Indians must support local products for Aatmaninbhar Bharat: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Indian consumers must support local products to make Aatmanirbhar Bharat or Self Reliant India campaign a success, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has said. He also opined that linking a product to its manufacturing province can be a possible exploration point to promote local products globally and this will aid in marketing and brand creation.

"If Indian consumers do not support local products then it will be difficult to progress. We need to support our own products, buy local and think global. This is an idea we need to follow thoroughly," Ravi Shankar said at an event.

He then went on to give examples of products like Mysore sandalwood, Muradabad brass business, Bangalore silk, Agra and Mathura's petha and others. “In this manner, each province of our nation was linked to a product in the past. One reason for China to have progressed economically so well as per my understanding is that they too have tied a province to a product in a similar manner.

This would be a great way of going about Aatmanirbhar Bharat," said Ravi Shankar. Commenting on the current economic situation and how Aatmanirbhar Bharat can play a role in recovery, he said, “I believe that we will come out of this pandemic situation much stronger though right now it may seem like a far-fetched reality.

"For this, we need a strong mind and unshakeable faith and we have to hold on to the hope that when the mind is strong, human beings can achieve anything.” He also highlighted the importance of exercising mental hygiene during this time through meditation and yoga to keep stress at bay and observed that positive thinking can also boost one's immunity. “Doubts about the future can be draining not only our energy but also breaks down our immune system.

It is not the time to lower our immunity. So positive thinking, meditation and anything that will help us to keep our mind strong and uplift our spirits must be done,” he said. Ravi Shankar made the remarks while virtually addressing the inaugural session of the 'Wisdom Series' organised by Assocham in association with ITC Sunfeast on Tuesday.