New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ Sunday remembered ‘collarwali tigress’, who died recently, and ‘Virat’, a hanoverian breed horse and an elite member of President’s Bodyguard who retired from the service on January 26.
Remembering ‘collarwali tigress’, the Prime Minister said, “My dear countrymen, love for nature and compassion for every living being, this is our culture as well as innate nature. A glimpse of these ‘Sanskaras’ of ours was seen recently when a tigress left the world in Pench Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh.”
Talking about tigress’s last rites, the Prime Minister said, “People used to call this tigress collared tigress. The Forest Department named it T-15. The death of this tigress made people so emotional as if someone of their own had left the world. People performed her last rites, bid her farewell with full respect and affection. You must have also seen these pictures on social media.”
‘Collarwali tigress’ died on January 15. “This love of Indians for nature and living beings was greatly appreciated the world over. The collared tigress gave birth to 29 cubs in her lifetime and raised 25 of them to maturity. We also celebrated this life of T-15 and when she left the world, we also gave her a heartfelt farewell. This is the specialty of the people of India. We make a relationship of love with every conscious being,” Modi said.
Talking about ‘Virat’, the Prime Minister said, “We also got to see a similar sight this time in the Republic Day parade as well. In this parade, the charger mount of the President’s Bodyguard, Virat took part in his last parade. Horse Virat came to Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2003 and used to lead the parade every time on Republic Day as Commandant Charger.”
“Even when a foreign head of state was welcomed in Rashtrapati Bhavan, Virat used to play this role. This year, on Army Day, horse Virat was also given COAS Commendation Card by the Army Chief. In view of Virat’s immense services, after his retirement he was given farewell in an equally grand manner,” the Prime Minister added.