the pictures in my Instagram and it has huge response from my friends and here there was created major FOMO from like they started fear of missing out and started like how you went and I just explain about my Bharat and someone said like you how lucky you are and said I am so jealous of you Bhavya you left us with you left with us like that the people are messaging me and I said I just share the link to you but you know you are not show interest but now they are after this thing happen they are just logging into my Bharat also and said next time I will come with you sir this is the interaction we had with youth and my friends also here.
In Andhra, it doesn't get cold. It must be very cold there. How did you manage to stay in that cold? And second, the sun rises very early there, sunrise is very early. How were you managing?
Yes sir, we are the people living in 30 to 40 degrees Celsius but here in Harshil Valley it was 5 degrees Celsius sir. We just feel there was a little bit fear inside me. How we gonna survive that. And after reaching that but some of the like my birth officials give some kit to oils to some like jacket whatever it is and there was the different type of clothes was there sir to wear and but it's not like there is not that much different because there is some bedsheets and clothes which was made by woolen and also twisted some handlooming places where the woolen crafts did happen. It was such a great thing and we just wore gloves, caps, socks, what we just become like a one army man like jacket, full of green color jacket and full of gloves and trekking shoes. Whatever it is it made us so warm sir.
Bhavya, in your opinion, how was the lifestyle of those people different from you all? What did you observe about their lifestyle?
Yes sir. So here we are the people we feel sad for little things but after in this after the seven days programming here we just visited different villages like Mukhwa, Dharali, Bhagori we interacted with the people they are so humble and down to earth and they just show love care and with a smile. Always they are smiling like that. And we visited Dharali also where the landslide occurred. And I interacted with one of the people. Like, it was very hard to live here, right? How you are living? Like, it was happening, landslide was continuously happening, right? So how you are staying here like that I asked it. They just answered me with a smile. It will happen, but if we go from here, it was a native place of us. It was the last birth place of us. If we leave then who will stay here. Like that they answer. At the time I realized it that how people are so confident here. There are hardships. So many hardships are there. So many things are happening but they are staying here with lot of confidence. That thing I learn from them sir.
Okay, the dance of the people there is very slow and very rhythmic. Did you learn the dance or anything?
Yes sir. The dance was very slow. And we in our last day we had cultural activities also. Here we saw some of the cultural activities the Garhwali song they played and some of nach like their dance for that. It was like slow motion. First we felt like why these people are just moving like that. After that we sing with rhythm. It was a feel like very good dance. In our state we had like and I will say in Telugu it was a naatu. Like full we will dance with full of energy and we just get tired. But there it was slow motion with a rhythm sir which felt like a meditation and peaceful thing. We just felt like we are like we just went to dream and we just seeing like that only. There is no that much hard and not like that and just we are like dreaming and seeing them they are just dancing with a slow motion. We just also dancing with like that.
Bhavya garu, after talking to you, this feeling has been strengthened that for the youth of my country, the country comes first. The way you have upheld the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat will inspire others. The good thing is that you had a lot of fun. Truly, seeing your reels, your friends from Andhra Pradesh must have been amazed. May you always remain happy like this. Many congratulations. Now let's talk to someone else. Who should we talk to now?
Thank you very much Bhavya ji. Now I request our My Bharat volunteer from Andaman and Nicobar, Sayantika Mistry ji, to share her experience with all of us.
Namaskar to honorable Prime Minister sir. My name is Shayantika, a proud My Bharat volunteer from the very beautiful Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Sayantika, among all the people I have spoken to so far, I think you look the youngest, you are the smallest. Tell us about yourself and also which village did you go to, how did you go, how difficult was it to reach there?
