PM Modi reveals the 4 wishes he fulfilled after he became Gujarat CM - WATCH

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks to Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath during a podcast. (Screenshot: X/Nikhil Kamath)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently opened up on his formative days and revisited his journey from an "ordinary student" to becoming the chief minister of Gujarat. Speaking to Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath on a podcast released on Friday, Modi looked back at the friendships he enjoyed as a youngster, the role his teachers played in shaping him and his connect to his family and roots.

Having left his family and home at a very early age, Modi pointed to four specific things he did upon his appointment as the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001. Modi said that while he led a life of abandon having lost all connections with his family, there were certain wishes he developed once he was appointed the Chief Minister.

An enjoyable conversation with @nikhilkamathcio, covering various subjects. Do watch... https://t.co/5Q2RltbnRW
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 10, 2025

"One wish I had was to invite all my old friends from my class to the CM's residence. The psychology behind it was that I did not want anyone to think that I have become arrogant. (I wanted them to see) that I am the same individual who left his village years ago, that I haven't changed," Modi said.

He said he wanted to live that moment and the only way he saw it happening was if he could be among them. "But that did not happen because the gap had been so long that I could not even recognize my friends...some had grown grey hair, their kids had grown up. But I called everyone, we had a good time reminiscing the good old days. But I did not enjoy it because I was looking for a friend but they saw in me the Chief Minister. So that gap could never be bridged," PM Modi said.

The second wish Modi had was to publicly felicitate all his teachers. "I traced all teachers who taught me in school and honoured them at the CM residence. The then Governor was present at the ceremony among several other dignitaries from Gujarat. The message I had in mind was that whatever I am today, my teachers have had a role in making me who I am. It was a great moment in my life."

The third wish that he fulfilled after becoming the Chief Minister was to invite his entire family to the CM's residence and meet them. "I had left them so long ago that I did not even recognise them. I wanted to meet them. So I called them to the CM residence one day and got to know who the kids are, where they have been married and so on. This was the third wish I fulfilled after becoming the Chief Minister."

The fourth wish that Modi fulfilled was to meet the families that took care of him and gave him food during his early days in the Sangh. "I never had my own arrangements for food and I was dependent on people and families who would give me food. So, I invited all such families to the CM residence one day. So, if I were to count the number of things that I did as per my wish in the 25 years in public life, these four things are all I can think of," the Prime Minister said.