Why NaMo is different

How many countries can boast of a Prime Minister who wishes an unknown common citizen on his/her birthday ? India can. For the past three years, I have received birthday greetings from our Prime Minister, just because I am registered on his app. I know it’s technology that enables it, I know Mr, Modi doesn’t know me and he doesn’t wish me personally, but just the thought of using technology to create a personal connect is much appreciated. Even friends tend to forget birthdays and use Facebook and LinkedIn or a calendar as a reminder.

I don’t care about political affiliations, and the politics behind all this… I feel thrilled to see my PM greeting me on my birthday. I was jumping around like a little kid when I received the first card in 2016.

I have been to the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya and was thrilled to see this subtle marketing of our historical/spiritual site.

Then in 2017 I got Mr. Modi’s wishes with the Thiruvalluvar statue at Rock memorial, in KanyaKumari. This is the place (rock) where Swami Vivekananda sat and meditated. Well we have been there several times and the last time was in 2008 with my Appa and Amma.

This year I thought I didn’t get his wishes and was a little disappointed, but the technology worked just fine and I had got the e-card. I had missed seeing it.

This time it was the Ajanta Caves … which I visited last in 1985 during a school trip. This was the trip where Bhagya’s mom, who was also one of the teachers accompanying us, had made dhoklas for breakfast and I ate dhoklas for the first time.

Here’s the deal – whatever politics is involved in NaMo work, this man is truly a master communicator and a die hard patriot. We can argue about some of his schemes and ideas that may not have gone too well, but he has turned the negative scam-ridden image of India into a positive clean image. He is a marketing genius and more importantly focuses on execution. All great strategies die at the stage of execution. The Jan-dhan yojana, the Swachh Bharat abhiyaan, the Ujjwala yojana, the MUDRA Yojana, the engagement with the rest of the world, the infrastructure push, the electricity surplus situation, the transparency in the auctioning process, the digital push and the master stroke of the Padma awards being given to unknown “greats” … Just a few things that he has done exceptionally well. There is a lot more to be done, no doubt… but also see what he has managed to achieve in just four years and how much was looted in the CONgress regime.

My vote is for Narendra Modi just for the fact that he puts India first, he isn’t lining his pockets with my money and he isn’t “handing” over my country to his son/daughter or any relation like the wonderful CONgress party has been for 67 years.

Thank you PM for your birthday wishes. Made me feel special.