Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at a semiconductor event in Gujarat took a humorous turn when he referenced the popular series Panchayat dialogue, "Sun rahe ho na, Binod?", prompting laughter from the audience and triggering a wave of reactions online.
The reference came during Modi's speech at the inauguration of CG Semi's Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Sanand, where he outlined India's vision of emerging as a major player in the global semiconductor industry.
What Led To Viral Moment?
The moment came after CG Power and Industrial Solutions Chairman Vellayan Subbiah praised the government's vision using two Gujarati proverbs. He said, "Nishan chook maaf, par nahi maaf neechu nishan" (Missing a high target can be forgiven, but setting a low target cannot), adding that the company believes in aiming high.
Subbiah also announced that the company's first batch of semiconductor chips had been shipped to Japan.
With this, India has become a part of the global semiconductor supply chain. As people in Gujarat say, 'Kaam bole chhe' (Work speaks for itself). Today, our first shipment speaks louder than words," he said.
Taking forward the same point, Modi repeated the Gujarati saying and said he has always believed in setting big goals.
"Subbiah ji mentioned a Gujarati saying: ‘Nishan chook maaf, par nahi maaf neechu nishan'. I never think small or set small goals. If I have to build a statue, I will build the tallest statue in the world," he said, referring to the Statue of Unity.
He then joked, "Subbiah ji also said, 'Kaam bole chhe'... Sun rahe ho na, Binod?... Kaam bolta hai." The crowd responded with loud laughter, and videos of the exchange quickly went viral online.
India's Chip Manufacturing Push
Along with the light-hearted moment, Modi also highlighted India's semiconductor ambitions, saying the new facility is expected to produce 200 million chips annually.
"I've been told that 200 million chips will be produced here annually. I am confident you will achieve this target soon. Step by step, brick by brick, and now chip by chip, we are moving ahead," he said, adding that India aims to produce 500 million semiconductor chips every year in the future.
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