Modi’s learning curve that shot him into the winners’ orbit

New Delhi: Your learning curve determines your success. Those who created history are the ones who turned life into a school of learning. ‘I went, I saw, and I conquered,’ said Caesar, summarising his life. ‘I saw the crown of France lying in the gutter; and I picked it up with my sword,’ said Napoleon, epitomising the story of his success.     

A thousand children may have been born the world over on September 17, 1950. Perhaps, the one born in Vadnagar (Gujarat) had the least probability of scripting his own success story. He was a grocer’s child, belonging to a backward community of oil pressers.     

The trade that he choose by economic compulsion offered no scope for meteoric rise: as a boy and teenager, he ran a tea stall with his brother near a bus terminal. But he learned at every job a thing or two that propelled him to a future career.

At the age of eight, he learned discipline and dedication from RSS, which became the corner-stone of his personality. In a world where people marry fame and fortune, he had no such luck. At the age of 13, he was engaged to a girl, whom he married when he was 18. They spent little time together as Modi decided to pursue an itinerant life.

Then he entered a phase of spiritual quest that took him to Ramakrishna Mission ashram in Rajkot and Swami Vivekananda ashram in Almora, in the Himalayan foothills.

Two years later, he worked in a tea stall run by his uncle in Ahmedabad, and later in the staff canteen of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation until he became a full–time pracharak of the RSS in 1970.

Modi formally entered politics in 1985 with the BJP, and quickly gained a reputation as a talented orator and a workaholic, campaigning for the BJP in several elections.

After Shankarsingh Vaghela left BJP, Keshubhai Patel was made Chief Minister and Modi became General Secretary of the party in Delhi. Weak handling of the effects of the Bhuj Earthquake in 2001 prompted BJP’s national leaders to seek a new candidate as chief minister.  

Initially, the BJP top brass was considering him for deputy CM’s post, but since he refused, writing to L K Advani and Prime Minister Vajpayee, stating that he was either “going to be fully responsible for Gujarat or not at all”.

On the job, he learned one thing: the difference between a successful chief minister and an unsuccessful chief minister. His predecessors were unsuccessful and hence were removed. He understood that investment is a critical element in the success story of any state. So he went whole hog to invite investment: he travelled to China, Japan and many other countries. His creative approach of Vibrant Gujarat: Global Investors’ Summit 2003 organised during Navratri caught on the imagination of NRIs of the Gujarati community.

He may not have read many books; but he reads people and situations intelligently, which is a winning trait in his personality. He is a good judge of men; and he has a vision of India that he sells as a dream. The art of selling which he learned early from his trade, and his oratorical and histrionic skills helped him demolish the leviathan called UPA II. He owes his success to none but himself – to his indefatigable energy and leadership qualities.