Narendra Modi is one of the most prominent Indian politicians and the 15th Prime Minister of India. From a tea-seller to the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, his journey has been an inspiring one. Modi is often addressed as NaMo by his followers. He is a self-made leader who has no political background in his family.
Biography/Wiki
Narendra Damodardas Modi was born on Sunday, 17 September 1950 (age 73 years; as of 2023) in Vadnagar, Bombay State (now Gujarat), India.
He did his schooling from Higher Secondary School, Vadnagar, Gujarat. He was an average student and a keen debater in his school. Modi was very keen on joining the Indian Army and also tried to get admission to a Sainik School. However, due to financial constraints, his wish could not get fulfilled.
Narendra Modi’s Childhood Picture
As a child, he helped his father to sell tea at the Vadnagar Railway Station.
Tea Stall at Vadnagar Railway Station where Modi used to sell tea
Later, he also ran a tea stall with his brother near a bus terminus. Modi left his house at the age of 17 and travelled to different parts of India.
Narendra Modi at the age of 17
Modi as a traveller
He came back home after two years and completed his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Delhi University (Distance Education) and a Masters in Political Science from Gujarat University.
Narendra Modi In His Youth
During his college days, he used to work as a promoter of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Narendra Modi at RSS Camp
Later, while he was serving as the official spokesperson of the BJP in New Delhi, he completed a 3-month course on Image Management and Public Relations in the United States.
Narendra Modi outside White House
Family & Caste
Narendra Modi was born into a family of grocers in Vadnagar, Bombay State (now Gujarat), India. He belongs to the Modh-Ghanchi-Teli (oil-pressing) community; which is categorized as OBC.
Parents & Siblings
He is the son of Late Damodardas Mulchand Modi and Heeraben Modi. He is very close to his mother. When his father died of Bone Cancer in 1989, Modi was on Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
Narendra Modi’s father, Damodardas Mulchand Modi
Narendra Modi with his mother, Heeraben
Narendra Modi has four brothers– Soma Modi (Retired Officer of Health Department), Amrut Modi (A Lathe Machine Operator), Prahlad Modi (Runs a Shop in Ahmedabad), Pankaj Modi (Clerk in the Information Department in Gandhinagar). His sister’s name is Vasantiben Hasmukhlal Modi.
Narendra Modi’s Brother, Soma Modi
Modi’s Brother, Amrut Modi
Narendra Modi’s Brother, Prahlad Modi
Narendra Modi’s brother, Pankaj Modi
Narendra Modi’s Sister, Vasantiben Hasmukhlal Modi
Relationships, Wife & Children
Narendra Modi was engaged to Jashodaben at a very young age; later got married to her when he turned 18.
Narendra Modi’s Wife
Career
Narendra Modi joined BJP in 1985 and was elected as the Organizing Secretary of the Party’s Gujarat Unit in 1988. He, then, contested for Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections and made the party proud by giving its first-ever win. Later, in 1990, he helped in conducting L.K. Advani’s Ayodhya Rath Yatra after which his capabilities were well recognized within the party. Modi played a major role in strengthening BJP’s presence in Gujarat.
In November 1995, Modi was elected as the National Secretary of BJP after which he relocated to Delhi to handle activities in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
In May 1998, he became the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party; a position through which he helped his party win the 1998 Lok-Sabha elections. Later, Modi contested the Gujarat Assembly Elections for the first time and became the Cheif Minister of Gujarat on 3 October 2001. He retained the post until 2014.
Narendra Modi taking oath as the CM of Gujarat
Then, in March 2013, he was appointed to the BJP Parliamentary Board. Modi was selected as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha election; which was earlier opposed by some party leaders. However, he won both the seats (Varanasi and Vadodara) in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections and went on to become the 14th Prime Minister of India on 26 May 2014. He defeated his nearest rival Arvind Kejriwal from the Varanasi Constituency by a massive margin of 3,71,784 votes.
Narendra Modi-led BJP marked a huge victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections by winning more than 300 seats. Modi defeated his nearest rival Shalini Yadav of the Samajwadi Party by a huge margin of 4,79,505 votes; which was even larger than the previous margin in the 2014 elections.
On 30 May 2019, Narendra Modi took the oath as the 15th Prime Minister of India at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he defeated Congress’ Ajay Rai by a margin of 1,52,513 votes to win the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. On 9 June 2024, he took oath as the Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive term.
Controversies
- Narendra Modi was named as the key mastermind of the Gujarat Riots in 2002. However, he was given a clean chit by the Justice Nanavati-Mehta Commission on 11 December 2019. While giving him a clean chit, the Commission held that the riots were not organised and the State administration had taken all necessary measures to control the situation. On 24 June 2022, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was killed in what came to be known as the Gulbarg Society massacre, against the exoneration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a 2002 Gujarat riots case.
- He has been accused of being responsible, partly, for the murder of Ehsan Jafri; in the 2002 Gulberg Society Massacre by Jafri’s wife, Teesta Setalvad.
