“Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.”Rising from very humble beginnings, often mocked as a “chaiwallah” by the elitist opposition operating out of the “hallowed” and sanitised environs of the Delhi elitist Lutyens zone (aka Delhi Gymkhana Club), he reached the highest echelons of elected office without any generational wealth or support of a political dynasty. He led by example, surviving on bare minimum of sleep and other comforts of life, much to the consternation of his political rivals.One of the most important achievements of the PM’s 12 years in the seat of power has been the rise of India’s global image, and the narrative surrounding India as a country and as a people. When global interconnectivity is bringing nations much closer, both literally and figuratively, the international stature of a country is no longer only a function of its size, its military prowess, or even the number of its people. Rather, the narrative arising from its historical and intellectual contributions, and from its vision for the future, forms the building blocks and very foundations of its foreign policy.
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