Modi Story

Did you know this isn't Modi's first visit to New Zealand?

Narendra Modi is visiting New Zealand. The visit is historic. It will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over 40 years.


But here's something many don't know. This isn't Modi's first trip to the island nation. He first travelled to New Zealand 25 years ago, as a BJP leader!


It was 2001, just months before he became Gujarat's Chief Minister. He landed in Wellington, attended official programmes and interacted with government representatives. From there, he travelled to Auckland, where he spent time with the Indian community. Community leaders such as Dinesh Pahuja and Balu Mistry accompanied him.


He had just a day in Auckland. But instead of sightseeing, he chose to spend every possible moment meeting people.


One of his first stops was the office of the Manukau Indian Association, then one of the city's most prominent Indian organisations. He met members of the association and also visited the temple it managed.


That evening, members of the community hosted him for dinner at the local Sangeet Restaurant. Prithi Pal Singh Basra, one of the hosts, still vividly remembers the long conversations over hot Punjabi food. The discussions ranged from India's future to New Zealand's governance.


When Modi learnt about the Gandhi Gruh Gujarati School, where young Gujaratis were taught their mother tongue, he was delighted. Here was a community preserving its language and culture thousands of kilometres away from home.


Arvind Dullabh, who lives in Auckland, recalls that Modi was equally curious about Māori culture. He wanted to understand the traditions of New Zealand's indigenous people and wished to interact with them.


Others who met him, including Suresh Ramji and Nareshbhai Mistry, remember another message that stayed with them. Modi encouraged different Indian organisations to work together and build a stronger, more united diaspora.
Those who met him say two themes came up repeatedly in every interaction. How could the Indian diaspora contribute to India's growth? And what could India learn from New Zealand?


Arvind Dullabh recalls: "He told us India was on the cusp of rapid economic growth. When some people expressed hesitation about investing in India, he spoke about emerging sectors and new opportunities. At the same time, he was keen to understand New Zealand's modern farming practices and technologies that could benefit Gujarat."


It is a pattern seen across many countries. Indians who met Narendra Modi in Australia, New Zealand or the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s remember the same thing. Long before holding any government office, he was constantly searching for ideas that could benefit India and urging the diaspora to become partners in the country's growth story.


Dinesh Pahuja remembers, "He showed great interest in New Zealand's water management and tourism-led development. Even though it was his first visit, he was far more interested in learning from the country than in visiting tourist attractions."
Twenty-five years later, many of those who welcomed him in 2001 are eagerly waiting to meet him once again. Only this time, he returns not as a BJP leader, but as the Prime Minister of India.

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Modi Story

𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶'𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The arrival of Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi will further strengthen Indo-Japanese partnership. But for PM Modi, this relationship began long before he entered office in 2014. His connect with Japan, its culture and its technological excellence stretches back decades.

One of Narendra Modi's earliest connections with Japan dates back to the early 1980s, when as a young RSS pracharak, he made a Japanese friend from Nagoya during a visit to Nepal. The friendship continued as a pen-pal for years through letters. The Japanese friend would send him gifts, including shoes from renowned Japanese brands and T-shirts. In return, Modi once sent him a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. Even at a young age, he saw international friendships not merely as personal relationships, but as opportunities for cultural exchange.

His fascination with Japan only deepened over time. When Narendra Modi visited Japan as CM of Gujarat in 2007, he approached the trip not simply as a diplomatic engagement but as a learning mission. Leading a 40-member delegation of bureaucrats and industry leaders, he travelled across Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kobe, meeting major corporations including Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Marubeni, Suzuki, Toshiba, Nippon Steel and Nissan Steel. The visit resulted in important agreements between the Japanese investment body JETRO and the Gujarat government.

During this visit, Modi also met Shinzo Abe, then emerging as one of Japan's most influential political leaders. Their first interaction laid the foundation for what would later become one of the closest relationships between two world leaders. According to those who witnessed it, both leaders immediately developed mutual admiration. Years later, even during Abe's illness, Narendra Modi remained in regular touch to enquire about his health.

