PM Modi ditches Teleprompter for nearly 82-minute Independence Day speech

New Delhi, Aug 15: Delivering his 9th Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went old school and used paper notes instead of a teleprompter for his 82-minute address.

Even in 2014, it was reported that Modi delivered his maiden Independence Day speech without a script. Reports had claimed that he did not carry any notes with him, just a set of bullet points.

This year, wearing a traditional tri-coloured motif safa (headgear) with a long trail, PM Modi recalled the "architects of free India" who significantly contributed to India's freedom struggle. He mentioned first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in his speech while paying tributes to the freedom fighters who fought for the nation.

"We should remember those who fought for Independence and built the nation - Dr Rajendra Prasad, Nehru ji, Sardar Patel, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Deendayal Upadhyaya, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Vinoba Bhave, Nanaji Deshmukh, Subramaniam Bharati - it is the day to bow before such great people", said PM Modi during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

In his 82-minute address, Modi said gender equality is the key to a united India as he stressed the need to extend support to 'Nari Shakti', adding respect for women is an important pillar for India's growth. It is important that in speech and conduct "we do nothing that lowers the dignity of women", he said.

"A distortion has crept in our conduct and we at times insult women," he said, and asked, "Can we take a pledge to get rid of this from our behaviour and values?" A made-in-India gun was used for the first time in 75 years for the ceremonial 21-shot salute at the historic Red Fort on Independence Day. So far, British guns have been used for the ceremonial salute.

"If there are crores of problems there are crores of solutions. When 130 crore people take one step ahead, the nation moves 130 crore steps," he said, and identified corruption and nepotism as two key issues that need to be dealt with head on.