21 lesser known facts about PM Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi's journey from a being a foot-soildier of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh to the occupant of India's most powerful chair - The Prime Minister of India is a fascinating tale. PM Modi turns 69 today and he has a record mandate. His 100-days in Modi 2.0 Sarkar has also been a roller-coaster. From being a three-time Gujarat Chief Minister to India's PM, Modi has made it count. He has attended election rallies within hours of returning from a foreign trip. But we won't talk about his political achievements today.

IndiaTvNews.com brings to you some lesser-known facts about Narendra Modi as a child, his growing up days and his political journey so far. Take a read and do send in your comments if you think we have missed out on something interesting about Prime Minister Modi. 

• Born to a Gujarati family in Vadnagar, Modi used to help his father sell tea as a child.
• When eight years old, Modi discovered the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and began attending its local shakhas (training sessions). There, Modi met Lakshmanrao Inamdar, popularly known as Vakil Saheb
• Lakshman Rao Inamdar inducted him as a balswayamsevak (junior cadet) in the RSS and became his political mentor.
• It was Lakshman Rao Inamdar who inducted him to the RSS. 
• Narendra Modi once volunteered for Congress event led by leader Rasikbhai Dave in Vadnagar as Balyaswayamsevak (child volunteer). Initially, Dave was not willing to involve Modi for the event citing that what such a small kid could do in a political event following this, Narendra convinced him that he would sell or distribute badges for the Congress and raise funds in lieu of it.

• When Modi was 12, his mother had shown his horoscope to an astrologer who predicted that either he will become a king or a great saint like Sankaracharya. One night he left his home for the Himalayas as the life of monks and saints fantasized him. He spent two years in the Himalayan caves as a monk before he met another monk who asked him the reason for wandering in the Himalayas. 
• Narendra Modi is a firm follower of Swami Vivekananda and has read many books on Swami Vivekananda.

• As a young man, Narendra Modi gave up eating salt, oil and even chillies. He prefers to eat 'Satvik Bhojan' (vegetarian diet) to keep his metabolism and health intact. 
• After the war of 1971, Narendra Modi stopped working for his uncle and became a full-time pracharak (campaigner) for the RSS.
• During the emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi, Modi was forced to go into hiding.
• Narendra Modi has also written a book in Gujarati, Sangharsh Ma Gujarat (In The Struggles of Gujarat), sequencing events during 1975 Emergency.
• The RSS assigned Modi to the BJP in 1985.
• Narendra Modi became a member of BJP's National Election Committee in 1990.Modi played a key role in organising LK Advani's 1990 Ram Rath Yatra. Later he also played a crucial role in Murli Manohar Joshi's 1991–92 Ekta Yatra (Journey for Unity).

• Those were the days when BJP as a party was expanding its base across the country. 

• Modi has often described visiting Hindu ashrams founded by Swami Vivekananda: the Belur Math near Kolkata, followed by the Advaita Ashrama in Almora and the Ramakrishna Mission in Rajkot.

• In 2001, Keshubhai Patel's failing health forced BJP to look for a suitable replacement. Narendra Modi was chosen to be the new CM of Gujarat. Development became the focal point of Narendra Modi's agenda. 

• In 2007 Modi authored Karmayog, a 101-page booklet discussing manual scavenging. In it, Modi argued that scavenging was a "spiritual experience" for Valmiki, a sub-caste of Dalits.

• Modi opened the gates for the private sector in Gujarat. His focus remained on infrastructure development. 

• Modi is the second most followed leader on Twitter, after former US President Barak Obama, accounting more than 50 million followers.

• In September 2013 Modi was named the BJP's candidate for prime minister in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

• Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India on 26 May 2014. Rest they say is history...

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