- Modi has been accused of being responsible for the fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan.
- Modi also faced severe criticism, for keeping his marital status a secret, until filing his nomination for a parliamentary seat in the 2014 General Elections.
- He was denied a visa to the United States; owing to his role in the Gujarat Riots.
- He has been highly criticized over the Snoopgate Scandal, for putting a girl’s (student of architecture) phone on surveillance.
- In 2015, his suit worth Rs. 10 lakh also became controversial.
Narendra Modi’s 10 Lakh worth Suit
- In August 2018, when Harivansh Narayan Singh got elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, PM Modi while congratulating Harivansh took a dig at Mr. Hariprasad (opposition’s candidate). He, by playing with Hariprasad’s initials, said that the election was between two Haris. It was the first time in the history of Indian Parliament that a portion of PM’s speech was deleted from the records of the Rajya Sabha.
Awards/Honours
Modi has been felicitated with various prestigious awards and honours.
- In 2007, Modi was named the Best Cheif Minister in a nationwide survey by India Today.
- He has also appeared on the cover of the Asian edition of the Time Magazine in 2002.
- In 2014, CNN-IBN news network awarded Modi with the Indian of the year award. In the same year, he was also ranked 15th in Forbes Magazine’s list of the Most Powerful Person in the world.
- Modi was ranked the 13th Most Influential Person in the world (2015) by Bloomberg Markets Magazine. He is also the second most followed politician on Twitter and Facebook.
- He has also been declared the winner of the Time magazine reader’s poll for Person of the year twice; first in the year 2014, and then, in the year 2016.
- Modi has also been honoured with the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud (the highest civilian honour of Saudi Arabia) and the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan (the highest civilian honour of Afganistan).
Modi conferred the highest civilian award in Saudi Arabia
Amir Amanullah Khan Award
- On 10 February 2018, Modi was honoured with Grand Collar of the State of Palestine (highest civilian honour of Palestine for foreign dignitaries).
Modi receiving Grand Collar of the State of Palestine
- On 22 February 2019, he received the Seoul Peace Prize of 2018 for his contribution to international cooperation and fostering global economic growth.
Narendra Modi with his Seoul Peace Prize
- On 25 September 2019, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation conferred him the ‘Global Goalkeeper’ award for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by his government.
- On 21 December 2020, the President of the United States of America Donald Trump conferred the highest decoration, The Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- On 24 February 2021, Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad was renamed Narendra Modi Stadium in an inauguration ceremony presided by President Ram Nath Kovind that held hours before the start of the third Test between India and England. The stadium is termed as the world’s largest cricket stadium with a sitting capacity of 1,10,000 people.
World’s largest cricket stadium, Motera Stadium, renamed as Narendra Modi Stadium
- In December 2021, he became the first foreigner to receive the highest civilian decoration of Bhutan, Ngadag Pel gi Khorlo or the Order of The Druk Gyalpo; the award was conferred to him by the Kingdom of Bhutan.
- n 24 April 2022, the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan charitable trust awarded the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi; the award was instituted by the trust in memory of Lata Mangeshkar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award in Mumbai on 24 April 2022
- In May 2023, he was conferred with “The Companion of the Order of Fiji,” Fiji’s highest civilian award, by his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka for his global leadership.
- In May 2023, he was conferred with the Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu (GCL) for championing the cause of unity of Pacific Island countries and spearheading the cause of Global South.
- On 25 June 2023, he received Egypt’s highest honour, the ‘Order of the Nile.’
- On 13 July 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron honoured him with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France, making him the first Indian Prime Minister to have this honour.
Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France, by President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on 13 July 2023
- During an event in Pune, Maharashtra, on 1 August 2023, he was honored with the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award.
Narendra Modi receiving the Lokmanya Tilak National Award
- On 14 December 2023, V. Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs of India, revealed that Modi has been conferred with the highest national awards of 14 countries since 2014 in recognition of his leadership at bilateral, regional, and global levels. He has also received the highest environmental award of the United Nations in 2018. The awards conferred on Modi include the UN Champion of the Earth Award by the United Nations (October 2018), the Order of Zayed by UAE (April 2019), the Order of St Andrew by Russia (April 2019), the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin from Maldives (June 2019), and the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain (August 2019).
- On 22 March 2024, he became the first foreign Head of the Government to receive Bhutan’s highest civilian award ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo.’ Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck honoured him with the award in Thimpu.
- On his visit to Russia, he was conferred with the country’s highest civilian honour, the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, on 9 July 2024.
Properties/Assets
- As of 14 May 2024, Modi’s movable assets were worth Rs. 3.02 crore, which included a bank balance of Rs. 80,304 in SBI’s Gandhinagar NSCH Branch and Varanasi branch, a Fixed Deposit and MOD (Multi Option Deposit Scheme) of Rs. 2.86 crore at SBI’s Gandhinagar branch, National Saving Certificate (Post) worth Rs. 9.12 lakh, a Life Insurance (LIC) Policy of Rs. 1,89,305 and four pieces of gold rings, weighing approximately 45 grams worth Rs. 2.68 lakh.
