PM MODI'S LEADERSHIP ALCHEMY!

Leadership lessons by PM Modi for a young mayor - Rina Shah, Former Mayor, Gujarat

This incident belongs to 2009. Narendra Modi had come to Bhavnagar. As is the usual practice, I went to receive him at the airport. He got down from the aircraft and in his typical style, with folded hands, he said, namaste young mayor. We used to go and meet him subsequently on various official errands and here he gave me two important basic lessons of leadership for efficient working. He said, now that you have become a mayor, remember to learn these two things. First, he said, eat wherever you get food. Don’t hesitate or have airs. Second, he said, sleep wherever you have the space. As a public servant, where you have to travel extensively to serve people, you may hardly get a chance to have a daily sleep routine every night. So, sleep even while travelling, in your car. You will never get fixed timings. I still remember and follow these two very fundamental lessons of public life, which have always come in good stead for my personal well-being and my administrative efficiency as well.

NARENDRA MODI’S DISCIPLINE & SIMPLICITY EVIDENT EARLY ON - Jyoti Prasad Gairola, BJP leader, Uttarakhand / Savita Sharda, Former Rajya Sabha MP, Gujarat / Dileep Sanghani, Former MP, Gujarat

Narendra Modi’s discipline and austerity were visible from the early days. He had newly become the national general secretary of the BJP. There was an event of national office bearers’ meeting to be held at Mussoorie. Many senior leaders were supposed to attend the important meeting. Modi ji said, no special arrangements were to be made for their transportation. All leaders, big and small, would travel to Mussoorie from Dehradun railway station by bus. He stuck to his decision and despite requests by state functionaries to rethink the move, Modi ji remained adamant and said, those who are willing to come are welcome, those who are not, can happily abstain. Make the best buses available to them, but only buses will be available for all and all must abide by the decision for collective good. No luxury travel for anyone was provisioned. Such was his discipline and unwavering commitment. He had a conviction behind his actions and that was his guiding force.

After becoming the general secretary, once he visited Surat. A grand programme was organised to welcome him as people were enthusiastic to meet him. A big decorated chair was kept on the stage for him, like a throne. But to everyone’s surprise, when Modi ji was being seated on the chair, he protested. He said he was an ordinary worker and must be given an ordinary chair that befits him and accordingly he sat on a normal chair, ditching the special place he was accorded. Such simplicity and austerity struck us deeply.

In yet another incident, once some party workers reached late in the night for an event that was going to be held at a village in Gujarat. They were not being allowed entry to the night shelter where arrangements had been made for their stay. The information reached Modi ji. He woke up around 1 at night and asked the incharge to allow entry to the men and ensured they were settled for the night. A national general secretary of the party, waking up at midnight to assuage the problem of a village worker, is something unique we have seen and speaks volumes of Modi ji’s discipline, sincerity, and simplicity.

VERY DEEP LOVER OF MUSIC & SPIRITUALISM - Kailash Kher, Singer

My name was first proposed by the Prime Minister in 2015 for the Swachh Bharat initiative at Banaras Ghats. I was selected because we were involved in bringing the types of spiritual music we worked with to the mainstream music scene. That was the first time I sensed an opportunity to come close to the PM in some way.

Later on, when we had completed the target of 100 crore COVID vaccinations, we were doing a video song under the health ministry, enumerating our achievement. For this, we needed some footage and photos of the PM as we wanted to show him and his role in making the mega-vaccination initiative such a success. Then, when we reached him, he asked the reason for requisitioning such photos and clips of his. As I explained the reason, he not only gave his permission but also gave some invaluable inputs and suggestions to make the campaign more productive. During the interaction, what impressed me was his deep involvement in and understanding of music and spiritualism. Additionally, I also realised that he also had great respect for artists. This is perhaps the first time that we have so many artists from various fields sitting in our parliament.

When Adiyogi was unveiled at Coimbatore, I was called by Jaggi Vasudev on Maha Shivratri to perform and I found PM Modi was sitting silently, lost in meditative spirit. He was so rapt in deep concentration, soaking in the spirit of the atmosphere and the holy occasion that it was a sight to behold. Soon after the programme I went and met him and it was such a pleasurable experience talking to him.

I met him once again in Jakarta. he jocularly asked me, kar dia manch tayyar? (so you have set the stage for the show!) I was overwhelmed and laughed out saying it is you sir, who has set the stage ready. Wherever you go, your name is enough. Not only do you hold the stage like a star but you fill whole stadiums with your aura and your name reverberates everywhere.

COMPILED AND EDITED BY SHASHIKANT SHARMA