Key Points:
- PM Narendra Modi shares personal insights in a three-hour podcast with Lex Fridman.
- Discusses childhood struggles, spiritual journey in the Himalayas, and joining RSS.
- Highlights India’s global role rooted in teachings of Buddha and Gandhi.
- Emphasizes collective strength of 1.4 billion Indians as his true power.
- Reflects on diplomacy, democracy, AI, education, and global peace.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in an insightful three-hour podcast conversation with renowned American podcaster and MIT researcher Lex Fridman on Sunday. The highly anticipated episode covered diverse topics ranging from Modi’s humble childhood experiences to his transformative years spent in the Himalayas, his deep association with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and India’s evolving role in global diplomacy.
During the engaging dialogue, PM Modi emphasized India’s unique global position as a peace-promoting nation shaped by the philosophies of Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. “Whenever we speak of peace, the world listens attentively because India is the land of Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi,” he remarked.
Reflecting on his diplomatic interactions with world leaders, Modi stressed that he represents not just himself but the collective strength of 1.4 billion Indians. “When I shake hands with global leaders, it’s not Modi shaking hands it’s 140 crore Indians. My strength is not my name but India’s timeless culture and heritage,” he asserted.
The Prime Minister candidly shared poignant memories from his early life, highlighting economic hardships faced during childhood. He recounted how growing up without shoes made him unaware of their importance, illustrating how scarcity shaped his resilience and perspective on life.
Modi also spoke extensively about his journey into public life through the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), describing it as an organization that provided him a clear purpose and direction. “RSS taught me that serving the nation is equivalent to serving God,” he said. He emphasized that understanding RSS requires effort due to its vast scale and impact across various segments of society including women, youth, laborers, and marginalized communities.
During the podcast, Modi addressed complex topics including Hindu nationalism, India-Pakistan relations, peace efforts in Ukraine, relations with China and President Xi Jinping, democracy’s core values including embracing criticism and India’s approach towards artificial intelligence (AI), education reforms, meditation practices, and spirituality.
Sharing poignant memories from his childhood days marked by poverty, Modi recalled how basic comforts like shoes were absent in his early life. “People accustomed to good shoes feel their absence; we never wore them so we didn’t know their importance,” he noted candidly.
Discussing the controversial 2002 Gujarat riots during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi highlighted historical communal tensions prevalent long before his tenure. “Before 2002 itself Gujarat witnessed over 250 significant riots; communal violence was frequent,” he explained.
Lex Fridman described this interaction as one of the most powerful conversations he’s ever had. Previously hosting influential figures like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Donald Trump, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his podcast series, Fridman called Modi “one of the most fascinating human beings” he has studied.
The conversation provided rare insights into Prime Minister Modi’s personal beliefs and leadership philosophy while highlighting India’s evolving role on the global stage as a promoter of peace and cultural heritage.
