Introduction
Notably, when Indian politics take a wave, one must hear of one prominent politician, Narendra Damodardas Modi. Modi has in the past taken many offices in India serving in a manner that assured his rise in position to his current position, the prime minister of India. Indeed he is a leader considering the major positions the people of India have given him. Before he was given the seat of prime minister, he was the Chief of Gujarat for thirteen years starting in 2001 to 2014 when he became. He also represents the people of Varanasi in parliament as their elected member of parliament. Not to forget that Modi is a long time supporter of the famous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is a Hindu nationalist and specifically a follower Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This paper will examine the life history of Modi considering his educational background and his political career illustrating his successes and some of his failures to show the type of leadership qualities he holds. Arguably, no matter the situation a leader is brought up in, they are born not made.
Early history and educational background
Modi was born in a very humble background in a poor family of a grocer in Gujarat, which was then Vadnagar back in the year 1950. He was the third born in a family of six. He was brought up by his father the late Damodardas Mulchand Modi and his mother the late Hiraben Modi. Modi's family were a member of the oil pressers or Modh-Ghanchi-Teli community which is a poor community termed as the other backward class by the government. Being born to a poor family in a poor community, however, did not stop Modi from being a good child. It is remembered that as a little child, Modi used to sell tea in Vadnagar railway station to help his family. Later, together with his brother started a stall near the bus terminal to sell tea. This was before he completed his learning. Nevertheless, Modi completed his higher secondary school education in 1967 in Vadnagar. Teachers defined him as an ordinary student with a good skill in debating. His early gift in debating was noticeable by both teachers and his fellow students. He liked playing characters larger than those in life which has influenced him significantly in politics. It is notable that Modi discovered RSS when he was eight years and became a member where he was made a junior cadet by famous Vakil Saheb. During his early life in RSS, he also met with prominent people who then were leaders in BJP Gujarat's unit back in 1980 (The Statesman, 2016). He was engaged to a neighboring friend girl when still in high school of which he rejected marriage arrangement. The tension in the village made him leave home in 1967, after graduating from high school.
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After leaving home, Modi went out traveling across North-eastern and Northern of India finding a place he could get a proper college education. Less is however known of which places he visited unless the ones he gives in interviews. He says that he visited Hindu ashrams established by Vivekananda all over India. Modi really has a history that tells more about his leadership. He could not stay in either of the Ashrama or take any course that did not fit him. He rejected one after the other not even knowing where his fate was. It is also told of how he moved to Belur Math and was rejected after which he wondered through Culcatta, Assam and West Bengal. He also went to other Ashram and was rejected. As he recalls, he was rejected even in Ramakrishna in Almora (The Economic Times, 2014). The most accepted man in the community today suffered rejection then. He had no alternative other than going back to Vadnagar where he stayed for a short time before leaving to stay with his uncle in Ahmedabad where he worked in a canteen at the state road corporation. However, he did not give up on his dreams although the way was rough. He was arrested when participating peaceful protest against the government which made Inamdar get interested and mentored him. Modi went back to school and achieved a Bachelor degree in political science. He achieved his master degree five years later as a distance learning student at Gujarat University.
Political career successes and failures
The journey was not easy but Modi never gave up. He started his political career in 1975 when he was selected the Gujarat Lok Sangharsh Samiti general secretary at the time when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had called state of emergency and many opposition leaders were arrested. Later the party was banned forcing Modi to go underground not to be arrested. He was also involved in creating hind outs for opposition leaders who the administration wanted to arrest (Marino, 2014). In this time he was able to meet with a great political figure who promoted his career.
In 1978 after the end of the emergency period, Modi became the organizing secretary of RSS responsible for overseeing all the activities of the group in Vadodara and Surat. In 1987, he helped his political party BJP in campaigns in the Ahmedabad municipal election and his involvement led to him being selected by BJP's Gujarat unit organizing secretary in 1987 (Marino, 2014).
Inside the party, he was an active participant which led to his rise to National election committee in 1990. However, he quitted politics for a short while in 1992 where he tried to run a school in Ahmedabad. However, politics was his thing and could not leave it for good. His strategies were used in 1995 state assembly election which led to him being elected the party national secretary and given an office in Delhi (Ruparelia, 2015). His strategies were also used in 1998 general election where the party won the majority. He was appointed the party national general organizing secretary that year.
In 2011 by-election, BJP lost a few state assembly seats with accusations of poor administration, abuse of power and corruption. Modi was proposed for deputy minister which he rejected and claimed for full minister seat. He was that year given the oath of office Chief minister Gujarat. In 2002, there were Gujarat riots which many scholars dubbed 'The state terrorism' which Modi participated. However, to date he has never apologized to anybody stating that it was action and reaction of events. This is one of the biggest failure in his political career (Ruparelia, 2015). There were calls for his resignation after the 2002 violence which he submitted his resignation letter to the party committee only to be rejected. He went on to be elected for the second term in office which he achieved many economic developments.
He initiated many development projects during his terms. Among them is that his government reinforced none governmental organizations and community in making of groundwater conservation projects. He recorded a 10.97 percent agriculture growth rate in 2001 to 2010 which is another achievement. He also in 2008 offer Tata Motors land ton set up a plant after they were forced to move from their place in West Bengal leading to several companies following Tata making the area grow (Phadnis, 2009). It is notable that Modi completed the development of bridging electricity all over Gujarat villages.
In 2012, he won the seat for Gujarat legislative Assembly Maninagar constituency. In this year, his party BJP won 115 seats out of 182 making the majority in that tenure. Notably, Modi resigned as the Chief Minister after his election as Prime Minister Anandiben Patel succeeding him.
He has recorded various achievements as the prime minister including economic policies in which Modi government focused on privatization and liberalization of the economy. He also promoted Health and sanitation policies. He emphasized the role of private healthcare organizations reducing government spending on healthcare (Phadnis, 2009). Among his achievement is also Hindutva and education policy. The foreign policy, the defense policy, environment policies, governance and other initiatives were the key areas he covered to promote peoples livelihood.
Conclusion
The life history of the current prime minister of India is a great reflection of the saying leaders are born not made. The story of Modi from his childhood ability to assist his parents who were peasants to the current ability to assist the whole nation is a great reflection of a great leader from a nowhere background. As a child, Modi used to help his father in selling tea in a train terminal before starting his own stall with his brother near the bus stage. This was a great leadership step in his age. We are told that he finished high school in 1967 and left home due to the tension created by him rejecting to marry a neighbor's girl. He went on looking for Ashmara College that offered what he wanted but could not get in. later he did a bachelor of art Political science and later a master degree in the same before joining his political career. We are told that he was a wise politician with his strategies always winning the majority in elections. He was able to lead in different positions in passive politics before joining active politics and winning the seat of Gujarat Legislative position in 2012 and later winning the current position of prime minister. He is has kept a legacy as a prime minister in different policies he has developed and promoted. Indeed a leader is born not made.
References
Marino, A. (2014). Narendra Modi: A political biography. HarperCollins Publishers India.
Phadnis, A. (2009). Business standard political profiles of cabals and kings. Business Standard Books.
Ruparelia, S. (2015). ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’: The Restructuring of Power in Modi's India. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 38(4), 755-775.
The Economic Times. (26 May 2014).Narendra Modi invited to Ramakrishna Mission's headquarter in Belurmath". Retrieved on 12 Feb. 2018
The Statesman. (5 July 2016)"The tale of two Narendras: Narendra Modi and Swami Vivekananda". Retrieved on 12 Feb. 2018
