Narendra Modi turns 75 today, on 17 September 2025. From a small town in Gujarat to the corridors of Delhi, his story is one of relentless ambition, ideological commitment, and a knack for connecting with the masses.
Born in 1950 in Vadnagar, a dusty hamlet in Mehsana district, young Narendra grew up in a modest family—his father ran a tea stall at the local railway station. Those early days, helping out at the chai ki dukaan, instilled in him a work ethic that’s become legendary. But it was his encounter with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that truly set the course for his life.
Modi joined the RSS as a bal swayamsevak at the tender age of eight, drawn to its discipline and nationalist ethos. The Sangh, founded in 1925 to promote Hindu cultural revival, became his second home. By his teens, he was attending shakhas regularly, those morning drills where boys learnt self-defence, patriotism, and service. Leaving home at 17, Modi wandered across India—visiting ashrams, meeting sadhus, and soaking in the country’s diversity.
This phase, often romanticised in his speeches, was about self-discovery. He returned to Gujarat in the early 1970s, diving deeper into RSS work. In 1971, he became a full-time pracharak, a celibate volunteer dedicated to the organisation’s cause. Life as a pracharak was no cakewalk. Modi lived frugally in Ahmedabad, rising at dawn for RSS duties that stretched late into the night.
He organised relief during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and went underground during the Emergency in 1975, disguising himself to evade arrest. These experiences honed his organisational skills and ideological fervour. The RSS saw potential in him—more pragmatic than his peers, yet deeply committed to Hindutva. By the 1980s, he was coordinating with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS’s student wing, building networks that would prove crucial.
The turning point came in 1985 when the RSS deputed him to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its political arm formed just five years earlier. Modi started at the grassroots, organising rallies and election campaigns in Gujarat. His big break was masterminding L.K. Advani’s Rath Yatra in 1990, which galvanised support for the Ram Temple movement. Rising swiftly, he became the BJP’s general secretary in 1998, overseeing party affairs in several states.
But it was the 2001 Gujarat earthquake that thrust him into the spotlight. When Keshubhai Patel resigned as chief minister amid criticism over relief efforts, Modi was parachuted in—his first electoral foray. As Gujarat’s CM from 2001 to 2014, Modi transformed the state into an economic powerhouse. The ‘Gujarat Model’—focusing on infrastructure, investment, and governance—drew accolades. Vibrant Gujarat summits attracted billions in FDI, and projects like the Sabarmati Riverfront became symbols of progress. Yet, this era wasn’t without shadows.
The 2002 Godhra riots, which claimed over 1,000 lives, mostly Muslims, cast a long pall. Modi faced allegations of complicity, leading to a US visa ban and domestic outrage. He was cleared by courts, but the episode polarised opinions—critics saw majoritarianism, supporters a strong leader. Undeterred, he won re-elections in 2002, 2007, and 2012, consolidating power. By 2013, Modi’s national ambitions were clear. Named the BJP’s PM candidate, he launched a high-octane campaign blending development promises with Hindu nationalism.
“Achhe din aane waale hain” resonated amid anti-Congress sentiment. In 2014, the BJP swept to power with 282 seats, Modi becoming PM at 63. His first term saw bold moves: demonetisation to curb black money, GST for a unified tax regime, and Swachh Bharat for sanitation. Foreign policy shone with neighbourhood outreach and global ties, from Yoga Day at the UN to surgical strikes post-Uri. Re-elected in 2019 with a bigger mandate, Modi tackled Article 370’s abrogation, CAA, and farm laws—reforms that sparked protests but underlined his decisiveness.
The COVID-19 response, with free vaccines for billions, bolstered his image. In 2024, despite a narrower win, he formed a coalition government, pushing ahead with infrastructure like Vande Bharat trains and digital India. At 75, Modi’s legacy is multifaceted. He’s redefined the BJP, making it a mass party beyond its RSS roots. Critics decry centralisation and minority concerns, but admirers hail him as Vishwaguru’s architect.
Celebrations today include Sewa Pakhwada—blood drives, cleanliness campaigns—reflecting his service ethos. World leaders like Trump have lauded him, and at home, hashtags like #ModiAt75 trend. From pracharak to PM, Modi’s rise proves that in politics, as in life, perseverance pays. As he inaugurates projects in Madhya Pradesh today, one wonders: what’s next for this tireless leader? (Word count: 712)