I went. How did you go? How difficult was it to reach there? Yes sir, sir. First of all, I would like to thank you for thinking of a one-stop solution like the My Bharat portal, through which 2.5 crore youth like me got the opportunity to become the voice of India, of our country. Under this, this year's Vibrant Village Program 2026 gave me the chance to visit border villages, and I got to visit the very beautiful Man Village in Ladakh. Sir, going from zero feet to 17,000 feet was a very new experience for me. The climate conditions there were very different and harsh. We were given five days for acclimatization, and on the first day of acclimatization, I fell a little ill. The My Bharat team, sir, the My Bharat team and the ITBP soldiers took great care of me. From this, I want to share a heart-touching incident. When I fell ill, my oxygen level was dropping due to acute mountain sickness, I was taken to the ITBP hospital from the fifth battalion. Then, sir, I heard the doctors, the ITBP doctors, talking to their own soldiers: 'We will check you later. First, we have to treat this daughter who has come as our guest.' From this, I realized that our ITBP soldiers not only know how to protect our borders, but they also have so much love and care for their countrymen. Yes.
Yes, Shayantika. You completed the journey from Andaman and Nicobar to Ladakh. The experience of traveling from an island to 17,000 feet, a journey from the ground to the peak. For you, the life in Andaman, the difficulties of the people there, the cold weather, the very thin air—how did you feel? What did you experience?
Sir, after going to Ladakh, I experienced how easy daily life is where I live. Going to Ladakh, I felt that there is a lack of oxygen due to low air pressure. And going there, I felt that being able to upgrade your body every day is an achievement in itself. Sir, besides this, I must say that we were worried about the climate, but before going to Ladakh, before going to the border villages, our expectations were that we wouldn't get good internet there, the roads wouldn't be good. So we prepared accordingly and went to the border villages. For example, my parents gave me cash, thinking that cash would be needed because there is no internet service, so UPI won't work there. But when I went there, I was surprised to see that in those border villages, which people call the last villages, there was not only good internet facility, but we also made UPI payments there.
Now we call it the first village. Now we don't call it the last village. We call it the first village.
Yes sir. I did UPI there. The people there are familiar with UPI. They use UPI. Yes sir, it is not at all what we thought. Just like us, they also use UPI with QR codes. They even have Wi-Fi in some cafes and hotels.
So if you got Wi-Fi, then you must have been lost in your own world.
Not at all, sir. I don't look at my phone that much, and I was completely lost in the valleys there with the lovely people. I spent most of my time with children, and the names of the children there were also very sweet and unique. I will share. I remember some children's names: Gasket, Biscuit, Dholkar, Namyang, Tenzing. These are the names of the friends I made in the border villages.
What questions did those children have? They must have asked, 'What is the sea like? You came from Andaman and Nicobar?'
Yes sir. Those children wanted to know where we came from. Sir, when I went to the primary school in Man Village, their classroom was very beautiful. There were lovely paintings on the wall, and there was a map of India. But sir, I noticed that the map of Andaman and Nicobar was not there. So I couldn't show them, 'Look, here is Andaman.' Then I explained to them, 'This sea here, below India, that is where our Andaman is.' And I want to share a small incident, sir. I asked a little girl, 'Will you come to Andaman, where I live?' She said, 'I will come to Andaman. I will have to study a lot. I know, but I will definitely come to Andaman when I grow up.' Such lovely children were there, sir.
Shayantika, in the border village, because the villagers do everything collectively, they do everything together. Did you have any experience where you could say, 'Yes, this is something we rarely see in cities, but you experienced it there?'
Yes sir, I observed many things that show how strong the community spirit is there. Sir, we got a chance to see a wedding in Likely. There we saw that unlike our cities, where we give contracts and book hotels for weddings, there all the people together were cooking food, setting up chairs, decorating everything. Besides that, the locals are very connected to the local monasteries, and whatever events, religious events, they do everything together. Apart from this, I want to share another incident that I didn't see myself but heard from the village headman, sir. Once, when a tower fell, the villagers, without waiting for any authority, decided among themselves to erect the tower themselves. And not only that, sir, I don't know, but perhaps some batteries are needed for the tower, and those people together built a warehouse for those batteries themselves. 'Oh wow!' Yes sir, that was the community spirit of the people there. I learned a lot from this.
Yes sir, that was the community spirit of the people there. I learned a lot from this.
Shayantika, this journey will definitely have a great impact on your life.
When you share joy, it multiplies. When you talk to your family, talk to your friends, maybe share these experiences in school and college, you should keep writing about them. These experiences should be spread as a book, as articles, to create awareness among others about how vast the country is, what the spirit of the people is, and how your journey has created an attachment to the country, an experience of the country. You should share all these things. You should teach and explain to others. It was very nice. Thank you.
