Rajya Sabha nominations: "An Oscar for Prime Minister's Office," says Piyush Goyal

New Delhi [India], March 13 (ANI): Joining the country in its Oscars fever sweeping India, Union minister Piyush Goyal on Monday drew a parallel between the prestigious award and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice for the Rajya Sabha nominations, stating that he chose "outstanding personalities" for the Upper House of the Parliament with his "stamp of quality" in the nominations.
The minister said that V Vijayendra Prasad who is the scriptwriter of the film RRR was one of those whom the Prime Minister nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2022.
This comes after 'Naatu Naatu' won the Oscar for 'Original Song category' and 'The Elephant Whisperers' won in the Best Documentary Short film category at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.
In a Facebook post titled "Rajya Sabha Nominations - An Oscar for Prime Minister's Office", Goyal listed the names of the nominees for the Rajya Sabha.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has left his stamp of quality in nominating members to the Rajya Sabha by choosing outstanding personalities who have made a mark in diverse fields such as Indian culture, social work and sports," the minister wrote.
"Shri V. Vijayendra Prasad, the scriptwriter of the film RRR, is one of the several exceptional people whom the Prime Minister nominated to the Rajya Sabha in July 2022. The scriptwriter from Andhra Pradesh has been associated with the creative world for decades. Last year, Prime Minister Modi ji recognised his greatness and said "his works showcase India's glorious culture and have made a mark globally." Today, the global spotlight is on 'RRR' for winning an Oscar for the original song 'Naatu Naatu'. This is a global endorsement of the Prime Minister's choice," he elaborated.
The minister, who is the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, further mentioned the nominated members in the House presently.
"Shri Ilaiyaraaja from Tamil Nadu, one of the greatest Indian music composers of India. He has composed over 8,500 songs. Smt. P. T. Usha from Kerala, also called the Golden Girl who won multiple gold medals for India in athletics in several international championships. Apart from accomplishments in sports, she has done commendable work in mentoring budding athletes for several years," he wrote.
"Shri Veerendra Heggade from Karnataka is another illustrious person nominated to Rajya Sabha. He is at the forefront of outstanding community service. He has done great work in health, education and culture. Dr Sonal Mansingh from Maharashtra was nominated to the Rajya Sabha for her phenomenal contribution to Indian culture. She is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awards," Goyal added.
Earlier, greetings poured in from leaders across political fraternity for the award-winning teams at the Oscars.
"Congratulations to the 'The Elephant Whisperers' team for the Oscar win! I hope it awakens the world to the timeless message of our seers about our bonds with Mother Nature and all its children. 'Naatu Naatu', a global phenomenon, has made every Indian proud: kudos to the team!" President of India tweeted. (ANI)