Education, grassroots innovation influential topics in Mann Ki Baat: IIMC survey

New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Education and information about India’s grassroots innovators ranked among the most influential topics raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly Mann Ki Baat’ programme, a survey by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has found.

Interestingly, the survey found that the internet was the favoured platform to listen to Mann Ki Baat, which was envisaged as a radio programme.

IIMC Director General Sanjay Dwivedi said a total of 890 persons associated with the media from 116 news organisations, academic institutions and universities across the country participated in the study.

The prime minister’s talks on education and grassroots innovators were found to be the most influential topics raised in the Mann Ki Baat programme, as per the survey.

As many as 40 per cent of respondents mentioned ‘education’, while 26 per cent said ‘information about grassroots innovators’ were the most influential topics of the programme, it stated.

Mann Ki Baat was first aired on October 3, 2014 and has completed 99 episodes till date. The monthly radio programme has had an almost continuous run barring the two-month hiatus before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat is scheduled to be aired on Sunday, April 30.

The IIMC study found that 76 per cent media persons, who participated in the study, believed that the radio programme had played a significant role in introducing the “real Bharat” to the countrymen.

According to the respondents, ‘Knowledge about the Country’ and ‘PM’s Vision about the Country’ are the two important reasons which motivate them to listen to the programme.

As many as 32 per cent respondents said they share their thoughts on the issues discussed in the programme with their family members, while 29 per cent respondents said they discuss the topics with their friends and colleagues, the study said.

Another interesting fact that emerged in the study was that 12 per cent respondents use radio, 15 per cent television and 37 per cent use internet-based platforms to listen to Mann Ki Baat, it said.