Many congratulations to you.
Now let's see which part of the country we are connecting to. Thank you very much, Shayantika. And now my request is to Ashish Soni ji, a My Bharat volunteer from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, who is connected with us, to share his experience with all of us.
Greetings, Honorable Prime Minister ji. Namaste, Ashish ji. I am Ashish Soni, a proud volunteer from Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh. From the sacred land of Shaktipeeth Maa Sheetal, I bow to our beloved Prime Minister ji, who is a friend to all of us youth.
Sir, first of all, I thank you from the bottom of my heart that this time in the budget-making process, you gave importance to the voice of the youth and included their ideas and suggestions. This was not an ordinary budget. This budget was youth participation and your trust in the youth, sir.
Ashish ji, first tell us about yourself, and second, which village did you visit?
Sir, I am currently preparing for UPSC. Sir, I got the opportunity to go to Kaza Khas in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. Sir, when my parents at home came to know that I had to go to Himachal, they became very worried because they said there was a time when we had to go to the terrace again and again to talk to someone. There was no network. Sir, when I reached Spiti and video-called them from an altitude of 14,000 feet, there was a sparkle in their eyes and surprise on their faces. At that time, I felt, sir, that My Bharat has connected two generations: one generation that saw struggle and one generation that is seeing change.
So technology has spread its empire to every corner of India.
Did you use the world's highest post office in Sikkim?
Yes sir. I want to tell you that when I reached the world's highest post office in Sikkim, sir, I felt that the location was out of coverage, but this country is never out of connection, sir. I specially wrote a letter to my friend, the Prime Minister ji, in which I said that sir, I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you give youth a new opportunity every day so that they can lead a developed India. From there, I wrote letters to my family, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Defense Minister, and my DM sir. Sir, I felt there that this country is not only connected through metro airports; it is also connected through those small post offices that stand firm like our tricolor. Sir, from the post office in Sikkim, we can send our message to any corner of the country. Sir, there, only one song came to my mind: 'Sare Jahan se Accha Hindustan Hamara.'
Ashish ji, going to the world's highest post office is a very important event in life. Did you stand there and take a selfie, take photos, send photos of that post office to your friends? Did you capture that memorable event in your camera?
Sir, I took many photos, made reels, created blogs, and uploaded them on social media, and the My Bharat government also reposted them, sir.
I made many photos, sir. Made blogs, made reels.
Okay, Ashish ji, when you went to this border village, and there they say that now digital payments have reached every village. Perhaps UPI payments also happened there. Did you experience that? For me, it felt like you were having a video conference. Earlier, in your village, you used to go to the roof to get a connection. Connectivity was there. You could talk on Facebook, do video calls. What is the experience there of our digital transaction work that is going on?
Sir, the most surprising thing for me was making payments with a QR code at an altitude of 14,000 feet. Sir, where breathing was difficult, where there was a lack of oxygen, there Digital India was running with complete ease. I did not consider Digital India just a mission. Sir, Digital India is a mission that has built the trust of people in every corner of the country.
Okay, after coming back, what are your friends asking you and what are you telling them?
Sir, after coming back, everyone asked, 'How did you go? What happened?' Then I told them about My Bharat registration. Sir, I want to share one more experience: I got a chance to meet mothers and sisters in a self-help group. When I reached there, sir, I saw with my own eyes that they are writing the future of a developed India and a self-reliant India. Some have phones; they are selling their goods using digital means. Some mothers and sisters are running home stays. And sir, there is cultivation of sea buckthorn there. Some are making energy drinks from sea buckthorn. I sat with all of them and told them about the PM Mudra Yojana, about the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, how they can use these government schemes to boost their economic activity. And the best thing for me was that sir, I went to the Chicham Bridge. Before 2017, the Chicham Bridge was built. Sir, before 2017, there was no connectivity between Kibber village and Chicham. When the Border Roads Organization built that bridge, today the connectivity between Kibber and Chicham villages has become very good. Tourism is growing very well there. Economic activity is boosting very well. And sir, there is a great scope for night tourism there because at night, the stars are very clearly visible.
