KEYWORDS: India, Narendra Modi, Indian Diaspora, Madison Square Garden
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This may be old news: in May India elected its 15th Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. His party, the centre-right Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP, bills itself as "The Party With a Difference." An unoriginal slogan it might be yet it does manage to draw attention to its rivals' failings - perceived or actual. During the last election cycle, the BJP's main rival was the legendary Indian National Congress Party (recently led by Rahul Gandhi, grandson of former PM Indira Gandhi). While the BJP's history is not as storied - in fact, it's been rather sordid - it has steadily built both its political brand and voter base since its inception in 1980. Indeed, under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the party was twice rewarded with the "top job," first in 1996 (short-lived) and then again in 2004. With Modi's election, the BJP celebrates its third major political victory in a history spanning nearly four decades. This time round, however, saffron may still be fashionable, but India's atmosphere is palpably different. And, it's not just resident Indians who've taken notice.
Today, India's population exceeds 1 billion; the middle-class is growing steadily; the information technology industry is highly coveted; and foreign direct investment (FDI) remains substantial. The world beyond India has changed, as well, with some describing it simply as volatile. Moreover, the Internet, with all its trappings like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, now mediates our lives. While reality can't be summed up neatly, these modern inventions - like others that came before - shape our political reality; arguably, they do so like no other time in human history. The interface between us and our (elected) leaders has been utterly transformed.
If Modi is to be seen as 'better' than his predecessor, PM Manmohan Singh (Congress Party), the middle-class, IT industry and FDI will certainly need to continue growing. Yet, Modi is pushing an even more ambitious agenda of economic reform which seeks to help the most vulnerable - at least, that's the hope. Then, there's Modi's own growing desire to expand his presence and popularity beyond India. It seems that his election couldn't have been more timely: the business-minded politician rented out the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City for a rally supported by his Indian-American fan base.
This would be one heck of a spectacle. Whether he saw it as good statesmanship or a public relations ploy - or both - Modi added a twist to the old interface: the live speech (in Hindi) that lives on You Tube. Under Modi's watch, it seems the "East is Rising" mantra will itself rise in importance. And, when it does, the Indian diaspora will know it wasn't a mere accident.
I'm Indian, ethnically. I've visited India many times but as a foreigner. What does PM Narendra Modi have to do with me? He's showing that no country is merely a symbol; that the "motherland" can embrace the kind of experimentation typically reserved for childhood; that India, as I know it, is ephemeral because, like any sociopolitical entity, it's always in flux.
Although, I've a feeling that saffron will long remain the fashion of the religious set.
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SUMMARY: In 2014, India elected Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. Under his right-of-centre leadership, India will chart a different course, economically and culturally, as the Financial Times suggests. Just how successful his Party, the BJP, will be this time round will depend on a multitude of factors, not least of which is Modi's ability to communicate his vision.
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| PM Narendra Modi delivering a speech at Madison Square Garden in New York City (credit: ibtimes) |
Today, India's population exceeds 1 billion; the middle-class is growing steadily; the information technology industry is highly coveted; and foreign direct investment (FDI) remains substantial. The world beyond India has changed, as well, with some describing it simply as volatile. Moreover, the Internet, with all its trappings like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, now mediates our lives. While reality can't be summed up neatly, these modern inventions - like others that came before - shape our political reality; arguably, they do so like no other time in human history. The interface between us and our (elected) leaders has been utterly transformed.
If Modi is to be seen as 'better' than his predecessor, PM Manmohan Singh (Congress Party), the middle-class, IT industry and FDI will certainly need to continue growing. Yet, Modi is pushing an even more ambitious agenda of economic reform which seeks to help the most vulnerable - at least, that's the hope. Then, there's Modi's own growing desire to expand his presence and popularity beyond India. It seems that his election couldn't have been more timely: the business-minded politician rented out the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City for a rally supported by his Indian-American fan base.
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| Inside Madison Square Garden (credit: blog.reuters.com) |
This would be one heck of a spectacle. Whether he saw it as good statesmanship or a public relations ploy - or both - Modi added a twist to the old interface: the live speech (in Hindi) that lives on You Tube. Under Modi's watch, it seems the "East is Rising" mantra will itself rise in importance. And, when it does, the Indian diaspora will know it wasn't a mere accident.
I'm Indian, ethnically. I've visited India many times but as a foreigner. What does PM Narendra Modi have to do with me? He's showing that no country is merely a symbol; that the "motherland" can embrace the kind of experimentation typically reserved for childhood; that India, as I know it, is ephemeral because, like any sociopolitical entity, it's always in flux.
Although, I've a feeling that saffron will long remain the fashion of the religious set.
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