Showing devotion to the nation has no age limits, a fact proven true by 62-year-old Sriratna Mohta from Udaipur. A retired senior bank manager, Mohta has been distributing the national flag to people for nearly 13 years to spread a unique message of patriotism. His special campaign has been running continuously without a break for the past six years. Every day, he meets new people, warmly hands them the tricolor, and encourages them to chant slogans celebrating the motherland to awaken their respect for the country. Recently, on the special occasion of International Democracy Day, Sriratna Mohta met various people across the city. He attached tricolor badges to people and delivered an important message about taking pride in being Indian. Along with this, he strongly appealed to everyone to make sure they cast their votes in the upcoming elections. Mohta clearly states that the tricolor is not just an ordinary flag for him, but the ultimate symbol of the nation's unity, integrity, honor, and the responsibility of every citizen.
From National Festivals to a Daily Routine
Mohta explains that he began this noble work on special national occasions such as Republic Day, Independence Day, and Kargil Vijay Diwas. Back then, he used to purchase flags with his own money and distribute them to people. Gradually, this work became an integral part of his daily life. Now, he makes a dedicated effort to hand over the tricolor to at least three people every day. Sometimes, he manages to spread this national message to 15 to 20 people in a single day. When India achieved the historic success of Chandrayaan-3, he enthusiastically presented the tricolor to people of all ages and backgrounds. He firmly believes that grand national achievements should be celebrated by bringing every section of society together, which strengthens mutual brotherhood and national unity.
Carrying the Message of the Flag Overseas
Mohta's patriotic campaign is not confined merely to the borders of Udaipur or Rajasthan. He has successfully delivered this message of patriotism by meeting people in several major cities and different states across the country. Most notably, during his foreign travels to countries like Sri Lanka, Bangkok, and Dubai, he presented the tricolor to local residents and tourists there as well. He specially honored non-resident Indians on foreign soil by pinning tricolor badges on them. Sharing an incident, he mentioned that within just two days, he pinned tricolor badges on about 125 expatriates, filling the entire atmosphere with deep patriotism.
Daily Efforts for Voter Awareness
Alongside patriotism, Sriratna Mohta considers voter awareness to be a massive social responsibility. Since January 25, 2020, he has been daily inspiring at least one person without fail to vote. For this purpose, he always carries a special folder with him that clearly reads an appeal to vote and encourage others to do the same. He folds his hands and requests passersby to cast their ballots. Not stopping there, he also urges prominent businessmen and shopkeepers to grant paid leave to their employees on voting day so no citizen misses out on exercising their vital right to vote. According to him, he has personally appealed to about 13,000 people regarding voting so far. In recognition of his outstanding work for voter awareness, he has also been honored at the district level on National Voter Database and Voter's Day. He expresses that if his small effort increases voter turnout by even one or two percent, he will consider that the true success of his life and campaign.