Did you do any shopping or not?
Yes sir, I did a lot of shopping. I made digital payments.
Because I urge all the people of the country. When you go on a trip, go on tourism, it is our responsibility that at least 5% of the total expenditure of the journey, travel, or tour should be spent on buying something from the local people. You should buy something and bring it back so that the people there get employment and their identity reaches every corner of India. Therefore, you must buy.
Okay, Ashish ji, it was very nice talking to you and all the young people. My best wishes to you. Perhaps there are still some programs left. I am waiting to see what information comes. Thank you all very much. Friends, what we just heard was not just an ordinary conversation, but it was the memories of our young friends' first encounter with the country's borders. And sir, this is the very spirit that is the foundation of the Vibrant Village Program. Where you have resolved that every village on the border will no longer be the last village, but will become the first sentinel of the country and the first gateway of a developed India. So, young friends, to give new heights to this mission, we await the words of the one who is the biggest source of inspiration in the country. Therefore, with utmost respect, pride, and honor, I cordially invite the friend of all youth, the Honorable Prime Minister ji, for his inspiring address.
Friends, it felt very good talking to all of you. Today, with us are my colleagues from the Union Cabinet, Mansukh Mandaviya ji, Minister Raksha Khadse ji, and all my young friends connected from across the country. Today's program is very special. Young friends from about 250 districts across the country are connected to this program. I congratulate all of you. Friends, a few years ago, we created the My Youth India, My Bharat platform. Today, crores of youth from across the country are connected to it, and today, young friends of My Bharat are doing very commendable work across the country. From the Developed India Dialogue to the Vibrant Village Program, all of you have shown your capability very well. Friends, during the Developed India Young Leaders Dialogue, I placed an idea before the youth. The idea was: why don't young friends, instead of virtual means, come down to the ground, get to know India, connect with India, try to live India, understand India. How many aspirations there are for development in the villages of India, you learn by going to the villages. And in our border villages, the aspiration for development and the spirit of patriotism are equal, and sometimes it feels that for them, the country comes before themselves. The country first, all other facilities later—this is a special experience we get in border villages. And so the objective was that youth from different districts of the country should travel to the villages of Himachal, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh. How do people live there? What is their food? Work, culture, lifestyle—what are these things? What are the challenges? How aware are the people sitting in the first villages of the country about the country's security? How close is their connection with other parts of the country? The youth of my country should experience all these things. That was our objective. And the enthusiasm shown by the youth across the country was amazing. About 3 lakh youth participated in this competition. Out of them, more than 400 youth were selected. All of you stayed in these remote villages for a week. It was an unknown place for you. You tried to live the life there. You mingled with them. You connected your culture with their culture. There can hardly be a better example of 'One India, Best India' than this. Friends, today's program is very special for me also because when I was away from government and political life, I had the opportunity to visit such border villages many times. I used to know the people there. My contact with many villages remained for a long time. Even after coming into government, whenever I get a chance, I do not miss the opportunity to visit border villages. All of you know that I celebrate the festival of Diwali at the border, with our brave soldiers who protect our country, and this tradition has been going on for 25 years. Among the friends who were part of this journey and with whom I spoke, there are many villages where I have been before, and when you were describing them, I could see all those old things. Like me, all of you also had a wonderful experience. Someone told about the thrill of high mountain ranges. Someone was impressed by the affection and warmth of the people of border villages. Someone saw the dreams of the children there up close. Someone witnessed the amazing courage and discipline of our army. That is, this entire experience of the Vibrant Village was wonderful. Coincidentally, today is also Kargil Vijay Diwas. Many of you have also seen the areas around Kargil. You have seen how our brave soldiers hoisted the flag of victory in such challenging conditions. I congratulate all of you for being part of this program and for this wonderful experience. Friends, a developed village is the foundation of a developed India. The journey of building a developed India is ongoing, and all of you young friends have a big role in it. Therefore, when the youth of the country connects with the ground, it broadens the vision of a developed India. It strengthens the resolve to live for the country, to do something for the country. Friends, in this campaign, you must have experienced how difficult life is in border villages. But despite every difficulty, the people of border villages live patriotism every moment. Until a few years ago, border villages were called the last villages and left to their fate. These villages lacked basic facilities