India Sets Guinness World Record: Meri Mati Mera Desh Triumph
India achieved a remarkable feat as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis were honored in a ceremony at Mumbai University for setting a new Guinness World Record. The country clinched the title for the highest number of online selfies under the ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign, organized by the Central government.
Previously held by China in 2016 with around 100,000 selfies, the record was shattered by Savitaribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Maharashtra, with an astounding 1,042,538 selfies featuring soil. The award ceremony, part of the ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh' initiative, saw Deputy CM Fadnavis expressing pride in the achievement. He emphasized that the campaign is a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
“We had 2.5 million selfies, but 1,042,538 selfies were approved, breaking China's record. It's Maharashtra, under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, that has achieved this. We need to strive for more records,” added Deputy CM Fadnavis.
Chief Minister Shinde congratulated everyone involved in the campaign, lauding their patriotism. He acknowledged Maharashtra's historical role in guiding the nation and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for elevating India's global standing.
The ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh' (MMMD) campaign, dedicated to honoring fallen Army heroes, involved collecting sacred soil and rice from households nationwide. This material was carefully stored in Amrit Kalash containers, forming the basis of the Guinness World Record-breaking selfies.
The campaign's extensive outreach included the Amrit Kalash Yatra, gathering soil and rice from over 600,000 villages and wards across the country. The collected material journeyed from block to state levels, culminating in the national capital on October 31 at Kartavya Path, Delhi.
Prime Minister Modi, participating in the event, emphasized the role of youth in the country's progress. He commended the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh' campaign as an example of collective youth efforts toward national development.
The campaign, part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, featured various activities and ceremonies at different levels across the country. These included the construction of Shilaphalakams, ‘Panch Pran' pledge-taking, sapling planting, and the creation of ‘Amrit Vatika.' The overwhelming success of the campaign is evident in the millions of Shilaphalakams built, Panch Pran pledges uploaded, Veeron ka Vandan programs held, saplings planted, and Amrit Vatikas created nationwide.
Click for more Sports updates, along with Web stories updates. Also, get the latest news and top headlines from India at Speed News.
