Indira Gandhi’s historic speech at 1st UN Environment Conference is a milestone: Jairam Ramesh

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh. File | Photo credit: ANI

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday (June 14, 2026) recalled then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s “historic” speech at the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972, saying it was widely regarded as one of the four milestones in global environmental discourse.

The former environment minister said 54 years ago today, Indira Gandhi delivered her truly historic and perhaps most memorable speech at the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which began in Stockholm on June 5, 1972, which is World Environment Day.

She was only one of two Prime Ministers to speak on the occasion, the other being the host Prime Minister, Mr. Ramesh, said at X.

“Indira Gandhi’s speech is widely regarded as one of four milestones in global environmental discourse, the others being Rachel Carson’s publication of Silent Spring in 1962, Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb in 1968, and the MIT/Club of Rome’s Limits to Growth in early 1972,” he said. It is still widely remembered, quoted and published, Mr. Ramesh said.

54 years ago today, Indira Gandhi delivered her truly historic and perhaps most memorable speech at the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which began in Stockholm on June 5, 1972, which is World Environment Day. She was only one of two heads of government…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 14, 2026

“The speech ends by recalling verse 35 of the Prithvi Sukta in the Atharva Veda, which translates to ‘What I dig out of you, may it grow quickly, / May I not strike your vitals or your heart’.” But what is not widely known is that her speech circulated at the conference also contained the full text of Ashoka’s Main Pillar Edict, which is undoubtedly the very first environmental statement by a ruler anywhere in the world, Mr. Ramesh pointed out.

Since she spoke at the height of the Vietnam War, she also brought to the world’s attention the Rock Edict of Ashoka, where he deeply regrets the carnage of his military conquests, he said.

“She drew attention to the environmental disaster caused by the war in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia,” Ramesh said.

“The link to the speech as circulated in Stockholm containing these edicts is missing from all subsequent published versions including the official volumes of her speeches as Prime Minister, here,” Mr Ramesh said, sharing a text link to the speech.

Published – 14 Jun 2026 12:27 IST