Overview
- At the International Arya Mahasammelan in New Delhi, which drew delegates from India and abroad and an exhibition titled “150 Golden Years of Service,” Modi released commemorative coins marking Dayanand Saraswati’s 200th birth anniversary and Arya Samaj’s 150 years of service.
- Modi called on Arya Samaj to join the Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitise and preserve ancient manuscripts, linking the group’s long-standing custodial work on scriptures to the national effort.
- He said the anniversary represents India’s Vedic identity rather than a sectarian observance, stressing Maharshi Dayanand’s opposition to discrimination and untouchability.
- Recalling the movement’s role in the freedom struggle, he cited inspiration it provided to figures such as Lala Lajpat Rai and Ram Prasad Bismil, noting that its contributions went under-recognised for political reasons.
- Highlighting current progress, he pointed to women’s expanding leadership in science, technology and defense and said India now has the world’s highest number of female STEM graduates.