Pm namo

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From Vadnagar to 7 RCR: Modi's amazing journey

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As a little child, no one expected him to rise the political ladder in such a startling manner. However, almost 65 years later, Narendra Modi will become the 14th prime minister of India.

His climb was not an easy one. From the small village of Vadnagar in Gujarat, he first joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and served the organisation. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1987 and was handed the tasks of carrying out rallies. He was one of the instrumental forces in ensuring that Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the prime minister in 1999.

Rediff.com tries to piece Modi’s life from childhood to the moment he grabbed headlines and showed promise of being the next prime minister -- the time he was elected as Gujarat’s chief minister for the first time in 2001.

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Narendra Damodardas Modi was born in September 1950 in Vadnagar, a small village in Gujarat. He was the third of the six children of Damodardas and Hiraba Modi. Modi’s father was a tea stall owner and quite often Narendra would accompany his father to work. However, at 17, he made the exceptional decision of leaving home and travelling the country.

His family was shocked by the decision, but let him go. He travelled to the Himalayas, to West Bengal and even the north-east.

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Inspired by his various travel experiences, Narendra joined the RSS. His first job at the organisation was to mop the floor at the RSS headquarters in Ahmedabad. He then met Laxmanrao Inamdar, also known as Vakil Saheb, who soon became his greatest inspiration. Modi says he was enamoured by Vakil Saheb’s oratory skills.

In 1972, Modi became a pracharak, dedicating his entire life to the organisation and service. He worked hard, waking at 5 am and accomplishing difficult tasks late into the night.

In 1973, he also got the opportunity to meet senior Jan Sangh members.

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In 1971, Indira Gandhi swept to power. However, the euphoria soon died away and dreams fizzled out owing to the rampant corruption. Amid all the discontent, Indira Gandhi in 1975 promulgated the Emergency. Democracy was under attack, freedom of the press was muzzled. Senior opposition leaders such as L K Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee were arrested.

Modi was at the core of the anti-Emergency movement. He became the general secretary of the Gujarat Lok Sangharsh Samiti and his primary role was to coordinate between activists in the state. It is said that to avoid arrests and the government’s ire, Modi began disguising himself -- dressed as a Sikh one day, an elderly man another day.

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