like roads, electricity, water, schools, hospitals. It is possible that you also heard many such stories from the people there. They would have told you about the past conditions. And we should be proud that even in such conditions, the patriotism of the people of border villages never weakened even by an iota. Therefore, friends, our government considered these border villages as the first villages of the country. That first village where the first ray of the morning greets India, and where the last ray says goodnight and departs. Where the tricolor first converses with the wind. Where the world sees India for the first time. It is the result of this change in thinking that today our border areas are changing. In many villages, for the first time since independence, electricity reached. For the first time, roads reached. For the first time, tap water reached homes. For the first time, gas connections reached homes. In cities, these seem like normal facilities, but for the people there, these are life-changing facilities. Because of this, the lives of farmers and gardeners there are changing. It has become easier to send fruits and vegetables to big markets. Due to better connectivity, life no longer stops; it runs non-stop. And you must have also seen that today, even in these remote villages, there is excellent internet connectivity. You friends were telling with so much happiness. Friends, every such facility has another benefit. Today, tourism is flourishing in these areas. The villages that had become deserted are now bustling again. Girls go to school and college. An environment of good education and good income is also being created. And the Vibrant Village Program is accelerating this development of border villages. Friends, this journey of the Vibrant Village is a powerful means of connecting everyone and connecting with everyone. And now your responsibility has increased even more. This journey of yours is a journey of unity through participation. The more the youth of India get to know the border villages of India, the more easily they will know India. They will easily connect with every corner of India, and these efforts will become a reason for new strength. You also remember, the homes in these villages, for you, you must have seen, there was no separate guest house, no hotel. It was just the village, the entire village was, in a way, hosting you. But you must have seen that it was not just about staying in the village. For you, this meeting, this journey of connecting with village life, also became a school of culture. There, you got more satisfaction and respect than facilities. Whatever you have experienced, you will not learn that in any classroom. Therefore, share what you have experienced with other youth. Inspire them to visit border villages in large numbers. The more youth go there, stay there, they will see the country, understand the country, and when people start going to villages, then facilities will also reach those villages faster. Friends, our government is promoting tourism in these border villages. You can expand these efforts of the government. I urge that every young friend should share their experiences with at least 100 youth. Stay in touch with the people of the area you are living in. If you have taken any photos there, made videos, share them widely on your social media accounts. Collaborate with the content creators of those villages to promote nature and culture. If you saw any local product there, think about how you can promote it in your area. There is a lot of information on the internet, but you can share authentic information about these villages. Now you yourself, with your friends and family, go and travel to these villages, and I would also ask schools, colleges, and universities to organize educational tours to border villages. Friends, I have always had a firm belief that youth like you in India are going to shape the world of the 21st century. This is the true destiny of India's youth. Today's youth is both the energy of a developed India and the biggest beneficiary of a developed India. Therefore, when youth power directly connects with the country's challenges and solutions, the future will certainly be bright. With this spirit, once again, my best wishes to all of you. Thank you very much.
A developed village is a developed... Friends, like a family, here we came as strangers but left as one family. Sir, that is the real vibe of India. And at the same time, here people often say India is diverse, but in this journey, I really felt it, sir. And coming to the youth in Harsil Valley, we met different people through My Bharat registration and drive. Here they interacted with us and treated me like their own sisters, sir. And they just shared love to me and just gave some flowers to me also. And we just interacted with them, and they asked me that how you came here and what was the process, and I explained about My Bharat to them because I have personal experience from my friends, sir, because we visited so many places in this seven days of program. And I share the pictures, beautiful landscape of Nilang and Jadung Valley, beautiful apple orchards. I share the pictures on my Instagram, and it has huge response from my friends, and here that was created major FOMO from like they started fear of missing out and started like how you went, and I just explain about My Bharat, and someone said like, 'You how lucky you are,' and said, 'I am so jealous of you, Bhavya. You left us with... you left with us like that.' The people are messaging me, and I said I just share the link to... but you know you are not showing interest, but now they are, after this thing happened, they are just logging into My Bharat also and said next time I will come with you. Sir, this is the interaction we had with youth and my friends also here.
