Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme in Dediapada, Gujarat on Saturday, marking the 150th Birth Anniversary celebration of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda. During the event, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various infrastructure and development projects worth over ₹9,700 crore.
Calling the land of Maa Narmada the site of “yet another historic moment,” the Prime Minister recalled that the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel was celebrated at the same venue on October 31, where Bharat Parv was launched. With Saturday’s celebration of Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary, he said Bharat Parv had reached its culmination.
PM Modi paid homage to Birsa Munda and invoked the legacy of Govind Guru, who inspired freedom movements across the tribal belt of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He also mentioned his visit to the Devmogra Mata shrine before the event and said the teachings of Sant Kabir had deeply shaped the region.
The Prime Minister launched several development initiatives in the region. Under PM-JANMAN and other schemes, one lakh families have received permanent houses.
PM Modi announced the establishment of the Govind Guru Chair at the Birsa Munda Tribal University, along with new projects in health, road connectivity and transport. He said these efforts reflect the government’s commitment to inclusive growth.
The PM noted that since 2021, Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary has been commemorated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, adding that tribal pride has always been central to India’s civilizational ethos. He highlighted the contribution of tribal icons including Tilka Manjhi, Rani Gaidinliu, Sidho–Kanho, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Tantya Bhil, Veer Narayan Singh and many others.
PM Modi also invoked Gujarat’s own tribal heroes—Govind Guru, Raja Roopsingh Nayak, Motilal Tejawat and Dashriben Chaudhary—saying their stories reflect the courage and sacrifice of the tribal freedom movement. He stressed the importance of preserving these histories and pointed to the tribal museums being established nationwide, including the upcoming 25-acre museum in Rajpipla and the recently inaugurated Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Tribal Museum in Chhattisgarh. The PM added that the Ranchi jail where Birsa Munda was imprisoned is being developed into a museum.
Announcing the Govind Guru Chair for the Tribal Language Promotion Centre, the Prime Minister said the initiative will study and preserve tribal dialects such as Bhil, Gamit, Vasava, Garasia, Santhal, Rathwa and Warli, among others. Tribal languages, he said, embody scientific knowledge, philosophical depth and environmental wisdom.
PM Modi said Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas also serves as a reminder of the injustices faced by tribal communities for decades, alleging that those who ruled for 60 years ignored their needs. He underscored that his government has prioritised tribal welfare, increasing budget allocations significantly compared to 2013. Prime Minister Modi noted that under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was created but was “neglected” for ten years thereafter.
PM Modi recalled that Gujarat once lacked a single science school across the tribal belt from Ambaji to Umargam. As Chief Minister, he launched the Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav from Dediapada to improve education access. Since then, more than 10,000 schools, dozens of colleges and hundreds of hostels have been established, along with two tribal universities. Many students who once shared their aspirations with him, he said, are now working as doctors, engineers and researchers.
Over the past six years, he added, over ₹18,000 crore has been allocated for Eklavya Model Residential Schools. Improved facilities for girls have led to a 60 percent rise in tribal enrolment. He said tribal youth excel when given opportunity, citing success stories from sports and mentioning the recent World Cup victory of India’s women’s cricket team, where a tribal player made a decisive contribution.
Calling Narmada a transformed aspirational district, the PM highlighted gains under Ayushman Bharat, which provides free treatment of up to ₹5 lakh and has benefitted crores of tribal families. The Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative, launched from tribal-dominated Chhattisgarh, has further expanded access to healthcare.
PM Modi said the government is prioritising the most backward tribal communities. Many areas lacked basic facilities for decades, he said, which prompted the launch of PM-JANMAN with an outlay of ₹24,000 crore. The Dharti Aaba Tribal Village Utkarsh Abhiyan has reached over 60,000 villages, bringing piped drinking water, telemedicine and community-led development plans. Gram Sabhas have been placed at the centre of decision-making.
The PM said the government is addressing every aspect of tribal life—from increasing the number of minor forest produce items under MSP from 20 to nearly 100, to promoting Shri Anna, which directly benefits tribal farmers. He linked these efforts to the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana introduced in Gujarat, saying they have inspired national initiatives.
PM Modi flagged sickle cell disease as a major challenge in tribal regions, noting that six crore people have been screened so far. Local-language education under the National Education Policy, he said, is helping tribal students overcome language barriers.
Prime Minister Modi praised Gujarat’s tribal artistic traditions and acknowledged the work of artist Pareshbhai Rathwa, a Padma awardee.
The Prime Minister emphasised that greater participation in democracy is crucial for societal advancement. He said the rise of a tribal woman as President of India represents a historic moment for the community. He highlighted the leadership roles held by tribal Chief Ministers and Governors, including Vishnudev Sai, Mohan Charan Majhi, Pema Khandu, Neiphiu Rio and Mangubhai Patel, and noted that former Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal now serves as a Union Minister.
PM Modi said the nation draws strength from the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” which has helped bring long-marginalised tribal communities into the mainstream. He urged citizens to reaffirm their commitment to inclusive development as a tribute to Birsa Munda and expressed confidence in India’s resolve to become a developed nation.
The event was attended by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel and other dignitaries.