PM Modi praises TN teacher Girija Amma in Mann Ki Baat for ₹40 lakh soldier fund
Synopsis
A Tamil Nadu school principal turned a simple idea — one rupee a day per student — into a ₹40 lakh cheque for India's soldiers. PM Modi used Mann Ki Baat to tell her story, shining a national spotlight on Nagercoil's Girija Amma and the quiet civic power of India's classrooms.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi highlighted Girija Amma (Gomatam Veeraraghavan Girija) of Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu in the 31 May episode of Mann Ki Baat .
Girija Amma leads the Gopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya , whose Chennai network recently celebrated its 50th anniversary .
Her initiative asked students to donate ₹1 per day ; each student saved ₹365 in a year.
Thousands of students collectively raised approximately ₹40 lakh for the welfare of India's soldiers.
Girija Amma handed the full amount to the Prime Minister as a cheque.
Modi urged citizens nationwide to identify and support similar grassroots efforts in their communities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 May used his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' to spotlight the patriotic initiative of veteran educationist Gomatam Veeraraghavan Girija, widely known as Girija Amma, from Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu. Modi said he was deeply moved by her unwavering devotion to the nation and the remarkable grassroots fundraising effort she had led for India's soldiers.
Who Is Girija Amma
Girija Amma heads the Gopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya, a well-regarded educational institution in Nagercoil. Modi recounted that he had first met her nearly 'three decades ago', and that their recent meeting left a lasting impression on him. The Hindu Vidyalaya network in Chennai recently marked its 50th anniversary, having built a sustained record of contributions to education and cultural heritage across the country.
The One-Rupee-a-Day Initiative
Inspired by Mann Ki Baat, Girija Amma launched a distinctive campaign encouraging students across her schools to set aside one rupee daily for the welfare of India's armed forces. Over the course of a year, each participating student accumulated ₹365. When pooled from thousands of children, the contributions added up to approximately ₹40 lakh — a sum she personally handed over to the Prime Minister in the form of a cheque.
What Modi Said
Reflecting on the gesture, Modi said he was deeply touched by Girija Amma's devotion to Mother India. 'Friends, in every village and every city across India, something inspiring is happening all the time,' he noted during the broadcast. He extended congratulations to Girija Amma, the institution's staff, and especially the students who participated in what he called a noble cause.
Broader Message and What Comes Next
The Prime Minister urged citizens to identify and support similar selfless efforts in their own communities, arguing that India's progress is rooted in the collective goodwill of its people. He closed the segment by promising to share more such stories in the next episode of Mann Ki Baat. The episode underscores Modi's recurring use of the programme to amplify grassroots stories that reinforce themes of national unity and civic responsibility — this is far from the first time a teacher or community figure from a smaller town has been featured to carry that message to a national audience.
Point of View
Verifiable story from a smaller city that carries a message far larger than the individual. What is worth noting, however, is that the ₹40 lakh figure, while symbolically powerful, matters less for its scale than for the model it represents — micro-contributions aggregated through institutional trust. If India's thousands of school networks replicated even a fraction of this, the civic impact would be substantial. The question mainstream coverage rarely asks is whether these spotlighted initiatives receive any structural follow-up support, or whether the national moment of recognition is itself the full extent of the state's engagement.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Girija Amma and why did PM Modi mention her?
Girija Amma is the popular name for Gomatam Veeraraghavan Girija , a veteran educationist who runs the Gopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu. PM Modi praised her in the 31 May episode of Mann Ki Baat for leading a student fundraising drive that collected approximately ₹40 lakh for India's soldiers.
What was the one-rupee-a-day initiative?
Inspired by Mann Ki Baat, Girija Amma encouraged students across her schools to donate ₹1 every day towards the welfare of India's armed forces. Over a year, each student saved ₹365, and the pooled contributions from thousands of children amounted to roughly ₹40 lakh, which was handed to PM Modi as a cheque.
What is the Gopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya?
The Gopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya is a respected educational institution in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, run by Girija Amma. The broader Hindu Vidyalaya network in Chennai recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is recognised for its contributions to education and cultural heritage in India.
What was PM Modi's message in this Mann Ki Baat segment?
Modi said he was deeply touched by Girija Amma's devotion to the nation and congratulated her, the institution's staff, and the participating students. He urged all citizens to identify and support similar selfless community efforts, emphasising that India's progress stems from the collective goodwill of its people.
When did this episode of Mann Ki Baat air?
The episode in which PM Modi highlighted Girija Amma's initiative aired on 31 May. Mann Ki Baat is a monthly radio address by the Prime Minister broadcast on All India Radio and other platforms.
