Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a gathering of farmers and textile workers in Tamil Nadu, said the enthusiastic welcome reminded him of celebrations in Bihar. As many farmers waved their gamcha in the air, he remarked that it felt as though “Bihar’s breeze had reached Tamil Nadu before I could.” His comment came soon after the NDA’s “historic” victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections.
Connecting cultures and speaking from the heart
PM Modi added that if he knew Tamil, he would have had the honour of fully understanding the earlier speeches delivered at the summit. He praised the region’s strong cultural warmth and said the interactions left a deep impression on him.
Highlighting the economic power of Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister said Coimbatore’s textile sector had long played a significant role in India’s growth. With CP Radhakrishnan who hails from the region now serving as Vice President of India, PM Modi said Coimbatore’s contribution to the nation was “only increasing.”
Calling natural farming a subject “very close to my heart,” PM Modi said India was steadily moving towards becoming a global hub for organic and natural agriculture. At the summit, he felicitated individuals who promote sustainable farming practices. He shared anecdotes from his visit to the exhibition, describing farmers with diverse backgrounds, some with engineering degrees, others with doctorates, and even one who left NASA to pursue agriculture. “Had I not come here, I would have missed a lot in my life,” he said.
“I was watching the exhibition. I received the opportunity to speak to several farmers," he said. “Someone had pursued Mechanical Engineering, a PhD and was then doing farming; someone left NASA to return to agriculture. They are preparing and training several youth. I accept this publicly—had I not come here, I would have missed a lot in my life."
Saluting the spirit of Tamil Nadu farmers
PM Modi praised the courage and adaptability of Tamil Nadu’s farmers, saying their willingness to embrace change reflects the strength of Indian agriculture. He added that natural farming is now emerging as a “modern, scalable opportunity” for the nation’s youth and will play a key role in boosting the rural economy.
He also noted that natural farming draws from India’s own traditions, with practices like Panchakavya and Jeevamrutam now widely adopted by farmers in South India.