In Andhra, it doesn't get cold. There it must be very cold. How did you manage to live in that cold? It must be very cold there. And second, the sun rises very early there, sunrise is very early. So how were you managing?
Yes sir. We are the people living in 30 to 40 degrees Celsius, but here in Harsil Valley it was 5 degrees Celsius, sir. We just felt there was a little bit fear inside me: how we gonna survive that. And after reaching that, but some of the like My Bharat officials gave some kit, oils, some like jacket, whatever it is. And there was a different type of clothes was there, sir, to wear. And but it's not like there is not that much different because there is some bedsheets and clothes which was made by woolen, and also we visited some handlooming places where the woolen crafts did happen. It was such a great thing, and we just wore gloves, caps, socks, what we just become like a one army man like jacket, full of green color jacket and full of gloves and tracking shoes. Whatever it is, it made us so warm, sir.
Bhavya, in your opinion, how was the lifestyle of those people different from you? What did you observe about their lifestyle?
Yes sir. So here we are the people, we feel sad for little things, but after in this after the seven days programming here, we just visited different villages like Mukhwa, Dharali, Bhagori. We interacted with the people. They are so humble and down to earth, and they just show love, care, and with a smile always they are smiling like that. And we visited Dharali also where the landslides occur. And I interacted with one of the people. Like, it was very hard to live here, right? How you are living like, it was happening, landslide was continuously happening, right? So how you are staying here like that? I asked it. They just answered me with a smile: 'It will happen, but if we go from here, it was a native place of us, it was the less birthplace of us. If we leave, then who will stay here?' Like that they answer. At that time I realized that how people are so confident here. There are hardships. So many hardships are there. So many things are happening, but they are staying here with lot of confidence. That thing I learn from them, sir.
Okay, the dance of the people there is very slow and very rhythmic. Did you learn any dance?
Dance slow. Dance slow rhythm.
Yes sir. The dance was very slow. And we in our last day we had cultural activities also. Here we saw some of the cultural activities. The Garhwali song they played and some of the dance like their dance for that. It was like slow motion. First we felt like why these people are just moving like that. After that we sing with rhythm, it was a feel like very good dance. In our state we had like, and I will say in Telugu, it was a 'Natu'. Like full we will dance with full of energy and we just get tired. But there it was slow motion with a rhythm, sir, which felt like a meditation and peaceful thing. We just feel like we are like we just went to dream and we just seeing like that only. There is no that much hard and not like like that. And just we are like dreaming and seeing them they are just dancing like with a slow motion. We just also dancing with like that.
Bhavya garu, talking to you, this feeling has been strongly expressed that for the youth of my country, the country comes first. The way you have felt the spirit of 'One India, Best India' will inspire others. The good thing is that you had a lot of fun. Truly, seeing your reels, your friends in Andhra Pradesh must have gone crazy. Stay happy like this always. Many congratulations.
Now let's talk to someone else. Who should we talk to now? Thank you very much, Bhavya ji. Now my request is to Shayantika Mistry ji, a My Bharat volunteer from Andaman and Nicobar, who is connected with us, to share her experience with all of us.
Namaste to the Honorable Prime Minister sir. My name is Shayantika, a proud My Bharat volunteer from the very beautiful Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Shayantika, among all the people I have spoken to so far, I think you look the youngest. You are the youngest. Okay, tell us about yourself, and second, which village did you go to? How did you go? How difficult was it to reach there?
Yes sir. Sir, first of all, I would like to thank you for thinking of a one-stop solution like the My Bharat portal, through which 2.5 crore youth like me got the opportunity to become the voice of India, of our country. Under this, this year's Vibrant Village Program 2026 gave me the chance to visit border villages, and I got to visit the very beautiful Manvi village in Ladakh. Sir, going from zero feet to 17,000 feet was a very new experience for me. The climate conditions there were very different and harsh. We were given five days for acclimatization, and on the first day of acclimatization, I fell a little ill. The My Bharat team, sir, the My Bharat team and the ITBP soldiers took great care of me. From this, I want to share a heart-touching incident. When I fell ill, my oxygen level was dropping due to acute mountain sickness, I was taken to the ITBP hospital from the fifth battalion. Then, sir, I heard the doctors, the ITBP doctors, talking to their own soldiers: 'We will check you later. First, we have to treat this daughter who has come as our guest.' From this, I realized that our ITBP soldiers not only know how to protect our borders, but they also have so much love and care for their countrymen.
