Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, turned 12 on Sunday, October 25, 2026, and the 139th episode felt like both an anniversary and a festive-season appeal. Speaking at 11 am, the PM asked Indians to choose locally made products for Diwali and Chhath, and then walked listeners through a string of grassroots stories – from naturally coloured cotton in Punjab to a river brought back to life in Uttarakhand.
He also had a personal line for the milestone. “For me, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is no less than a pilgrimage,” he said, recalling that the programme began on Vijayadashami 12 years ago.
Twelve years on air
Mann Ki Baat first went on air on Vijayadashami in 2014 and has since become one of the government's most consistent ways of talking directly to citizens, without the noise of a press conference or a rally. Sunday's episode leaned into that format. The PM thanked listeners for staying with the programme and described them as companions on the journey, before moving quickly into the stories he wanted the country to hear.
Across states, leaders tuned in publicly. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta listened to the broadcast, as did Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar. In Ranchi, Union Minister Annapurna Devi and BJP leader Nitin Nabin joined local residents for the episode.
Vocal for Local ahead of Diwali and Chhath
The central message was economic. With Diwali and Chhath around the corner, the PM urged people to put local products first while shopping, and to support small traders and traditional artisans. He tied everyday buying choices to jobs and to the larger idea of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
To make the point, he listed Indian produce that is now finding buyers abroad:
- Makhana from Purnia, Bihar is being exported to Greece.
- Arhar dal from Kalaburagi, Karnataka is reaching the Maldives.
- Shabri Naturals, a tribal community initiative in Maharashtra that sells honey, mahua and bamboo products, won Japan's Good Design Award for packaging that carries tribal art.
He added that the growing popularity of Khadi is putting money directly in the hands of skilled artisans, and asked citizens to join cleanliness drives before the festivals, saying small efforts add up to big change.
e-Sanjeevani crosses 50 crore consultations
On healthcare, the PM highlighted e-Sanjeevani, the national telemedicine service, which crossed 50 crore teleconsultations on September 15. The service runs in all 36 states and Union Territories through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, medical hubs and online OPDs, and supports 15 languages.
He shared the example of a child from the Jarawa community on Baratang Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. When the child developed a high fever and breathing trouble, a local health worker used e-Sanjeevani to reach a specialist, who diagnosed pneumonia. The child recovered under medical supervision – a reminder of what a video call can mean in places where the nearest specialist is a long, expensive journey away.
Organic cotton in Punjab, a river reborn in Uttarakhand
In Punjab's Malwa region, the PM praised the Kheti Virasat Mission and its Nav-Trinjan initiative, which promotes organic and naturally coloured cotton grown without chemicals. Nav-Trinjan has also set up a weaving school to pass the craft to younger women. “This school has transformed the lives of many women,” he said.
From Tehri Garhwal in Uttarakhand came the story of the Heval River, which had been drying up along with the springs around it. The district administration and villagers launched a campaign of rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and large-scale tree planting. According to the PM, the river has now been revitalised and dozens of natural water sources restored.
Science and millets also got a mention
The episode touched on efforts to revive traditional millet farming in the Northeast, and on the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras, which has built a platform producing high-resolution 3D digital images of the human brain. The team aims to map 100 human brains, using the Param Shakti supercomputer.
Key highlights at a glance
| Episode | 139th Mann Ki Baat |
| Date | Sunday, October 25, 2026 |
| Milestone | 12 years since launch on Vijayadashami 2014 |
| Main appeal | Buy local for Diwali and Chhath; join cleanliness drives |
| Export examples | Purnia makhana to Greece, Kalaburagi arhar dal to Maldives |
| e-Sanjeevani | 50 crore teleconsultations, 36 states/UTs, 15 languages |
| Water story | Heval River revival, Tehri Garhwal |
| Research | IIT Madras plan to map 100 human brains in 3D |
What it means for you
For shoppers, the takeaway is simple: the government wants festive spending to flow to local makers, weavers and small shops. If you are buying diyas, sweets, clothes or gifts this season, the PM's pitch is to check where they come from. For families in remote areas, the e-Sanjeevani numbers are a reminder that free specialist consultations are available through the nearest Ayushman Arogya Mandir.
What happens next
The next Mann Ki Baat is due on the last Sunday of November. Citizens can send ideas through the MyGov platform and the NaMo app ahead of each episode, and some of those suggestions regularly find their way into the broadcast.
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