Travelling aboard Japan's Shinkansen bullet train, he imagined India having its own bullet train network. He was given the rare opportunity to sit inside the driver's cockpit, where he enquired engineers about earthquake safety systems, time management and so on. These conversations later influenced India's own high-speed rail ambitions. During the Shinkansen journey, he also struck up a conversation with Japanese children despite the language barrier, eventually spending much of the journey playing with them.

His curiosity was visible everywhere. At Tokyo's Sensoji Temple, Modi carefully studied crowd management systems, urban planning and staff training, exploring how similar ideas could improve the management of India's own pilgrimage centres. At a Japanese university, when asked how India and Japan should respond to China's growing influence, Modi offered a memorable metaphor: "Darkness cannot be defeated with a sword; a small lamp can remove it." He explained that India and Japan, through their shared democratic values, could together become that light.

Modi also believed diplomacy was as much about people as governments. During Gujarat's Golden Jubilee celebrations, he appealed to Gujaratis living in Japan to contribute soil and water for the construction of Mahatma Mandir, making them active participants in Gujarat's development. He encouraged members of the diaspora to invite Japanese friends to India.

During the rehabilitation of Kutch after the earthquake, he adopted earthquake-resilient construction and reconstruction models inspired by Kobe of Japan, which had also experienced a devastating earthquake. He encouraged officials to study Japanese mid-day meal models while designing schemes to address malnutrition among children in Gujarat.

When Modi returned to Japan in 2012, he was welcomed with honours rarely accorded to a state chief minister. Invited formally by the Government of Japan during the 60th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations, he attended more than 40 programmes across five cities in just five days. Japanese media took note, with ‘Nikkei’ describing him as a business-friendly leader from India. Despite an exhausting schedule and observing a fast during Navratri, Modi spent hours interacting with investors.

During a visit to Osamu Suzuki's residence, he experienced traditional Japanese culture before unexpectedly requesting a tour of the Suzuki manufacturing plant. Explaining that Gujarat would require Japanese investment through the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, he spent over three hours studying every stage of automobile manufacturing and interacting with Indian engineers working there.

At the JETRO Business Forum, Modi articulated a vision that would later define India-Japan economic relations: "Japan has the strength of experience, Gujarat has the power of enterprise. Japan has technology, Gujarat has the talent to absorb it." His learning extended to Kobe Port, where he insisted on touring the operational bay by boat instead of viewing it from afar. Looking at the port's world class infrastructure, he remarked, "One day, I will build Dholera like this." The development of the Dholera SIR in subsequent years reflected many of the ideas he absorbed during that visit.

Years later, as the Prime Minister, these early experiences translated into one of India's strongest strategic partnerships. From the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project and the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor to expanding defence cooperation, supply chain resilience and technology partnerships, the foundations had been laid decades back.

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Modi Story

The year was 1975. Democracy was suspended, opposition leaders were jailed, and the police were searching for a young Narendra Modi across Gujarat. Yet, at just 25 years of age, he chose resistance over silence.

Disguised identities, underground networks, secret missions, and unwavering courage.

Swipe through to discover the lesser-known stories of Narendra Modi's role in the fight against the Emergency!

#SamvidhanHatyaDiwas

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Modi Story

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘄?

As Gujarat marked 50 years of its formation, the then Chief Minister of the state, Narendra Modi, chose to answer this in a unique way. On June 7th 2010, at the Mahatma Mandir site in Gandhinagar, he sealed and interred a 90 kg Time Capsule containing the story of Gujarat's first five decades.

Built to last for 1,000 years, the capsule preserved key moments from Gujarat's history, culture and development. Recorded in Gujarati, Hindi, English and Sanskrit, it contained important historical documents, speeches linked to the state's formation, and audio-visual records capturing Gujarat's journey since 1960.

Narendra Modi took this initiative as he believed that the progress of the people and the preservation of their story must go hand in hand. The #TimeCapsule ensures that future generations will also understand the ideas, achievements and people who shaped the state's rise.

Buried beneath Mahatma Mandir, the capsule remains a symbol of foresight and continuity, carrying Gujarat's story from one generation to another across the centuries.

