Narendra Modi receives ‘Global Goalkeeper Award’ by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the 2019 ‘Global Goalkeeper Award’ by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) launched by the government.

As part of this ambitious project, the Indian government has built over 100 million toilets across the length and breadth of the nation to bring an end to open defecation.

This mission has also widely been known to be India’s biggest cleanliness drive with millions of people from all parts of India participating to make streets cleaner. Further, many prominent public figures such as cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, M. S Dhoni, and Virat Kohli, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, and Vidya Balan were roped in to propagate the campaign.

Narendra Modi has been the driving force behind this initiative, which was launched on 2nd October in 2014 with the aim of making India open-defecation free. The date also coincides with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, often called the ‘Father of the Nation’ in India, who was known to emphasise on the importance of cleanliness.

After receiving the award, the Prime Minister thanked “130 crore people of India and the collective endeavours of our nation to improve cleanliness.”

“Getting the award in the year of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary is personally significant for me. When 130 crore people take a pledge, any challenge can be overcome,” the prime minister said.

At the awards ceremony, the Prime Minister also said that India was willing to share its expertise and experiences with other nations across the world.

We wish that more nations get cleaner and greener in the coming years!