When Modi met Barack

I had the chance to listen to a special edition of Mann ki Baat last night. It featured the US President Barack Obama with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I had never heard Mann ki Baat before but this was a historic broadcast. The two leaders opened their hearts to the world in this 30 minute interaction where they answered interesting and intimate questions posed by the people of India. Listening to the two leaders brought a smile to my lips and also kindled a lot of hope about what truly is possible.

A man asked Modi about an old photograph of his clicked outside the White House when he went there as a tourist and what touched him on his visit to the US in September last year. Modi answered, "It is true that when I first went to America, I was not lucky enough to visit the White House. There is an iron fence far from the White House. We stood outside the fence and took a photograph. White House is visible in the background. Now that I have become Prime Minister, that photo too has become popular. But at that time, I had never thought that sometime in my life, I would get a chance to visit the White House. But when I visited the White House, one thing touched my heart. I can never forget that. Barack gave me a book, a book that he had located after considerable effort. That book had become famous in 1894. Swami Vivekananda, the inspiration of my life, had gone to Chicago to participate in the World Religions Conference. And this book was a compilation of the speeches delivered at the World Religions Conference. That touched my heart. And not just this. He turned the pages of the book, and showed me what was written there. He had gone through the entire book! And he told me with pride, I come from the Chicago where Swami Vivekananda had come. These words touched my heart a lot. And I will treasure this throughout my life. So once, standing far from the White House and taking a photo, and then, to visit the White House, and to receive a book on someone whom I respect. You can imagine, how it would have touched my heart."

And Obama added by saying, "And it is interesting, Mr. Prime Minister, your talking about the first time you visited White House and being outside that iron fence. The same is true for me. When I first went to the White House, I stood outside that same fence, and looked in, and I certainly did not imagine that I would ever be visiting there, much less living there. You know, I think both of us have been blessed with an extraordinary opportunity, coming from relatively humble beginnings. And when I think about what’s best in America and what’s best in India, the notion that a tea seller or somebody who’s born to a single mother like me, could end up leading our countries, is an extraordinary example of the opportunities that exist within our countries. "

When you listen to politicians, you are a little wary as to what you should and should not believe. You have your favourite leaders and not so favourite leaders. And I am sure that not everyone likes Modi in our country or not everyone loves Obama back in his country. But these two leaders have the gift of being able to connect with the masses in a way that very few leaders can. Obama was asked what made him feel better at the end of a bad day at work. Obama said, "The only problems that come to my desk are the ones that nobody else solves. If they were easy questions, then somebody else would have solved them before they reached me. So there are days when it’s tough and frustrating. And that’s true in Foreign Affairs. That is true in Domestic Affairs. But I tell you what inspires me, and I don’t know Mr. Prime Minister if you share this view – almost every day I meet somebody who tells me, “You made a difference in my life.”

So they’ll say, “The Health-Care law that you passed, saved my child who didn’t have health insurance.” And they were able to get an examination from a Physician, and they caught an early tumour, and now he is doing fine.

Or they will say “You helped me save my home during the economic crisis.”

Or they’ll say, “I couldn’t afford college, and the program you set up has allowed me to go to the university.”

And sometimes they are thanking you for things that you did four or five years ago. Sometimes they are thanking you for things you don’t even remember, or you’re not thinking about that day. But it is a reminder of what you said earlier, which is, if you focus on getting things done as opposed to just occupying an office or maintaining power, then the satisfaction that you get is unmatched. And the good thing about service is that anybody can do it. If you are helping somebody else, the satisfaction that you can get from that, I think, exceeds anything else that you can do. And that’s usually what makes me inspired to do more, and helps get through the challenges and difficulties that we all have. Because obviously we are not the only people with bad days at work. I think everybody knows what it is like to have a bad day at work. You just have to keep on working through it. Eventually you make a difference."

Responding to the question of whether he ever thought that he would become India’s Prime Minister, PM Modi said, "No. I never imagined it. Because, as Barack said, I come from a very ordinary family. But for a long time, I have been telling everyone, never dream of becoming something. If you wish to dream, dream of doing something. When we do something, we get satisfaction, and also get inspiration to do something new. If we only dream of becoming something, and cannot fulfil the dream, then we only get disappointed. And therefore, I never dreamt of becoming something. Even today, I have no dream of becoming something. But I do dream of doing something."

Modi called Benjamin Franklin his favourite American leader. He said, "I got an opportunity to read the biography of Benjamin Franklin. He lived in the eighteenth century. And he was not an American President. But his biography is so inspiring – how a person can intelligently try to change his life.

If we feel excessively sleepy, how can we reduce that?

If we feel like eating too much, how can we work towards eating less?

If people get upset with you that cannot meet them, because of the pressure of work, then how to solve this problem?

He has addressed such issues in his biography. And I tell everyone, we should read Benjamin Franklin’s biography. Even today, it inspires me. And Benjamin Franklin had a multi-dimensional personality. He was a politician, he was a political scientist, he was a social worker, he was a diplomat. And he came from an ordinary family. He could not even complete his education. But till today, his thoughts have an impact on American life. I find his life truly inspiring. And I tell you too, if you read his biography, you will find ways to transform your life too. And he has talked about simple things. So I feel you will be inspired as much as I have been."

I think that there was a lot of inspiration to gain from the radio broadcast between the two leaders. 

Himani from Ludhiana asked Modi if he had ever imagined that he would reach such a high office. Modi responded by saying, "No. I never imagined it. Because, as Barack said, I come from a very ordinary family. But for a long time, I have been telling everyone, never dream of becoming something. If you wish to dream, dream of doing something. When we do something, we get satisfaction, and also get inspiration to do something new. If we only dream of becoming something, and cannot fulfil the dream, then we only get disappointed. And therefore, I never dreamt of becoming something. Even today, I have no dream of becoming something. But I do dream of doing something."

What I like about Narendra Modi, our Prime Minister, is his constant attempt to reach out to the people of India, to connect with the masses. Even though he occupies the highest office in the country, he has not stopped interacting with the people who got him there in the first place. Although some of us may differ with him or his party, we can all say that he is representing India well at the moment domestically as well as internationally.

As for Barack Obama, all I can say is that the more you listen to him, the more he fills you with confidence not just in him but more so in yourself. And that is what great leaders do. They fill you with hope not just in them but more importantly in yourself. 

His second visit to India has now come to an end. The visit has strengthened the Indo-US ties like never before. The personal camaraderie between Modi and Obama have played a crucial role in the same. Here is hoping that the friendship continues and only grows from here onwards.