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Bamboo artisan Bijay Sutradhar from Tripura's Gomati district could barely contain his joy after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised him in the 133rd episode of Mann Ki Baat on April 25. In visuals from his workshop, Sutradhar's beaming reaction underscored the personal triumph of 25 years of dedication.

"I'm very happy that the Prime Minister mentioned me. I've been working with bamboo for about 25 years... The way he praised me made the people in my village, and me, very happy," Sutradhar said. He credited the Tripura Bamboo Mission for enabling his factory setup. "I want to thank Tripura Bamboo Mission. They helped me set up a factory."

Echoing the sentiment, Pradeep Chakraborty from South Tripura lit up with gratitude. "I want to thank the Prime Minister for mentioning our work. After the programme, I received many calls from relatives and friends, which made me feel proud and happy to be part of this journey," he said.

Chakraborty detailed his operation's growth, thanks to the mission launched in PPP mode since 2007. "The Tripura Bamboo Mission has supported us greatly. Today, 15-20 women work here daily, earning up to Rs 7,000 each month. We produce around 150-200 bamboo products, including bags, jewellery boxes and photo frames." The nod from Modi has spurred plans to expand further.

Modi, addressing the nation, tied their success to a pivotal 2017 law change that reclassified bamboo—once burdened by British-era tree restrictions—unleashing Northeast innovation and jobs.