It is a tough task when one wants to acknowledge and capture the works of a great leader, whose 20 glorious years of governance, first as a chief minister and then as the prime minister, have empowered the country and its people to look beyond a ‘New India’. An India which is not only a global economic and social powerhouse, but also a beacon of hope and unity, leading with the principles of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’.
Today, we are on a transformative path, and it is needless to say that it has been carefully laid by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on the tenets of inclusivity, empowerment, transparency, reforms, wellbeing, and democracy.
‘Modi@20, Dreams Meet Delivery’ is a guide to his journey in which he has impacted citizens from every walk of life and has worked tirelessly to what we now know as a resurgent India.
Carefully compiled with chapters by subject-matter experts, eminent professionals and personalities, and intellectuals, the book has governance as its fulcrum.
And, interestingly, it’s five main sections too represent the pillars of governance – People First, Politics of Unity and Development, Jan Dhan: An Economy for Everyone, A New Paradigm in Governance and Vasudaiva Kutumbakam: India and the World.
It is a fact that India today stands tall globally among other nations with pride and head held high. During my days as a youth, I do not recall any instance where I could say India stands tall in the global arena.
To add, during the 90s and the 2000s, the country was hit by one scandal after another, frustrating citizens with the complete lack of good governance.
From those days to now, it is like a fresh breath of air the country had never experienced! Clearly, the future generations will need to understand India’s political landscape and history in the pre-Modi and post-Modi eras. The two are as distinct as black and white.
PM Narendra Modi has ushered winds of sweeping changes across the country that have touched the lives of every Indian – be it urban or rural for the better.
Naysayers and critics will always be quick to drub this book as propaganda and the easiest thing to do for a party in power. But it is high time such people had a rethink and read the book in totality to understand the depth and diversity of information and how anecdotal the book is.
Releasing the book, our Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said emphatically that even those who are the detractors of our Prime Minister agree that he is a “phenomenon.”
From scoffing and ridiculing the ‘Modi Model of development’ two decades ago, experts, analysts, and even some of his detractors view it with awe and appreciation. We have transformed from an eternally developing nation to a nation on the path of development and inclusivity. As our External Affairs Minister Shri S Jaishankar puts it in the book, “One of the shifts that PM Modi brought into Indian foreign policy is its focus on leveraging external relationships for domestic development.”
Such achievements and accolades that one receives are not chance coincidences. It is to the credit of our leader, who has consistently masterminded and tirelessly executed the plan.
‘Modi@20, Dreams Meet Delivery’ is a must-read for everyone to understand the thought and strategy behind our country’s transformation. It helps to put things in perspective. The book is not one person’s narrative. It is an anthology that has drawn the best minds to come together and share their views, anecdotes, and factual analysis. Read to know your country today. Read to understand and appreciate your Prime Minister better.
(The article has been authored by Dr Ashwathnarayan C.N. He is the Minister for Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka).