Man of the MOMENT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75 on September 17, just over a year into his historic third consecutive term-an achievement unmatched since first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. INDIA TODAY takes a look at the making of 'Brand Modi', one of contemporary India's defining political stories

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EARLY YEARS

1950: Born on September 17 in Vadnagar, Gujarat, to a family that ran a tea stall. From an early age, Modi displays an interest in debate and public life. As a teenager, he leaves home, spending years travelling across India, living an austere life

SANGH SCHOOLING

1972: Modi joins the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as a pracharak. It provides him a training ground in ideology and discipline that would later define his politics

BUILDING BASE IN THE BJP

1987: Joins the BJP, initially managing campaigns in Gujarat, where his organisational skills stand out. Plays pivotal roles in L.K. Advani's 1990 Somnath-Ayodhya Rath Yatra and the 1991-92 Ekta Yatra, hoisting the tricolour at Srinagar's Lal Chowk

THE GUJARAT MODEL

2003: Post-2002, Modi recasts himself as a pro-business reformer—streamlining approvals, promoting industrial corridors and accelerating infrastructure

GODHRA BLOT

2002: In Feb., the burning of a train in Godhra triggers riots across Gujarat, leaving over 1,000 dead. Modi's govt faces allegations of inaction. The Supreme Court clears his name

BECOMES GUJARAT CM

2001: Appointed chief minister in October after the devastating Kutch earthquake, replacing Keshubhai Patel