New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has launched special modules on Swadeshi, chronicling the movement's evolution from 1905 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for self-reliance.

PM Modi, in his Independence Day address this year, described Aatmanirbhar Bharat as the foundation of a developed India. In an interaction with national award-winning teachers, he urged them to lead campaigns with students to promote Swadeshi products and support the Make in India and Vocal for Local initiatives.

The two modules — Swadeshi: Vocal for Local (for middle school) and Swadeshi: For a Self-Reliant India (for secondary school) — include excerpts from the Prime Minister's speech, underlining that self-reliance is key to building a Viksit Bharat.

The modules trace the origins of the Swadeshi movement to the 1905 partition of Bengal, when Indians began rejecting British goods and creating Indian enterprises such as Prafulla Chandra Ray's Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works (1901) and Jamsetji Tata's Tata Iron and Steel Company (1907).

They highlight India's progress in space, defence and health through self-reliance, while referencing Mahatma Gandhi's advocacy of Swadeshi in education and Rabindranath Tagore's view of it as a test of national freedom and innovation.

The content connects historical Swadeshi ideals to modern initiatives like Make in India, Startup India, Digital India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

“In today's digital era, AI is as vital as cotton and steel were during the freedom struggle,” the module notes, urging the development of homegrown technologies to safeguard data sovereignty and address India's unique needs.

Citing examples like Amul, ISRO and Ayurveda, the modules stress that true self-reliance can help India strengthen its manufacturing base and earn global trust.