As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio show Mann ki Baat reaches its 100th episode next Sunday, a survey by Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Rohtak on Monday said that more than 100 crore people — 96% of the population — have listened to it at least once, while 23 crore are regular listeners.

The findings of the study were brought out in a press conference by Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO, Prasar Bharati and Dheeraj P. Sharma, director, IIM Rohtak. The study has tried to gauge the impact Mann Ki Baat has had on the population over the 99 editions so far

While presenting the findings, Dheeraj Sharma, Director, IIM Rohtak, said, “Data collection was done in multiple languages – Hindi as well as other regional languages. Nearly 96% of people are aware of Mann Ki Baat. We have included respondents who are about 15 years of age. At least 100 crore people have listened to it at least once, while 23 crore people listen/view the programme regularly.”

According to the survey, Mann Ki Baat positively influences citizenship behaviour, optimism and happiness.

At least 60% have shown interest in working for nation building, while 55% listen becoming a responsible citizen of the nation. While 63% feel that their approach towards the government has become positive, 59% feel that their trust on the government has increased. At least 58% expressed that their living conditions have improved, while 73% feel optimistic about the government’s working and country’s progress.

While 23 crore people tune in to the programme regularly, another 41 crore constitute an occasional audience that has the scope of being converted into a regular audience.

Dwivedi informed the audience that apart from 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, Mann Ki Baat is broadcast in 11 Foreign languages excluding English namely, French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari and Swahili. He said the Mann ki Baat is being broadcast by more than 500 broadcast centers of All India Radio.

Going into the thought process behind commissioning of the study, Dwivedi stated that that from time to time there was a thought that we must get more well-rounded feedback in terms of the overall programme and not for particular episodes only. He further informed that while digital sentiment on Mann Ki Baat is readily available, the same is not in the case with traditional media due to certain limitations. With this perspective, the task of the survey was awarded to IIM Rohtak on April 18, 2022.

Modi’s Mann Ki Baat radio programme has consistently highlighted the achievements of Indians making the country proud at an international level.

​Spanning numerous countries and multiple events, the prime minister narrates inspiring stories in his radio show about those who stand out with their dedication, hard work, and excellence. Reflecting a global outlook, he has shared stories of those trying to preserve their mother tongue in foreign lands, as well as those who have won international accolades.

Modi has also pressed upon India’s civilisational gifts to the world, with one such example being yoga that has made an unprecedented impact on foreign shores. These stories, shared by the PM, weave a tapestry of India’s growing influence on the global stage and reflect the collective efforts of its people.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has issued an official notification stating that a new Rs 100 coin will be minted by the Central Government to commemorate the 100th edition of the radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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