Prime Minister of India (2014 – Present): Narendra Modi
Date of Birth: September 17, 1950
Place of Birth: Vadnagar in Gujarat.
Parents: His father Damodardas Mulchand Modi (1915-1989) was a shopkeeper by profession. His mother Hiraben Modi was born around 1920.
Spouse: He was married to Jashodaben Chimanlal at a very young age, but the couple leads separate lives.
Political Party: Narendra Modi is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Education: Modi has completed Master’s in Political Science from Gujarat University as an external student, as per the details shared by the Gujarat University to the Central Information Commission on May 1, 2016.
Career: Before starting his political career with the BJP, Modi worked with his father at the family’s tea stall at the Vadnagar railway station. Later, he joined RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh).
Political Milestones: The first major political milestone of Modi’s career was when he joined the legislative assembly of Gujarat on January 1, 2002. He was a member of the said assembly till May 16, 2014. He also became the 14th Chief Minister of Gujarat on October 7, 2001, and stayed at that position till May 22, 2014. On May 16, 2014, he became an MP (Member of Parliament) of the Lok Sabha. 10 days later, he assumed his position as the 14th Prime Minister of India, where he has still continued to maintain his dominance.
In 2007, India Today conducted a nationwide survey, following which it announced Modi the Best Chief Minister. In March 2012, he was on the cover of the Time magazine’s Asian edition. Till date, he remains a member of only a select group of Indian politicians who have had this honour. The CNN IBN (Cable News Network Indian Broadcasting Network) network also announced him the Indian of the Year during 2014.
In 2014, 2015, and 2017, the Time magazine named him as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. He has also won the readers’ poll for Person of the Year of the Time magazine in 2014 and 2016. In 2014, he was ranked as the 15th Most Powerful Person in the World by the Forbes magazine. The same magazine also ranked him as the 9th Most Powerful Person in the World in 2015, 2016, and 2018. The Bloomberg Markets magazine ranked him as the 13th Most Influential Person in the World in 2015. In 2015, the Fortune magazine ranked him in the 5th position in its first ever yearly list of World’s Greatest Leaders.
In a glittering political career, Modi has been conferred many state honours as well. On April 3, 2016, he received the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud, the highest civilian honour of Saudi Arabia. On June 4, 2016, he was awarded the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan, the highest civilian honour of Afghanistan. On February 10, 2018, he received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest honour that the state bestows on foreigners. On April 4, 2019, the UAE (United Arab Emirates) awarded him its highest civilian honour – the Order of Zayed. He has also been conferred the Order of St. Andrew, the highest civilian honour in Russia.
After a massive electoral victory in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi scored an immense re-election victory in 2019. Also, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a full majority with a bigger mandate in the Lok Sabha.
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