Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Modi recounts self-discovery solo jungle trips

Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi has claimed that he used to spend days "reflecting" alone in the jungle, in a new interview seeking to burnish his religious credentials as tough elections loom.

Modi, who secured a landslide poll victory in 2014, has long touted the remarkable backstory that saw him rise from humble origins as the son of a tea seller to become India's devout Hindu leader.


His nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took office after tapping into the country's strong Hindu faith and conservative traditions, personified in the 68-year-old premier.

Modi shared further details of his hardscrabble life on Tuesday (22), telling the popular Humans of Bombay Facebook page that he regularly left home to seek solitude during the Hindu festival Diwali.

"Not many people know this, but I would go away for the five days... somewhere in a jungle," Modi said.

"I would pack enough food to last for those five days. I would reflect... People often asked me, 'Who are you going to meet?' And I would say, 'To meet myself'."

Modi also spoke candidly about his early life, saying he grew up with "a great need to look sharp and groomed" despite his family's meagre earnings.

"Even though we couldn't afford an iron, I would heat some coal, use an old 'lota' (rounded vessel)... This was the beginning of everything that I am today and I didn't even know it at the time," he said.

Modi has used his simple origins to contrast himself with Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has dominated Indian politics for decades, who is leading a resurgent opposition to polls expected by May.

The prime minister has been a champion of Hinduism and Indian culture, last year publicising the yoga exercises he said were key to his fitness regimen.

But Tuesday's interview drew a mixed reaction from readers, with praise for Modi's "inspiring" story tempered by critics.

"I thought this platform was for genuine people and genuine stories. Why the sudden need for this political propaganda," wrote one user.

(AFP)

More For You

Air India

The Amritsar-Birmingham and Amritsar-London Gatwick routes will each increase from three to four weekly flights, while Ahmedabad-London Gatwick will go from three to five weekly flights.

Air India to increase flights between UK and India from March 30

AIR INDIA will increase flight frequencies on key routes as part of its Northern Summer schedule, effective 30 March 2025.

In the UK, the airline will add three more flights on the Delhi-London Heathrow route, increasing from 21 to 24 weekly flights using a mix of A350-900 and upgraded B787-9 aircraft.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pablo-Escobar-merchandise-Getty

Escobar, killed by security forces in 1993, remains a figure of global interest, with his image appearing on souvenirs like T-shirts, mugs, and keychains. (Photo: Getty Images)

Colombia considers ban on Pablo Escobar merchandise

COLOMBIA’s Congress is considering a bill that would ban the sale of merchandise featuring drug lord Pablo Escobar and other convicted criminals.

The proposed law aims to curb the glorification of Escobar, who was responsible for thousands of deaths during his time leading the Medellín cartel, reported BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less
Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Polls show most Britons back assisted dying, with supporters calling for the law to reflect public opinion.

Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Eastern Eye

THE proposed new assisted dying law for terminally ill people will be amended to remove the requirement that a high court judge sign off on each case, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater said on Tuesday (11).

Opponents of assisted dying said the change would weaken the safeguards around protecting vulnerable people from being coerced or pressured into taking their own lives.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Malkinson

Malkinson, 59, has been struggling financially since his release and has been on universal credit for 19 months. (Photo: X/@NotThatBigIan)

Wrongful rape conviction: Andrew Malkinson to get 'significant' compensation

ANDREW MALKINSON, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, will receive a six-figure interim compensation payment from the Ministry of Justice.

The payment comes more than a year after his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in July 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

The assessment will shape structural reforms and examine protections for property rights and foreign investments

IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

Eastern Eye

A TECHNICAL team from the International Monetary Fund met Pakistan’s chief justice Yahya Afridi on Tuesday (11) to conduct a Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment under the 2024 Extended Fund Facility programme.

The IMF team is in the country for a week-long trip to scrutinise the judicial and regulatory framework tackling governance and corruption as part of a £5.6 billion loan agreed last year.

Keep ReadingShow less