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COVER STORY                                                      SEPTEMBER 26, 2025        |  The Indian Eye                    5



        munal tensions, surveys consistently                                                                  ders or in cities where start-ups credit
        show him as the preferred choice for                                                                  Digital India for their growth, Modi is
        Prime Minister by a wide margin. His                                                                  often seen as the face of opportunity.
        appeal cuts across urban and rural di-                                                                    Critics argue that this cult of per-
        vides, bolstered by schemes that touch                                                                sonality overshadows institutions and
        everyday lives—whether it is free ra-                                                                 reduces politics to a one-man show.
        tion under PM Garib Kalyan Anna                                                                       Yet, for his supporters, it is precisely
        Yojana or digital transfers to farmers.                                                               this centrality that ensures stability and
        At 75, Modi appears far from a leader                                                                 direction. The birthday celebrations
        in twilight; instead, he projects the im-                                                             became another reminder that Modi’s
        age of an indispensable figure at the                                                                 personal brand  continues to convert
        peak of his powers.                                                                                   into electoral strength for the BJP.


         A GLOBAL CHORUS OF PRAISE                                                                                   RESPECT ABROAD
             erhaps the most striking feature                                                                       t 75, questions about succes-
             of Modi’s 75th birthday was the                                                                        sion naturally arise, but Modi
        Pflood of international greetings.                                                                    Ashows no signs of slowing down.
        Rarely has an Indian leader received   People offer traditional Kashmiri Kawa during a celebration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s   His ability to engage Trump, Putin,
        such attention from across competing           birthday at Lal Chowk, in Srinagar on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)  and von der Leyen in the same week
        global blocs. US President Donald                                                                     demonstrates his agility in navigating
        Trump described Modi as “my friend”   nary citizens. BJP cadres went door   ounce  of  energy” to  achieving  a  de-  geopolitics. At home, he continues to
        and praised his “strong leadership” in   to door, distributing sweets, sharing   veloped India by 2047, linking his own   command the BJP with an iron grip,
        navigating the Ukraine crisis. Russian   pamphlets, and promoting Modi’s   longevity with the nation’s long-term   leaving little space for challengers.
        President  Vladimir  Putin  reaffirmed   vision  for  Viksit  Bharat  2047.  Social   journey.            Modi’s trajectory contrasts sharp-
        the enduring partnership between   media campaigns trended throughout   For many supporters, Modi is   ly with that of past Indian leaders.
        Moscow and New Delhi, while Euro-  the day, with hashtags celebrating his   more than a political leader; he is a   Jawaharlal Nehru symbolized India’s
        pean Commission President Ursula   achievements dominating online dis-  symbol of discipline, self-reliance, and   post-independence idealism, Indira
        von der Leyen sent her own message   course.                        resilience. His carefully cultivated im-  Gandhi projected raw political pow-
        of congratulations, underscoring the   What distinguishes Modi is his   age—working long hours, maintain-  er, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee brought
        EU’s deepening ties with India.   ability to merge personal milestones   ing personal austerity, and connecting   poetic moderation to the right wing.
            From Israel’s Benjamin Netanya-                                                                   Modi,  however,  combines  elements
        hu to Australia’s Anthony Albanese,   with collective aspirations. His birth-  directly with citizens through Mann   of all three: the vision of Nehru, the
                                          day was framed not as an occasion of
                                                                            Ki Baat—has created a bond that ri-
        from  Bhutan’s King  Jigme  Khesar   private joy but as a call for renewed   vals struggle to match. Whether in   authority of Indira, and the oratory of
        Namgyel Wangchuck to leaders in Afri-  national  purpose.  In  his  message,   villages  where  women  beneficiaries   Vajpayee, infused with a 21st-century
        ca and the Caribbean, messages poured   Modi promised to dedicate “every   of Ujjwala Yojana receive LPG cylin-  brand of nationalism.
        in. The most spectacular tribute came                                                                     His  birthday  reaffirmed  this  im-
        from Dubai, where the Burj Khalifa                                                                    age. Supporters portrayed him as the
        lit up with Modi’s portrait, a dazzling                                                               leader who would guide India toward
        display that symbolized the Prime                                                                     its centenary of independence in
        Minister’s popularity in the Gulf and                                                                 2047, completing the journey to Viksit
        the strength of India-UAE relations.                                                                  Bharat. Detractors warned against
            This  chorus  of  praise  reflects                                                                the dangers of personality cults and
        more than personal goodwill; it signals                                                               the  shrinking  space  for  dissent. Yet,
        India’s  growing  leverage in  a  multi-                                                              both sides agreed on one point: Na-
        polar world. Under Modi, India has                                                                    rendra Modi is the defining figure of
        positioned itself as a balancing power,                                                               contemporary India.
        maintaining ties with Washington while                                                                    Internationally, his leadership
        deepening energy and defense cooper-                                                                  has given India visibility far beyond
        ation with Moscow. His active diplo-                                                                  its borders. Whether it is chairing the
        macy—seen in forums like the  G20,                                                                    G20, shaping climate negotiations, or
        BRICS, and Quad—has made India a                                                                      managing ties with competing powers,
        sought-after partner on issues ranging                                                                Modi has ensured that India is no lon-
        from supply chains to climate change.                                                                 ger a peripheral player but a central
            By turning Modi’s birthday into a                                                                 actor in global affairs. Domestically,
        moment of international recognition,                                                                  his grip on politics remains so strong
        global leaders also acknowledged the                                                                  that elections often appear less about
        inevitability of engaging with India on                                                               the BJP as an organization and more
        its own terms. It is not just the leader                                                              about Modi as an individual.
        who is being celebrated but the rising                                                                    As India moves closer to 2047,
        clout of a nation that he represents.                                                                 the message from Modi’s 75th birth-
                                                                                                              day was clear: this is not a leader in re-
         POPULARITY AMONG PEOPLE                                                                              treat but one still setting the agenda at
                                                                                                              home and abroad. His towering pres-
           f foreign leaders highlighted In-  Sand artist Sudarshan Pattniak creates a sand sculpture with the message ‘Bharat Ki Udaan   ence defines the political moment, en-
           dia’s global standing, domestic   Modi Ji Ke Saath’ on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday celebra-  suring that for now, Narendra Modi
        Icelebrations underscored Mo-             tions at Puri beach, in Puri on Wednesday (@sudarsansand X/ANI Photo)  remains unmatched, unchallenged,
        di’s enduring connection with ordi-                                                                   and unavoidable.


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