Indian PM Modi mourns death of soldiers in J&K, offers tips to students before exams

In his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ for 2017, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the address by mourning the death of soldiers killed in an avalanche in Jammu and Kashmir.

"I respectfully pay homage to the brave jawans, who lost their life due to an avalanche in Jammu and Kashmir. The soldiers have been guarding the border to defend our country from the rivals," Modi said. 

He also congratulated soldiers and their families who were awarded the gallantry awards on Republic Day. 

This was Modi's 28th edition of the monthly radio programme. With exams coming up soon, Modi encouraged students to "smile more and score more."

"Why should exam time be a time of stress or sadness? I want to talk about exams and what so many people have written to me. Do not think about exams as pressure, they should be celebrated as festivals,"Modi said. 

"During exams, there should be an environment of festivity, it will turn P for pressure into P for pleasure."

He also gave tips to students, saying, "When you are relaxed, the recall value will be more. Relaxation is the best tonic for memory. A happy mind is the secret of a good mark sheet."

The Prime Minister discouraged students from cheating, saying "Cheating is never beneficial, no one must resort to it. If you do it what will you tell your children?"

"Take small breaks, return to books feeling fresh. Try deep breathing it is very relaxing. P for prepare and P for play, the person who plays, shines. Deep breathing is beneficial during exams, it'll keep you feeling fresh. Proper sleep will increase your concentration," he advised.

He also talked to students about dealing with the stress of writing exams. "We sometimes do not see exams in the right perspective. Exams are not a benchmark of your success in life."

Taking the example of the late President APJ Abdul Kalam, Modi said, "He wasn't able to get into the forces. If he would've let it hamper him, we wouldn't have had a great man like him."

"If your mission and ambition are in sync, marks will follow. You should compete with yourself to see how can tomorrow be made better than yesterday. Only studying for marks will lead to shortcuts and one will limit himself or herself. It's important to study for knowledge."

"Look at the life of Sachin Tendulkar. He kept challenging himself and bettered his own records, which is what is inspiring. Competing with others can make you unhappy and jealous. Complete with yourself and you will be energised and more determined to excel," PM Modi said.

To parents, Modi said, "The root of problems are expectations, it is acceptance that makes things easy. I urge parents to accept rather than expect. Our expectations from our children should not get heavy. Parents' expectations are much heavier than the school bags of students."

He concluded the address by congratulating the Indian Coast Guard, which will mark 40 years of service on February 1. 

(This article first appeared on DNA)