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Modi Story

PM Narendra Modi’s Tribute to Birsa Munda | Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas #BirsaMunda #JanjatiyaGauravDiwas

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Modi Story

Happy New Year 2025🎉

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Modi Story

𝗣𝗠 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶'𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀

Today, India celebrates 75 years since the adoption of its Constitution, a milestone honouring the foundation of the nation’s democratic ethos. Narendra Modi’s decades-long commitment to constitutional ideals shines through, from his activism during the Emergency to his visionary initiatives as Prime Minister.

Modi’s commitment to the Constitution was evident during the tumultuous Emergency (1975–77). As a young activist, he worked covertly to expose the government’s undemocratic actions and constitutional violations. Using pamphlets and secret communications, he raised awareness and inspired resistance. These efforts during a dark chapter marked the start of his lifelong devotion to constitutional values.

In 1991, Narendra Modi further advanced his commitment to constitutional ideals through the Ekta Yatra, promoting the message "Ek Desh, Ek Samvidhan" (One Nation, One Constitution). As the chief coordinator of the Yatra led by BJP National President Murli Manohar Joshi from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, he successfully spread the message advocating the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special powers to Kashmir. The Yatra symbolised his belief in the unity and sovereignty enshrined in the Constitution.

Later on, during his tenure as Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Narendra Modi prioritised spreading awareness about the Constitution among ordinary citizens. One of his most notable initiatives was the Samvidhan Gaurav Yatra. In 2010, during the 60th anniversary of the Indian Constitution, CM Modi organised the Samvidhan Gaurav Yatra in Gujarat, a campaign to celebrate the Constitution and take its ideals to the masses. A grand procession was organised in Surendranagar of Gujarat, featuring a massive replica of the Constitution carried on an elephant. Chief Minister Narendra Modi walked alongside the elephant, joined by ministers, leaders, and thousands of people. It was a rare sight in the nation's history for a Chief Minister to lead such a Yatra, honouring the Constitution. It was a powerful visual representation of the reverence and importance Narendra Modi held for the Constitution.

In 2011, Narendra Modi took special efforts to make the Constitution accessible to all by launching its Gujarati version, 'Bharat Nu Samvidhan'. This initiative aimed to bring the Constitution closer to Gujarati citizens, ensuring its values resonated deeply with the regional population. Narendra Modi’s vision extended to translating the Constitution into all regional languages, reinforcing the idea that it belongs to every citizen.

After assuming the office of Prime Minister, in 2015, he declared November 26 as Constitution Day to commemorate the adoption of the Indian Constitution. Previously, the day was celebrated as National Law Day, mainly observed by only courts and bar associations. The declaration of Constitution Day marked the beginning of a nationwide celebration, ensuring that the significance of the Constitution was acknowledged annually with great pride and reverence.

It was his suggestion to name the old Parliament building as Samvidhan Bhawan. The Prime Minister’s efforts have also included showcasing the Constitution in the newly inaugurated Parliament building.

PM Modi’s gestures—bowing at the steps of Parliament in 2014, bowing before the Constitution in 2019, calling it a ‘holy text’ for governance, and his speeches emphasising its guiding principles—all serves as constant reminders of Constitution's significance in India's democratic framework. Moreover, under his leadership, several initiatives have emphasised the Constitution's role in governance. The abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 marked a pivotal moment, ensuring the complete application of the Indian Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir, integrating the region into the constitutional framework of India.

In July 2024, Narendra Modi government announced the observance of Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. This will be celebrated annually on June 25, and serve as a reminder of the Emergency period, a dark chapter in India's democratic history when constitutional principles were severely compromised.

Narendra Modi has consistently honoured the contributions of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution. His initiatives include developing the Panchteerth, a collection of five memorials associated with Dr. Ambedkar’s life and establishing the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi as a hub for research on social justice and constitutional values.

On the 75th anniversary of the Constitution's adoption, the Modi government is striving to make it a people's movement with nationwide celebrations, reminding citizens that it is not just a document but the vision and foundation of a developed India.

#75YearsOfConstitution #ModiStory

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