Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will turn 75 on Wednesday, rose through the ranks to the country’s highest elected post in 2014. He has redefined political communication and politics and championed cleanliness, ease of business, and living over the decades at the helm first as the Gujarat chief minister and now as the Prime Minister. He has also managed to do this while remaining grounded and without losing the human touch. Here is a look at what has made him a cut above the rest:
Lighter side
In politics, humour is a tool to connect. Modi has woven it into his leadership style, through poetic flourishes, wordplay in Parliament, satire in public gatherings, and on the global stage, resulting in an instant and very real connection with his audience. As chief minister, he used humour as a political tool at rallies, tapping Bollywood dialogues to target his rivals. “Congress ke neta aise vaade karte hain jaise Sholay ka Gabbar - ‘Arre O Sambha, kitne vote laaye?’, he asked once.
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He lampooned his critics, saying, “Unko Gareeb Kalyaan Mela pasand nahi, shayad wo Gareeb Rulao Mela karna chahte hain.” When asked how he survived the attacks from rivals, he responded: “Main roz 2–3 kilo gaali khata hoon, isliye mujhe kuch hota nahi.”
In the assembly, when opposition lawmakers accused him of authoritarianism, he shot back: “Shayad aapko problem hai ki main aapki tarah ‘holiday CM’ nahi hoon.”
{{/usCountry}}In the assembly, when opposition lawmakers accused him of authoritarianism, he shot back: “Shayad aapko problem hai ki main aapki tarah ‘holiday CM’ nahi hoon.”
{{/usCountry}}As Prime Minister, he famously responded to Rahul Gandhi’s 2018 wink in Parliament by mimicking it. Two years later, he responded with the tube light -- which sometimes takes a long time to come on -- remark during a Lok Sabha debate: “I have been speaking for 30-40 minutes, but it took this long for the current to reach [the tube light].’ Modi then mockingly said he would prepare for the beating that Gandhi said he would receive from young people. “I will do more surya namaskar so that my back is ready for the beating... I will make myself gaali-proof (abuse-proof) and also danda-proof (stick-proof). In a way, I am grateful that I have been given the advance notice”.
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On the world stage, Modi shared a lighter moment with French President Emmanuel Macron over his exchanges with US President Trump, asking him, “Nowadays, you are fighting on Twitter?”
Technology-driven governance
Modi launched the Digital India Mission in 2015, envisioning a nation where every citizen enjoys digital access, where government services are available at the click of a button, and where even the remotest villages are connected by high-speed internet. His government made India a global leader in digital public infrastructure.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has transformed India into one of the first major nations where real-time, seamless digital payments have become a reality for everyone, from bustling cities to rural markets.
Modi asked civil servants to champion technology, encouraging them to become catalysts for innovation, especially for startups and MSMEs.
Economy
Modi unveiled the flagship “Make in India” initiative to draw global investors and transform India into a manufacturing powerhouse. PM Jan Dhan Yojana is the largest financial inclusion drive ever, bringing unbanked citizens into the formal financial system. Direct Benefit Transfers significantly scaled up Aadhaar-enabled direct transfers for subsidies and welfare, making India a leader in beneficiary targeting. Ujjwala Yojana brought clean cooking fuel to millions of poor households, symbolising dignity and empowerment.
Direct Benefit Transfers have eliminated middlemen, ensuring that money reaches citizens without bribes or delays. Swachh Bharat gave women dignity with toilets and safety, while instilling civic pride in cleanliness. People expect DBTs, QR codes, and digital transparency not as reforms, but as the baseline of governance.
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India made significant strides in telecom, 5G, and 6G readiness, weaving a web of undersea cables and fiber networks that have brought even the most distant hinterlands online.
With targeted government programs, India is poised to rise as a global leader in AI, quantum computing, and cyber forensics.
Structural reforms
New criminal laws (2023) replaced the colonial-era IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act as the Modi government undertook the most sweeping overhaul of the system in 150 years, focusing on speed, transparency, and victim-centric justice.
The Modi government scrapped over 1,200 outdated laws in three years, more than the combined total of six decades before. It scrapped over 40,000 outdated compliances and eased penalties for entrepreneurs, creating a pro-business ecosystem.
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“One Nation, One Election” has been pushed for simultaneous national and state elections, for efficiency in governance.
Foreign policy innovations
Modi spearheaded the UN resolution declaring June 21 as International Yoga Day. He transformed yoga into a powerful soft power tool. Modi was the first to invite leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation nations to his swearing-in ceremony, signalling his commitment to regional engagement. Modi reoriented India’s diplomacy by urging states and cities to cultivate global partnerships, diversifying India’s external engagement.
Moving a nation
Modi’s slogans and quotes have been instruments of mass mobilisation, national pride, and cultural symbolism, redefining political communication. Modi’s style is a blend of short sentences and imagery. As chief minister, he reminded Gujaratis that his tenure was not due to personal ambition, but the blessing of the people. He framed power as service, and himself as its custodian.
In Gujarat, he often told people he never spoke about what he could not deliver, and what he promised, he would complete. As Prime Minister, he reminded the nation that every manifesto commitment was pursued with persistence, linking speech to delivery.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was not presented as a government scheme. It was pitched as a collective duty where every household could participate. He transformed cleanliness from a policy to a personal pledge.
As chief minister, he championed literacy drives, especially for women and rural children, framing them as the foundation of dignity and empowerment. Modi advocated for equal participation of women in governance.
At the national level, his speeches on “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and during the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament highlighted women not as beneficiaries, but as leaders of development.
For Modi, democracy is not a borrowed Western concept but India’s civilizational strength. As chief minister, he often warned that freedom required vigilance and that democracy’s strength was its ability to correct mistakes. At the UN, he said democracy in India is not a system but a way of life. After Operation Sindoor, his address sparked a wave of patriotism.
Yatras
Before he became Prime Minister, Modi’s political journey was shaped by journeys, enhancing his understanding of what people wanted and his direct connection with them.
Somnath–Ayodhya Rath Yatra (1990): Organised by LK Advani with Modi playing an important part, this journey spread the message about cultural values and national pride. It sparked a significant movement centred on faith and identity.
Ekta Yatra (1991–92): The Yatra concluded with raising the national flag at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, with Modi leading its organisation. It was a demonstration of India’s unity and independence.
Gujarat Gaurav Yatra (2002): Modi led this journey across the state to reconnect with the people and restore confidence.
Modi’s cultural outreach blends inclusivity with civilisational confidence, reclaiming heritage and signalling peaceful coexistence.
Human touch
When lunar exploration mission Chandrayaan-2 lost contact with lander Vikram in 2019, his embrace of ISRO chief K Sivan became a symbol of solidarity. His other key gestures included washing sanitation workers’ feet. His interactions during Pariksha Pe Charcha show his ability to connect with youth.
Diplomacy with a human face
Modi’s trademark hugs with world leaders, the adoption of Namaste as a global greeting, and his Indian attire during visits abroad have created human bridges that foster friendship.
By spinning the charkha at Sabarmati, performing Ganga Aarti with foreign leaders, or leading Yoga at the UN, he fuses cultural pride with personal presence, making India’s traditions accessible and relatable worldwide.
Animals and nature
In 2020, a short video from the Prime Minister’s residence showed him feeding peacocks at dawn, offering grain as India’s national birds approached. He has spoken of birds as companions on his morning walks and of creating safe spaces for them to nest. As chief minister, he championed animal welfare programmes, vaccination drives for cattle, rescue efforts for injured birds during kite-flying festivals, and veterinary camps. At rural fairs, he would linger to pet livestock.