Narendra Modi

Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th Prime Minister of India since 26 May 2014. He is the longest-serving prime minister from outside the Indian National Congress party. Modi was born in Vadnagar, Gujarat, and studied political science at the University of Gujarat. He was introduced to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a young age and became a full-time pracharak (propagator) for the organization. Before entering politics, Modi worked as a tea seller as a child and later spent years traveling across India. He joined the BJP in 1985 and rose through the ranks, becoming the party's national secretary in 1995. In 2001, he was appointed Chief Minister of Gujarat, a position he held for over 12 years until 2014. During his tenure as Chief Minister, Modi was credited with transforming Gujarat's economy through his development model, emphasizing infrastructure, investment, and industrial growth, earning him the reputation of a pro-business leader. Modi led the BJP to a landslide victory in the 2014 general elections, winning 282 seats — the first time any party had won a majority on its own since 1984. He was re-elected in 2019 with an even larger mandate of 303 seats, and again in 2024 with a third consecutive term. As Prime Minister, Modi launched several ambitious initiatives including Make in India, Digital India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), Jan Dhan Yojana (financial inclusion), and the Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme. His government also implemented the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetization of high-value currency notes in 2016. Internationally, Modi has significantly raised India's global profile. He has visited over 60 countries and strengthened ties with major powers including the United States, Japan, France, and the UAE. Under his leadership, India became the world's fifth-largest economy and launched ambitious space missions including Chandrayaan-3, which successfully landed on the Moon's south pole in 2023. Modi is one of the most followed world leaders on social media, with over 90 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). Despite his popularity, Modi's tenure has also been marked by controversy. Critics have accused his government of undermining democratic institutions, press freedom, and minority rights, particularly regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir. His supporters credit him with strong governance, economic growth, and restoring India's pride on the global stage. Love him or not, Narendra Modi remains the most dominant figure in Indian politics and one of the most influential leaders in the world.