Amidst discussions spanning wide-ranging and serious topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), climate change, healthcare, and digital inclusion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his free-wheel conservation with philanthropist Bill Gates on Friday promoted his favourite cereal millets, also called as Shri Anna while giving tips on how to maintain well-being and inner peace in hectic times.
Gates, Microsoft co-founder, had sought advice from him on how he manages to maintain high energy levels despite his demanding schedule.
In response, the Prime Minister attributed his energy and sense of relaxation to a natural state of being. Despite working tirelessly, he said that he finds inner peace and calmness, which helps him navigate through hectic times.
“I find my inner peace through a spiritual practice instilled in me by my teachers which energises me to a great strength. This energy does not stem from physical strength but my dedication and emotional connection to the mission at hand, focusing solely on it,” Modi told Gates.
“Additionally, my body has adapted to little rest. I sleep for less hours, work late into the night, yet wake up early, feeling refreshed. This resilience partly comes from a period spent in the Himalayas, where I followed the tradition of bathing in early morning hours which has conditioned my body over time,” the Prime Minister explained.
“As a result, I don’t need conventional methods to relax”.
When Gates asked Prime Minister Modi how millet is changing the way vegetarian food is looked at globally, he said that promoting millet can be a big way forward as switching to it can bring several health benefits.
“Even within vegetarian options, some choices are harmful and switching to millet could bring significant benefits. I have seen a significant increase in millet production. Many reputable companies are now offering millet-based products, enhancing its value and making it both common and trendy. Even five-star hotels have introduced special millet menus. And it is improving the livelihoods of small farmers,” said Modi.
“Millet is a superfood. I celebrated 2023 as the Year of Millet with the UN. Millet has great benefits. It grows in barren land. It needs minimal water and does not require any fertiliser,” the Prime Minister further explained.
At this Gates shared his experience during his visit to Odisha where he was offered a millet. “When I went to Odisha, I came to know that millet was a very popular food there a long time ago and now it is coming back in the market with the joint efforts of the government. They even took me to the shops where they offered me very nutritious foods and they tasted good to me,” Gates added.
In order to increase production and productivity of Shree Anna, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in all districts of 28 States & 2 Union Territories viz. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The interventions such as formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for Shree Anna, setting up Centers of Excellence (CoE) and seed hubs for Shree Anna have also been supported under NFSM. In addition, states such as Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh have initiated Millet Missions in the States to promote millets.
