Narendra Modi became the 15th Prime Minister of India following the 2014 Indian general elections. On December 9, 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was selected as Person of the Year by the readers of *TIME* magazine, reflecting his growing global prominence and domestic political influence.

Narendra Modi was born on September 17, 1950, in Vadnagar, India, as the son of Heeraben Modi and Damodardas Mulchand Modi. He was one of six children in a family where his father worked as a mobile tea vendor at a railway station. His full name is Narendra Damodardas Modi. During his childhood, he helped his family by selling tea at railway stations while continuing his primary education.

In his youth, Narendra Modi joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an organization known as the ideological backbone of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and rooted in Hindu nationalist thought. While working at a railway station canteen, he pursued higher education externally and earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Delhi in 1978. He later completed a master’s degree in Political Science from Gujarat University in 1983. Prior to his final election campaign, he also spent three months in the United States studying public relations and image management.

India, which gained independence from the British Empire on July 18, 1947, had been governed for four generations by the Gandhi family. Narendra Modi rose to power by ending this long-standing political dominance and emerged as the country’s new prime minister.

Narendra Modi is the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and adheres to the Hindu faith. Rising rapidly within the party, he was appointed Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat in 2001 following state elections. Under his leadership, Gujarat developed into a major industrial hub. However, his administration faced severe criticism from the Indian National Congress Party and Muslim groups over the 2002 Hindu–Muslim riots in Gujarat, during which the government was accused of failing to take adequate security measures to protect Muslim citizens.

Numerous legal cases were filed against Narendra Modi and his government in connection with the 2002 events. While some members of his cabinet were convicted and imprisoned, Modi himself did not receive a criminal sentence. Due to allegations of religious discrimination, several Western countries, including the United States, denied him visas for many years.

The Bharatiya Janata Party nominated Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, as its candidate for prime minister ahead of the general elections scheduled for May 2014. The Indian general elections were held between April 7 and May 12, 2014, with results announced on May 16, 2014. As a result, Narendra Modi was elected as the 15th Prime Minister of India.

In his personal life, Narendra Modi was married at the age of 13 through a traditional arranged engagement, similar to childhood betrothal practices. His formal marriage took place when he was 18 years old. In 1968, he married Jashodaben Modi. The couple later separated, and Modi has since lived a largely ascetic personal life.

A strict vegetarian, Narendra Modi is also known for his distinctive lifestyle and disciplined habits. For many years, he has chosen to dress exclusively from a single clothing store in Ahmedabad called Jade of Blue. Over the course of his career, Narendra Modi has remained one of the most influential and polarizing figures in modern Indian politics.

Source: Biyografiler.com