Shayantika, you completed the journey from Andaman and Nicobar to Ladakh. The experience of traveling from an island to 17,000 feet, a journey from the ground to the peak. For you, the life in Andaman, the difficulties of the people there, the cold weather, the very thin air—how did you feel? What did you experience?
Sir, after going to Ladakh, I experienced how easy daily life is where I live. Going to Ladakh, I felt that there is a lack of oxygen due to low air pressure. And going there, I felt that being able to upgrade your body every day is an achievement in itself. Sir, besides this, I must say that we were worried about the climate, but before going to Ladakh, before going to the border villages, our expectations were that we wouldn't get good internet there, the roads wouldn't be good. So we prepared accordingly and went to the border villages. For example, my parents gave me cash, thinking that cash would be needed because there is no internet service, so UPI won't work there. But when I went there, I was surprised to see that in those border villages, which people call the last villages, there was not only good internet facility, but we also made UPI payments there.
Now we call it the first village. Now we don't call it the last village. We call it the first village.
Yes sir. I did UPI there. The people there are familiar with UPI. They use UPI. Yes sir, it is not at all what we thought. Just like us, they also use UPI with QR codes. They even have Wi-Fi in some cafes and hotels.
So if you got Wi-Fi, then you must have been lost in your own world.
Not at all, sir. I don't look at my phone that much, and I was completely lost in the valleys there with the lovely people. I spent most of my time with children, and the names of the children there were also very sweet and unique. I will share. I remember some children's names: Gasket, Biscuit, Dholkar, Namyang, Tenzing. These are the names of the friends I made in the border villages.
What questions did those children have? They must have asked, 'What is the sea like? You came from Andaman and Nicobar?'
Yes sir. Those children wanted to know where we came from. Sir, when I went to the primary school in Man Village, their classroom was very beautiful. There were lovely paintings on the wall, and there was a map of India. But sir, I noticed that the map of Andaman and Nicobar was not there. So I couldn't show them, 'Look, here is Andaman.' Then I explained to them, 'This sea here, below India, that is where our Andaman is.' And I want to share a small incident, sir. I asked a little girl, 'Will you come to Andaman, where I live?' She said, 'I will come to Andaman. I will have to study a lot. I know, but I will definitely come to Andaman when I grow up.' Such lovely children were there, sir.
Shayantika, in the border village, because the villagers do everything collectively, they do everything together. Did you have any experience where you could say, 'Yes, this is something we rarely see in cities, but you experienced it there?'
Yes sir, I observed many things that show how strong the community spirit is there. Sir, we got a chance to see a wedding in Likely. There we saw that unlike our cities, where we give contracts and book hotels for weddings, there all the people together were cooking food, setting up chairs, decorating everything. Besides that, the locals are very connected to the local monasteries, and whatever events, religious events, they do everything together. Apart from this, I want to share another incident...
Yes sir, I observed many things that show how strong the community spirit is there. Sir, we got a chance to see a wedding in Likely. There we saw that unlike our cities, where we give contracts and book hotels for weddings, there all the people together were cooking food, setting up chairs, decorating everything. Besides that, the locals are very connected to the local monasteries, and whatever events, religious events, they do everything together. Apart from this, I want to share another incident...
I would like to share something I didn't see myself, but heard from the village head. Once a tower fell, the villagers, without waiting for any authority, decided among themselves to erect the tower. And not only that, I don't know much, but maybe some batteries were needed for the tower, and they together built a warehouse for those batteries.
Yes sir, that was the community spirit of the people there. I learned a lot from that.
