BJP leader Smriti Irani on Sunday, 31 May 2026, praised a student-led fundraising initiative from Tamil Nadu, where a teacher named Girija Amma and her students reportedly collected ₹40 lakh for the welfare of Indian soldiers by contributing just ₹1 per student per day. Irani described the effort as an inspiring example of patriotism and public participation, citing it as proof that small, consistent actions can make a significant contribution to national service.

Context

In her post, Irani wrote in Hindi: 'तमिलनाडु की गिरिजा अम्मा जी और उनके विद्यार्थियों की प्रेरणादायी पहल राष्ट्रभक्ति और जनभागीदारी का अद्भुत उदाहरण है' ('The inspiring initiative of Tamil Nadu's Girija Amma and her students is a wonderful example of patriotism and public participation'). She noted that the drive was inspired by Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio programme, and that students contributed ₹1 daily until the collective fund reached ₹40 lakh — all directed towards India's brave soldiers. Irani concluded that 'such values, such teachers, and such students are India's greatest strength.'

Policy Backdrop

Mann Ki Baat, launched in October 2014, has over the years served as a platform for Prime Minister Modi to spotlight grassroots contributions to public causes, including welfare drives for active soldiers and ex-servicemen. The programme has repeatedly featured community-level fundraising as examples of jan bhagidari (public participation), reinforcing a policy emphasis on citizen-led national service. Small-donation drives by schools and local communities in support of the Indian Army have appeared periodically across multiple states, often receiving amplification through Mann Ki Baat.

The broader pattern reflects a sustained governmental push to integrate patriotic education and voluntary contributions within the school ecosystem. State education departments have periodically encouraged student-led activities that connect civic responsibility with national security awareness.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of such drives are Indian Armed Forces personnel and their families, who receive welfare support through public donations channelled via designated funds. For the students involved, participation in a structured, goal-oriented civic exercise is seen as an early lesson in collective responsibility and national service. Teachers like Girija Amma occupy a central role in this model — mobilising young contributors and sustaining the effort over time to reach a meaningful sum.

Irani's public endorsement on a national platform brings visibility to a state-level initiative that might otherwise remain localised. Such recognition from senior political figures frequently encourages replication of similar models in other schools and districts across India.

What's Next

Future episodes of Mann Ki Baat may reference this Tamil Nadu initiative as a case study in student-driven patriotic action, consistent with the programme's history of highlighting such efforts. State education departments, particularly in Tamil Nadu, may consider formalising or scaling similar ₹1-per-day contribution models as part of broader civic education frameworks. The initiative also adds to a growing body of examples that policymakers and educators cite when making the case for embedding voluntary national-service components within school curricula.