India's G20 has truly been a people's G20, says EAM S Jaishankar  

India has celebrated G20 across the country and has sought to create a pan-national experience that will benefit both the country and the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said and noted that the initiatives have made “India world-ready and the world more India-ready”. In an editorial in Times of India on Thursday, the minister said India’s G20 has truly been a people’s G20 and saw extensive participation of people or ‘Jan Bhagidari’. He said it witnessed broad-based debates and discussions around themes that are crucial for collective prospects of the people. “With approximately 220 meetings spanning 60 cities, nearly 30,000 delegates in G20 meetings, over 100,000 participants in their side events as well as involvement of citizens from all corners of the nation, G20 engaged with the people in myriad ways," Jaishankar said. He said India’s G20 presidency has proven itself to be unique in different ways. “It has focused on the priorities and key concerns of developing nations, amplified the voice of the Global South and raised ambition in areas like climate action and finance, energy transitions, SDG implementation and technological transformation,” the minister wrote. “What has further added to making this an extraordinary presidency is the extensive participation of people, or Jan Bhagidari from across the nation in various G20-related events and activities. The presidency has not been limited to the highest echelons of the government. Through active participation from different states and UTs, India’s G20 has truly been a People’s G20,” he added. The minister said various line ministries diligently spurred active participation. “The education ministry orchestrated Jan Bhagidari events, witnessing enthusiastic involvement from diverse stakeholders including students, teachers and parents. Organised at levels ranging from state and district to block, panchayat and school, these events cultivated awareness about G20, the National Education Policy, and Foundational Learning and Numeracy- priorities central to India’s presidency These events collectively drew over 23.3 crore participants, encompassing 15.7 crore students, 25.5 lakh teachers and 51.1 lakh community members,” Jaishankar said. He said the essence of ‘Jan Bhagidari’ extends beyond participation numbers. “An array of engaging activities ranging from the enlightening G20 University Connect lecture series to interactive Model G20 meetings, Special G20 sessions in educational institutions, G20 Pavilions at prominent festivals, quiz contests, selfie competitions and the captivating #G20India stories - played a pivotal role in nurturing widespread and enthusiastic engagement.” He said India’s G20 presidency has highlighted the nation’s distinct model of cooperative federalism and the states and UTs have competed with each other to welcome G20 delegates, generate local and regional enthusiasm, and showcase their respective traditions and achievements. “In many cases, this has provided an occasion to carry out development initiatives that have contributed to such projection. Some examples are the restoration of Loktak Lake in Manipur, urban sanitation campaigns in Mumbai and infrastructure enhancements in Lucknow.” He said many delegates saw for themselves the richness of ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) initiatives and were themselves able to visit artisanal centres. “The presidency has effectively unveiled India’s captivating natural landscapes and architectural splendour, igniting a robust resurgence in post-COVID tourism. The economic benefits of the G20 programme across the country are still unfolding. By celebrating G20 across the nation, we have sought to create a pan-national experience that is to the benefit of both India and the world. It can be seriously asserted that overall, it has both made India world-ready and the world more India-ready,” Jaishankar wrote. He said various working groups and engagement groups have also been a powerful platform to generate societal interest and commitment on global issues. “The Youth 20 was particularly impactful and a strong validation of the Jan Bhagidari approach. More than 125,000 delegates in 1,563 meetings were able to infuse remarkable energy into the presidency, Civil 20 touched 45 lakh people worldwide. Social media emerged as a pivotal tool in the G20 process, galvanising citizens and public engagement, resulting in over 14 trillion social media impressions.” The minister wrote that two world records were created in the course of public participation - the involvement of 1.25 lakh students from 800 schools in the G20 quiz in Varanasi and 450 Lambani artisans showcased their skills and craftsmanship by creating a collection of around 1,800 unique patches. He also highlighted digital delivery, women-led development and emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals. Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed India’s G20 presidency as a ‘people’s presidency’ in the ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme. “This was both a description and a motivation, highlighting how the harnessing of ideas and energies across our country has helped to create a truly memorable G20,” he said.