Shayantika, this journey will certainly have a great impact on your life. When you share joy, it multiplies. When you talk to your family, your friends, maybe in school or college, share these experiences. You should keep writing about them, turn them into a book or articles, and spread awareness among others about how vast the country is, what the spirit of the people is, and how your journey has created a sense of attachment to the country. You should share all these things, teach and explain to others. Well, it was very nice. Thank you. Congratulations to you.
Congratulations to you. Now let's see which part of the country we are connecting with. Thank you very much, Shayantika. Now I request Ashish Soni, a My Bharat volunteer from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, to share his experience with all of us.
Greetings, respected Prime Minister ji. Namaste. I am Ashish Soni, a proud volunteer from Jaunpur district, Uttar Pradesh. I bow to our beloved Prime Minister ji from the sacred land of Shaktipeeth Maa Sheetal. I also bow to you.
Sir, first of all, I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you gave importance to the voice of the youth in the budget-making process this time and included their ideas and suggestions. This was not an ordinary budget. It was a budget of youth participation and your trust in the youth, sir.
Ashish ji, first tell us about yourself. And second, which village did you visit?
Sir, I am currently preparing for UPSC. I got the opportunity to go to Kaza Khas in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. When my parents came to know that I had to go to Himachal, they were very worried because they said there was a time when we had to go to the terrace repeatedly to talk to someone. There was no network at all. But when I reached Spiti and video-called them from 14,000 feet, I saw a spark in their eyes and surprise on their faces. At that moment, I felt that My Bharat has connected two generations: one that saw struggle and one that is witnessing change.
So technology has spread its empire to every corner of India.
Good, Ashish ji. Did you use the world's highest post office in Sikkim?
Yes sir, I would like to tell you that when I reached the world's highest post office in Sikkim, I thought the location was out of coverage, but this country is never out of connection. I specially wrote a letter to my friend Prime Minister ji, expressing my heartfelt gratitude for giving youth new opportunities every day so that they can lead a developed India. From there, I also wrote letters to my family, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Defence Minister, and my District Magistrate. Sir, I felt that this country is not only connected through metro airports, but also through those small post offices that stand as steadfast as the tricolor. From the post office in Sikkim, we can send our message to any corner of the country. Only one song came to my mind: 'Sare Jahan Se Achha Hindustan Hamara'.
Ashish ji, visiting the world's highest post office is a significant event in itself. Did you take a selfie there, take photos, send the post office photos to your friends? Did you capture that memorable event in your camera?
Sir, I took many photos, made reels, created blogs, and uploaded them on social media. The My Bharat government also reposted them.
Yes sir, I took them. I made many photos, blogs, reels.
Good, Ashish ji, when you were in this border village, and they say that digital payments have reached every village now. Maybe UPI payments were also made there. Did you experience that?
Sir, for me, the most surprising thing was making payment via QR code at 14,000 feet. Where breathing was difficult, oxygen was scarce, Digital India was functioning seamlessly. I don't just see Digital India as a mission; it is a mission that has built trust in every corner of the country.
After returning, what are your friends asking you and what are you telling them?
Sir, after returning, everyone asked how it was, what happened. Then I told them about My Bharat registration. I want to share one more experience: I got to meet mothers and sisters in a self-help group. When I reached there, I saw with my own eyes that they are writing the future of a developed and self-reliant India. Some have phones and are selling their products through digital means. Some mothers and sisters are running home stays. And there, sea buckthorn is cultivated. Some are making energy drinks from sea buckthorn. I sat with all of them and told them about PM Mudra Yojana, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, and how they can use these government schemes to boost their economic activities. The best part for me was visiting the Chicham Bridge. Before 2017, there was no connectivity between Kibber and Chicham villages. After the Border Roads Organisation built the bridge, connectivity has improved greatly. Tourism is growing well, economic activity is boosting, and there is great scope for night tourism because the stars are very clear at night.
Did you do any shopping or not?
Yes sir, I did a lot of shopping. I used digital payment.
Because I urge all people of the country: whenever you go on a trip or tourism, it is our responsibility that at least 5% of the total expenditure on travel, lodging, or tour should be spent on buying something from the local people. Buy something to bring back so that the local people also get employment and their identity reaches every corner of India. So you must buy.
