Narendra Modi was born on 17 September 1950 in Vadnagar, a small town in Gujarat. He was the third of six children of Damodardas Modi, a grocer, and Hiraben Modi, a homemaker. He had a humble and modest upbringing, and helped his father sell tea at a railway station as a child. He was also interested in politics and social service from a young age, and joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation, when he was eight years old.
Modi left his home and family at the age of 17 to travel across India and learn about different cultures and religions. He also spent some time in the Himalayas with ascetics and monks. He returned to Gujarat after two years and became a full-time worker of the RSS. He completed his bachelor's degree in political science from Delhi University in 1978, and his master's degree from Gujarat University in 1983.
Modi rose through the ranks of the RSS and its political wing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and became a prominent leader in Gujarat. He played a key role in mobilising support for the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, which aimed to build a temple at the disputed site of Ayodhya, where a mosque was demolished by Hindu activists in 1992. He also helped the BJP win the state elections in Gujarat in 1995 and 1998.
In 2001, Modi was appointed as the chief minister of Gujarat, after his predecessor Keshubhai Patel resigned due to poor health and public dissatisfaction. .
Modi won the state elections in Gujarat for three consecutive terms in 2002, 2007, and 2012, with an overwhelming majority. He was praised for his development-oriented policies and governance, which boosted the economy, infrastructure, and social welfare of Gujarat. He also projected himself as a strong and decisive leader who could tackle corruption, terrorism, and poverty. He became popular among the masses as well as the business community, both within and outside Gujarat.
In 2013, Modi was chosen as the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP for the 2014 general elections. He led an aggressive and successful campaign across India, highlighting his achievements in Gujarat and promising to bring about a "Modi wave" of change and development. He also used social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to connect with the youth and urban voters. He faced stiff opposition from the incumbent Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi, as well as other regional parties and coalitions. However, he managed to win over a large section of the electorate with his charisma and rhetoric.
Modi won the 2014 general elections with a historic mandate, becoming the first prime minister to secure an absolute majority for his party since 1984. He also became the first prime minister born after India's independence in 1947. He took oath as the 14th prime minister of India on 26 May 2014.
As prime minister, Modi has initiated various reforms and schemes to improve the economy, governance, infrastructure, health care, education, defence, foreign relations, and national security of India. Some of his notable initiatives include:
- The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), which aims to make India open defecation free by 2022 by building toilets and promoting sanitation.
- The Make in India campaign, which seeks to boost domestic manufacturing and attract foreign investment.
- The Digital India programme, which aims to provide digital infrastructure and services to every citizen.
- The Demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1000 banknotes in November 2016, which was intended to curb black money, corruption, and terrorism.
- The Goods and Services Tax (GST), which replaced multiple indirect taxes with a single unified tax system.
- The Ayushman Bharat scheme (National Health Protection Scheme), which provides health insurance coverage to over 500 million poor and vulnerable people.
- The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (Prime Minister's People's Wealth Scheme), which provides bank accounts, debit cards, and insurance to the unbanked population.
- The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (Prime Minister's Brightness Scheme), which provides free cooking gas connections to poor households.
- The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Prime Minister's Housing Scheme), which aims to provide affordable housing to all by 2022.
- The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (Prime Minister's Farmer's Honour Fund), which provides direct income support to small and marginal farmers.
- The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (Prime Minister's Crop Insurance Scheme), which provides crop insurance to farmers against natural calamities.
- The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (Prime Minister's Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Scheme), which provides loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises.
- The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (Prime Minister's Skill Development Scheme), which provides skill training and certification to the youth.
- The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter) campaign, which aims to prevent female foeticide and promote girl child education.
- The International Yoga Day, which was declared by the United Nations on 21 June 2015, following Modi's proposal.
- The International Solar Alliance, which was launched by Modi and French President François Hollande in 2015, to promote solar energy cooperation among tropical countries.
- The Statue of Unity, which is the world's tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first deputy prime minister and a freedom fighter, inaugurated by Modi in 2018.
Modi has also enhanced India's global stature and influence by forging strategic partnerships with various countries and organisations. He has visited over 60 countries since becoming prime minister, and has hosted several world leaders in India. He has also addressed the United Nations General Assembly, the World Economic Forum, the G20 Summit, the BRICS Summit, the ASEAN Summit, and other international forums. He has received several awards and honours from various countries and institutions, such as the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudi Arabia, the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan from Afghanistan, the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine from Palestine, the Champions of the Earth Award from the United Nations, the Seoul Peace Prize from South Korea, and the Zayed Medal from UAE.
Modi faced his second general election in 2019, amid rising challenges from a united opposition, led by the Congress party and its allies. He also faced criticism for some of his policies and actions, such as the demonetisation, the GST implementation, the Rafale deal controversy, the unemployment crisis, the agrarian distress, the Citizenship Amendment Act protests, and the repeal of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. However, he also received praise for his decisive actions against terrorism, such as the surgical strikes in 2016 and the Balakot airstrike in 2019. He also capitalised on his popularity and image as a strong leader who could deliver on his promises. He led another aggressive and successful campaign across India, with slogans such as "Main Bhi Chowkidar" (I am also a watchman) and "Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar" (Once again Modi government). He also used innovative methods such as holograms, biopics, web series, video games, and merchandise to reach out to voters.
Modi won the 2019 general elections with an even bigger mandate than 2014, becoming the first prime minister since Indira Gandhi to return to power with a full majority. He also became the first non-Congress prime minister to win two consecutive terms. He took oath as the 15th prime minister of India on 30 May 2019 .
As prime minister for a second term, Modi has continued his reforms and initiatives to transform India into a "New India" by 2022. Some of his notable actions include:
- The creation of a new Ministry of Jal Shakti (Water Power) to address the water crisis and ensure water security for all.
- The launch of Fit India Movement to encourage physical fitness and wellness among citizens.
- The ban on single-use plastic to protect the environment and reduce pollution.
- The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A that granted special status and privileges to Jammu and Kashmir, and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
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