Narendra Modi, born on September 17, 1950 in India (75 years old), is the Prime Minister of India since 2014 and has a long political career in his country. Modi leads the Bharatiya Janata Party, considered the largest political organization in the world with more than 170 million supporters.
He has no political background in his family but has always said that his parents taught him “honesty and hard work.” Before beginning a leadership path in his country’s political sphere, Modi studied political science and from there his name found a place in the global political scene. How did Modi become the Prime Minister of India?
Studies and entry into politics
Modi was born and raised in Gujarat, a state in India. After completing his studies in his village, Narendra decided to move to central India to pursue a degree in political science. One important fact is that at the age of 25, Modi joined as a volunteer in the RSS (Rastriya Swayamsevak), a nationalist and far-right Hindu party that gave birth to the country’s Popular Party, the same one the 75-year-old man currently leads.
Why is this important? Because over time, Modi gained more relevance in the party, devoted his time there, and gained a lot of power. With his parents far away, no wife or girlfriend and also no children, Modi dedicated his life to the RSS.
In 1980, with the far-right very present in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was introduced, the political party that has its roots in the RSS and that during that era gained much strength, as did Narendra, who was labeled as a “leader” and in 2001 became the minister of the city of Gujarat.
After his abrupt and unexpected entry into politics, from 2001 to 2014 Modi served as chief minister of the city of Gujarat. All the journey and management of his mandate opened the doors for him to become a candidate for Prime Minister of India. For obvious reasons, there were people aligned with Modi’s ideology, who strongly supported investment in transport, technology, and sports, while others expressed their discontent over human rights and insecurity in Gujarat.
In addition to being a born leader, many political analysts have labeled him a “controversial” politician. Modi strongly backed certain areas and neglected others. However, the strong nationalism of his party and under the campaign slogan of “growth and anti-corruption,” Modi won the 2014 elections and became the Prime Minister of India.
His leadership was so strong and revolutionary that in 2019, during his second election, he once again swept the polls and extended his term. One of the most highlighted aspects of Modi was the economic growth of the country, taking into account a population that is currently the largest in the world.
Modi’s third term
In June 2024, Modi began his third term as Indian Prime Minister. It can be said that the 75-year-old man is a record holder in his country as he equaled the three terms of a past minister.
Since his first term, Modi has positioned himself as a born leader and has gained ground on the international stage, especially in the Middle East, where he has been recognized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Afghanistan. He has even received decorations from Palestine and the United Arab Emirates.
He has also been a member of various councils and first meetings in the Maldives and Bahrain. And finally, Commander of the Legion of Merit in the United States. All the titles and honors that celebrate Modi’s leadership around the world.
A leader who has always been described as a very reserved person in his private life. Beyond his prominence in the political sphere and his strong ideological mark with his party, Narendra Modi has always been a man difficult to analyze outside of politics.
In general terms, besides holding three terms as Prime Minister of India, even though there are regions in India where he does not have enough support, the immense Indian population and the countless supporters of his populist party have allowed Modi to carry out much of his agenda, both in politics and in the economy, a strong point of his.
With a personal political foundation and coming from a humble family in Gujarat, Narendra Modi is the current leader of India.