Senior journalist and noted author Harish Chandra Burnwal was on Sunday awarded a doctorate (PhD) for his outstanding research work on ‘Mann Ki Baat’ - the monthly radio broadcast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The honorary degree was conferred on him by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda at the convocation ceremony of Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad (Haryana).
Dr Burnwal completed his dissertation on "An Analysis of the Prime Minister's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio program in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" under the guidance of Professor Dr Kumar Rajesh. The research work by Dr Harish Chandra Burnwal is the first-of-its-kind in the academic world, linking the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set for 2030, with the country’s most popular radio programme, ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
The research establishes how Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned the complex global goals (such as poverty alleviation, health, education, and women's empowerment), languishing in government files for decades, into a "people's movement" and also facilitated engagement of common people.
The thesis is based entirely on statistical data and solid evidence. Dr Burnwal conducted a detailed statistical analysis of all 53 episodes of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast from 2014 to 2019 and found that sanitation was discussed the most, in 34 episodes of the Prime Minister’s monthly radio programme.
His research work also identified several episodes focusing on issues of public concern, with discussions being held in 28 episodes on education, 27 on women's empowerment, 25 on health, 21 on the environment, and 16 on poverty alleviation. The research highlights how PM Modi’s storytelling skills have transformed public behaviour.
“The use of the word 'Divyang' instead of 'Viklang’, and campaigns like 'Selfie with Daughter’, and 'Pariksha Pe Charcha’, have scientifically validated the shift in social thinking,” it points out. According to the Manav Rachna Institute, this dissertation will prove to be an authentic reference book not only for students of journalism but also for students of political science and sociology.
The dissertation by Dr Harish Chandra Burnwal will also be available in book form in the near future. On this occasion, the faculty of the institute, dignitaries and experts from the academic world congratulated Dr Burnwal for the research work.