Year 2022 was very special for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 2022 added glory to PM Modi’s rising fame. It was a challenging year for him but he overcame all the odds. Pushing vaccination, reviving the Covid-affected economy, winning crucial elections, including a poll in his home state Gujarat and dealing with defiant China on the border front were among the top challenges. As PM Modi is known to conquer difficulties in his own style, he mastered all the tasks in 2022. PM Modi sailed through all the odds successfully raising his own bars. He powered his party- Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) to win 5 out of 7 states in the elections. Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat elections were the litmus test for the ‘Modi-wave’. But, the historic victories of BJP in both politically high-stakes states once again manifested the dominance of ‘Modi-magic’. Meanwhile, PM Modi’s unique way to reach out common people saw another dimension in 2022. The outgoing year witnessed some heartwarming incidents in which PM Modi showed why people love him so much. Here, we outlined 10 such incidents which can be seen as a sum up of the year for PM Modi.
1. PM Modi at tea stall: On March 5 during poll campaign, PM Modi made a surprise visit to famous Pappu Chaiwala stall in Varanasi and enjoyed ‘kulhad’ tea. After offering prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, PM Modi’s fleet headed to Banaras Hindu University. But, on reaching Assi area, PM Modi came out of his vehicle and made a surprise visit to a tea stall. The tea seller Pappu was awe-struck as he sserved tea to the prime minister at his own stall. He fell short of words when Modi appeared at his stall and enjoyed a cup of tea. PM Modi chatted with Pappu enquiring about his well-being during sipping the tea.
2. PM Modi in classroom: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 19 attended class with students in Gandhinagar. He spent some time in the classroom with kids during the launch of Mission Schools Of Excellence. Later at the launch evening, PM Modi said 5G will take the country's education system to next level.
3. PM Modi with Xi Jinping: Prime Minister Narendra Modi shook hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping and spoke briefly at a formal dinner for G20 leaders in Bali on November 15. It was their first face-to-face encounter in public since the violent military clash in Galwan Valley over two years ago. The brief meeting was a surprise and brought hope for the de-escalation of tension along India-China border. But, such hope was short-lived as government termed it just an exchange of pleasantries.
4. PM Modi to Putin: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of a few global leaders who indeed made efforts to end the ongoing brutal Ukraine-Russia war. PM Modi did speak to both warring Presidents- Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Vladimir Putin pressing solution through dialogue and diplomatic channels. On one occasion PM Modi publicly urged President Putin to stop the war. On September 16, PM Modi told Putin that 'today's era is not of a war'. Both leaders met on the sidelines of a regional security bloc summit in Uzbekistan. PM Modi’s bold remark in front of Putin garnered praise from all corners.
5. Morbi visit: On 30 October 2022 a suspension bridge over river in Morbi, Gujarat collapsed claiming 135 lives and leaving several people injured. Two days later, PM Modi visits the Morbi bridge collapse site and reviewed the search and rescue operations. He also visited the hospital and met the victims. During that time, intense poll campaigns were underway in Gujarat. Ignoring fears of people’s anger and criticism by opponents, PM Modi, showing real leadership visited the city and met families of victims and shared their pain.
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6. Ahmedabad roadshows: During Gujarat poll campaign for his Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi held two mega roadshows in Ahmedabad. On December 1, he carried out a 50-km long mega roadshow from Naroda Gam to Gandhinagar South constituency. The second roadshow was on the next day- December 2. It was 10-km long. The marathon roadshows were seen as game-changer ahead of second phase voting. The historic victory in which his party won record 156 seats was a testimony of the success of his roadshows. Charged people along the roadsides seen chanting ‘Modi-Modi’ during the unseen poll campaigning by the PM.
7. Modi’s prayers: PM Modi was seen at Hindu temples offering prayers on several occasions. His adorable videos of performing rituals in traditional attires won the internet. He offered prayers at the famous Kedarnath and Badrinath temples in Uttarakhand and laid the foundation stone for the Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project on October 21. He dressed in traditional Uttarakhandi clothes. On October 11, PM Modi performed puja at Lord Mahakal temple, Ujjain. Attired in a white dhoti, PM Modi entered the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Mahakal temple and offered prayers.
8. Modi’s love for Cheetah: On September 17, PM Modi released cheetahs flown in from Namibia into a special enclosure at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh. With a camera on his hands and donning cowboy hat, PM Modi was seen in safari-style during the event.
9. G20 presidency: It was indeed a proud moment when PM Modi was handed over the presidency of G20 by Indonesian President Joko Widodo amid a round of applause in Bali. The Group of 20 (G-20) is an alliance of major economies of the world. India officially assumed the presidency from December 1.
10. Son Modi: PM Modi on June 18 morning visited his mother Heeraben Modi in Gandhinagar on the occasion of her 100th birthday. PM Modi tweeted a blog post in which he penned his thoughts expressing joy and gratitude for his mother. He also recalled his father saying had his father been alive, he would have completed his centenary in 2022.
