Washington, May 7
Recalling the days when he
used to sell tea in a railway coach as a child, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi says poverty in a way inspired him not to live for himself, but
for others.
An emotional Modi talks about his life's influences
in an exclusive interview with Time magazine for next week's cover
feature on "Why Modi Matters" with a picture of the prime minister in a
light saffron kurta and white churidars.
"The world needs India
to step up as a global power," Time says and asks: "One year in can
Prime Minister Narendra Modi deliver?"
Speaking mostly in Hindi,
Modi talked about everything from his ambitions for India to the global
war on terrorism to what personally moves him.
Asked what
influences him, Modi choked and teared up saying: "This touches my
deepest core. 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 household work 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 of my life. I decided that I would not
live for myself but would live for others," he was quoted as saying.
His biggest challenge on becoming the prime minister, Modi said, "was that I was new to the federal government structures.
"Different departments tend to work in silos. Each department 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."
Asked whether he
would like to have the kind of authoritarian power that China's leader
has, Modi said: "India is a democracy; it is in our DNA.
"So if
you were to ask me whether you need a dictatorship to run India, No,
you do not. Whether you need a powerful person who believes in
concentrating power, No, you do not," he said.
"If you were to
ask me to choose between democratic values and wealth, power,
prosperity and fame, I will very easily and without any doubt choose
democratic values."
Asserting that his "government will not
tolerate or accept any discrimination based on caste, creed and
religion," Modi told Time: "So far as the government is concerned,
there is only one holy book, which is the constitution of India.
"The
unity and the integrity of the country are the topmost priorities," he
said. "All religions and all communities have the same rights, and it
is my responsibility to ensure their complete and total protection.
"My
philosophy, the philosophy of my party and the philosophy of my
government is 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas' - Together with all, progress
for all."
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])
New York, May 7
Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi says poverty was the first inspiration in his life, triggering a
commitment "to do something for the poor".
Asked who had influenced him the most, Modi recalled his poverty-filled younger years in an interview to Time magazine.
"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 household work
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 of my life, a commitment to do something for the
poor," said Modi, who became the prime minister in May last year.
"I decided that I would not live for myself but would live for others and work for them.
"My
experience of growing up in poverty deeply impacted my childhood. Then,
at the age of 12 or 13, I started reading the works of Swami
Vivekananda.
"That gave me courage and a vision, it sharpened
and deepened my sensitivities and gave me a new perspective and a
direction in life.
"At the age of 15 or 16, I decided to dedicate myself to others and till date I am continuing to follow that decision," he said.
