Seventy-six per cent of Indian mediapersons believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popular radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has played a significant role in introducing the real “Bharat” to the countrymen.

This has been brought out in a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi.

The progarmme initiated a trend where people are now more aware of things in other parts of the country and they have started appreciating them.

As many as 75 per cent of the respondents felt that ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has emerged as a platform which introduces to the country grassroots innovators, who are working selflessly to bring a significant change in the lives of people living in remote areas of India.

According to IIMC Director General Prof Sanjay Dwivedi, the study was conducted by the Outreach Department of the Institute between 12 and 25 April this year.

A total of 890 persons associated with media — mediapersons, media faculty, media researchers and media students — from 116 media houses, academic institutions and universities across the country participated in the study.

Of these, 326 were women and 564 men. Sixty-six per cent of the respondents were between the age group of 18 and 25 years.

According to the respondents, ‘Knowledge about the Country’ and ‘PM’s Vision about the Country’ are the two important reasons which motivate them to listen to the programme.

When the respondents were asked how they listen to the programme if they miss any episode, 63 per cent said they prefer YouTube over the other mediums.

Seventy-six per cent of the respondents feel that they are a participant in the democratic process by listening to PM Modi on various issues in ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

Prof Dwivedi pointed out that the study also tried to understand which issue discussed by the Prime Minister in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ influenced the people most. In response, 40 per cent of the respondents mentioned ‘education’, while 26 per cent said ‘information about grassroots innovators’ as the most influential topic.

The study also tried to understand with whom the people share information about the topics discussed in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Thirty-two per cent respondents said they share their thoughts on the issues discussed in the programme with their family members, while 29 per cent people said they discuss the topics with their friends and colleagues.

Another interesting fact that emerged in the study was that 12 per cent people use radio, 15 per cent television and 37 per cent use Internet based platforms to listen to ‘Mann Ki Baat’.