Senapati (Manipur) [India], December 28 : Entrepreneur K Chokhone Krechina from Manipur's Senapati district on Sunday expressed gratitude after being recognised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 129th edition of Mann Ki Baat, calling it a proud moment and a major opportunity to showcase grassroots entrepreneurship on a national platform.
She said entrepreneurs are job creators, not job seekers, and urged people to use their ideas and talents to drive sustainability and rural development.
Speaking to ANI, Krechina said, "It was a great opportunity that we got to showcase our story on such a big platform... We are working towards women and livelihood from the rural back-end farmers."
Highlighting the role of entrepreneurship in nation-building, she said growth at the grassroots level directly contributes to the country's development.
"From the grassroots level, when an entrepreneur grows, the nation also grows. They are not the job seekers, but instead they are the job creators... I would encourage everyone to join in the sustainability and livelihood changes through entrepreneurship in any field... We should take this opportunity and make use of the ideas or the talent, whichever we are good at," she added.
During the 129th edition of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi praised Krechina's efforts, highlighting her journey from a traditional farming background to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
"Another example from Manipur is Chokhone Krichena, a resident of Senapati district. Her entire family has been involved in traditional farming. Krichena took this traditional experience to another level. She made flower cultivation her passion. Today, she connects this work with various markets and empowers local communities in her area," PM Modi said.
PM Modi also lauded Moirangthem Seth, a local from Manipur, for developing a solar power solution to address the electricity crisis.
In his Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister said that Moirangthem launched a campaign to install solar panels, leading to several homes in his area having solar power.
"'Where there's a will, there's a way', this saying has been proven true by a young man from Manipur, Moirangthem Seth. He is less than 40 years old. The remote area of Manipur where Moirangthem lived faced a significant electricity problem. To address this challenge, he focused on local solutions, and found this solution in solar power," PM Modi said.
He added, "In Manipur, generating solar energy is easy. So, Moirangthem launched a campaign to install solar panels, and thanks to this campaign, hundreds of homes in his area now have solar power."
In his final Mann Ki Baat for 2025, PM Modi also hailed Margaret Ramtharsiem of Churachandpur, who helped people with Manipur's traditional products, including handicrafts, and objects made from bamboo and wood.
"Margaret Ramtharsiem of Churachandpur, Manipur, is making similar efforts. She saw Manipur's traditional products, its handicrafts, and objects made from bamboo and wood, with a broader vision, and because of this vision, she transformed from a handicraft artist into a medium for transforming people's lives," he said.
This year also witnessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to Manipur in September, post the ethnic violence in 2023.