- As of 14 May 2024, Modi did not own any immovable assets. Earlier, he owned a residential property in Gandhinagar worth Rs. 1 crore.
Salary/Net Worth
With a Net Worth of around Rs. 3.02 crore (as of 14 May 2024), Narendra Modi, as the Prime Minister of India, gets paid around Rs. 160,000 per month and additional allowances.
Facts
- In 2016, PM Modi joined the list of world leaders who have their wax statues at Madame Tussauds, London.
- Modi is very proud of the Hindi Language and always puts his signature in Hindi, be it a casual occasion or an official document.
- Interestingly, PM Modi never gets off from making a style statement and likes to wear only crease-less attires.
- Narendra Modi is a very good friend of Barack Obama, the former President of the United States.
Narendra Modi with Barack and Michelle Obama
- Modi is a great follower of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda.
- Narendra Modi follows a strictly vegetarian diet and is fond of simple Gujarati Food. Khichdi happens to be his most favourite dish.
- Modi is a great fitness enthusiast and Yoga is one of his most important fitness mantras.
- Reading is his leisure time hobby.
- Modi’s blood group is A (+ve).
- Surprisingly, Modi never took a single day off during his 13-year tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
- Modi does not share his official residence with any of his family members.
- Qamar Mohsin Sheikh also known as Qamar Jahan is Narendra Modi’s Rakhi sister. She has been tying Rakhi to Modi on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan each year since his days as an RSS worker.
Qamar Mohsin Sheikh with her husband visiting Narendra Modi on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan
- In 2010, Gujarat became the world’s 2nd best state, during his tenure as the CM of Gujarat.
- On May 26, 2014, Narendra Modi became the 1st ever Prime Minister of India to be born in Independent India.
- With around 12 million followers on Twitter, he is the 2nd most followed leader in the world (the first being Barack Obama).
- With around 18,000 Indian Americans chanting his name, Modi received a full-house reception at the Madison Square Garden in New York on 28 September 2014.
- In 2015, the members of the ‘Om Yuva Group’ and the locals had to pull down the newly built temple dedicated to Narendra Modi in Kotharia village in Rajkot, Gujarat as Modi had expressed his displeasure over the construction of a temple in his name. The temple, which was to be inaugurated on 15 February 2015, had cost Rs. 7 lakh. Earlier, in a series of Tweets, Mr. Modi had expressed his displeasure over the construction of this temple, he said,
Have seen the news about a temple being built in my name. I was appalled. This is shocking & against India’s great traditions. Building such temples is not what our culture teaches us. Personally, it made me very sad. Would urge those doing it not to do it.”
The temple built in Narendra Modi’s honour in Kotharia village in Rajkot
- On 8 November 2016, PM Modi announced the demonetization of 500 & 1000 currency notes (the two biggest currencies in India). It was one of the most surprising moves in the administrative history of India.
- In June 2023, he achieved the distinction of being the first Indian Prime Minister to deliver a speech before a Joint Session of the United States Congress, having previously addressed the U.S. Congress in 2016.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the joint session of the US Congress in June 2023
- On 25 August 2023, Narendra Modi visited Greece to discuss strengthening bilateral relations with the country’s leaders; he became the first Indian prime minister to visit Greece after 40 years since Indira Gandhi visited the country in September 1983.
25 August 2023: Narendra Modi being received by Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis upon his arrival at Athens International Airport, Greece
- On 26 December 2023, Narendra Modi became the first world leader with more than 20 million YouTube subscribers. According to sources, the videos posted on his official channel have been viewed more than 4.5 billion times, making him more popular than many other global leaders on the platform.
- In January 2024, Modi promoted Lakshadweep’s beaches for tourism. In February, he went scuba diving to offer prayers at Panch Kui in Dwarka, Gujarat.
Recently, I had the opportunity to be among the people of Lakshadweep. I am still in awe of the stunning beauty of its islands and the incredible warmth of its people. I had the opportunity to interact with people in Agatti, Bangaram and Kavaratti. I thank the people of the… pic.twitter.com/tYW5Cvgi8N
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2024
Dwarka Darshan under the waters…where the spiritual and the historical converge, where every moment was a divine melody echoing Bhagwan Shri Krishna’s eternal presence. pic.twitter.com/2HPGgsWYsS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 25, 2024
- In July 2024, the INC presented a privilege motion against Narendra Modi when he posted a link of Anurag Thakur’s complete uncensored speech on his social media account.
- In 2024, at his residence in Delhi’s 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, a calf was born whom he named Deepjyoti. The calf was named Deepjyoti as he has a fire symbol on his forehead.
Narendra Modi with Deepjyoti
- He wrote a religious garbha song named Aavati Kalay dedicated to Goddess Durga on the occasion of the Hindu festival Navaratri in October 2024.
Screenshot from the video of the garbha song Aavati Kalay
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education