Biography

September 17, 1950 · Vadnagar, State of Bombay, India

Narendra Damodardas Modi

1.70 m

Nasal voice.

Frequently commences his public speeches with the salutation "Mitron", which in Hindi and Sanskrit translates to friends.

We should not look at terrorism from the name-plates - which group they belong to, what is their geographical location, who are their victims. These individual groups or names will keep changing. Today you are looking at the Taliban or ISIS; tomorrow you may be looking at another name. We should pass the U.N.'s Comprehensive Convention on Intenational Terrorism. At least it will clearly establish whom you view as a terrorist and whom you don't. We need to delink terrorism from religion.

If you were to ask me to choose between democratic values and wealth, power, prosperity and fame, I will easily and with any doubt choose democratic values. So if you were to ask me whether you need a dictatorship to run India, no you do not.

I was born in a very poor family. I used to sell tea in a railway coach as a child. My mother used to wash utensils and do lowly housework in the houses of others to earn a livelihood. I have seen poverty very closely. I have lived in poverty. As a child, my entire childhood was steeped in poverty. For me, poverty - in a way - was the first inspiration in my life.

Different departments tend to work in silos - each seems to be a government in itself. My effort has been to break these silos down, so that everybody looks at a problem in a collective manner. I see the federal government not as an assembled entity but as an organic entity.

My philosophy, the philosophy of my party and the philosophy of my government is 'Sabka saath' - Together with all, progress for all...My government will not accept tolerate or accept any discrimination based on caste, creed, and religion.