The speeches, covering wide areas, range from her addresses to the nation to those delivered at convocation ceremonies of various universities. It has been compiled by the Rashtrapati Bhavan and published by the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of State L Murugan were also present on the dais during the event.
In his address, the defence minister said, “This book will become a means to achieve the 2047 goal of making a Viksit Bharat.” ‘Wings to Our Hopes – Volume II’ is a carefully curated collection of 51 speeches, offering a window into the vision, philosophy, and priorities of President Murmu during her second year in office (August 2023- July 2024), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a statement on Sunday.
Singh described the compilation of speeches, also on other subjects such as innovation, the contribution of women in the development of the country, equality and the cultural heritage, as the essence of the government’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047.
“The book will become a guiding light to build Viksit Bharat with progressive thoughts while preserving our glorious heritage. President Droupadi Murmu knows the importance of diversity in our country and recognises the pain of the deprived. This book proclaims the spirit of equality,” he said.
The defence minister added that the book is an amalgamation of the knowledge and ideas of the president in diverse fields — from civilisation to culture, religion to science, art to literature, education to health and past to future.
He termed this inclusiveness as a reflection of the character of India, which can prove to be beneficial for future generations.
Singh made special mention of some of the president’s thoughts, dubbing them as national priorities of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
These include development along with heritage is the identity of our culture and civilisation.
“Morality is the pillar of our personal and public life. Everyone, especially public servants and officers, must possess the spirit of selfless service and philanthropy.
The justice system and administration need to be sensitive towards common people.
Innovation needs to be encouraged in all dimensions of development. India is playing a leading role with the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in improving the modern world-system,” he said.
Singh described Murmu as the best example of women-led development in India.
Under the leadership of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Indian soldiers carried out the historic Operation Sindoor, achieving all objectives and instilling fear in the minds of terrorists.
He commended her for constantly encouraging the armed forces personnel while also working relentlessly for the empowerment of the deprived sections of society.
“Through her own life, President Murmu has set an inspiring example for everyone to have access to education and equal rights and opportunities. The ideals of courage, hard work, public service and spirituality are visible in her life, and these can be read in her speeches as well,” he added.
Vaishnaw described the ‘Wings to Our Hopes (Volume-II)’ as a medium to understand contemporary issues from the point of view of the ‘first citizen’ of the country, and hoped that it would introduce public welfare ideas of the President to future generations. PTI KND RHL
