FROM CADRE TO CATALYST MODI’S PATH TO POWER AND PROGRESS

The narrators recall how PM Narendra Modi combined conviction with clarity long before he occupied the nation’s highest office. He comes out not merely as a political leader, but a disciplined strategist whose vision sought to empower both institutions and ordinary citizens alike. From his early days as an organiser coordinating national campaigns to his later role in shaping transformative initiatives like mass solar adoption and citizen-led development, he displayed an instinct for thinking beyond the immediate and planning for scale

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana - A Vision for Mass Solar Adoption - Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Former secretary, Government of India

The launch of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana in 2024 marked a significant milestone in India’s clean energy journey. Announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the scheme was envisioned as a transformative step toward mass adoption of rooftop solar power. Earlier we had a solar energy scheme but was later christened as PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Its core objective was not merely to distribute subsidies, but to enable millions of households to generate their own electricity and reduce dependence on conventional power sources. By promoting decentralised solar generation, the initiative sought to place energy independence directly in the hands of citizens. This was a tool of empowerment in which even people from the grassroots level in the remotest corners of the country could generate and manage their own energy needs. Conventional energy channels were not always feasible to operate with equal efficiency in all regions. Many regions were underserved or poorly managed due to local lacunae, which made regular availability of power a luxury. The new scheme aimed at removing all those drawbacks of dependence on conventional power sources.

What distinguished the scheme was its technology-driven framework. During its conceptualisation, we gave him several presentations to finetune and zero in on one final proposal. Suddenly, the Prime Minister proposed linking it with the PM Gati Shakti national digital infrastructure platform. This integration aimed to streamline planning, monitoring, and implementation, ensuring that rooftop solar expansion aligned with broader infrastructure development goals. We had not thought of this idea at all. The idea reflected a systemsbased approach—leveraging digital tools to accelerate clean energy deployment at scale. The PM’s vision was different and of a much wider impact.

The initial focus had been limited to rooftop solar installations. However, the Prime Minister’s insistence on embedding the programme within a larger technological ecosystem significantly broadened its scope. Despite early criticism and skepticism, the vision remained steadfast: scaling solar adoption nationwide would yield long-term economic, environmental, and strategic benefits.

PM Modi told us that there were articles published against this concept. Many naysayers confronted the idea as impractical. They said it won’t be cost effective and conventional power sources were cheaper to use. But the PM foresaw future growth and remained rooted to his idea with the conviction that despite initial hiccups, in the long run it was to benefit the country and its people.

Today, the scheme stands as a bold attempt to turn solar energy into a mass movement—advancing sustainability, strengthening infrastructure, and empowering households across India. Millions of households have been benefitted by this inititive. I believe, the major reason for its success is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and effort.

‘Only divine intervention can make a person like Modi ji’ - Rajnath Singh, Defence minister

It was during the time of party’s national president Murli Manohar Joshi ji that I first had the opportunity to hear Modi ji. He was coordinating the pan India yatra of Joshi ji and at an event in Jhansi, he spoke for a few minutes before the national president’s speech. His speech left me impressed. I could immediately imagine that this man would be the future of the party and the nation. He spoke with confidence and relevance that made sense and his suggestions seemed visionary yet practical. This was something I had never heard from a simple party worker that he was at that time. In later years, his understanding and efficiency only grew. When I became the national president in 2006, I had regular interactions and meetings with Modi ji and every time I found him alert, disciplined and effective in planning, organising and implementing schemes. He would always be the first to submit his report card, with all his campaigning tasks fully completed in time. He talked about his foreign travels, that he had undertaken much before he rose in the ranks, and how as a common man he had learnt about different cultures, human behaviours and political systems across the world. His travels were all full of learning and embracing. These qualities always left me impressed. Even when declared the prime ministerial candidate in 2014, we travelled together to at least 18 states and he oversaw all the arrangements himself. He has always been very particular about everything and never leaves anything to chance. I can only call it a divine intervention that pushes him to work tirelessly, without ever getting knackered or frustrated. He may sometimes seem to the outside world as living under the great burden of running the country, but having seen him closely, I can wager, he normally remains in very good humour and cracks jokes and recalls funny incidents of life. He is also very considerate and an emotional person and anyone’s sorrow he sees, still brings tears to his eyes. Another great quality of Modi ji that is enviable is his calmness in the face of difficulties. I have seen tough situations and insurmountable challenges don’t ruffle him a bit and his mind remains in its place to take quick decisions at the time of crisis. Nothing makes him anxious or leaves him panicked. I again say, without divine intervention all these attributes in one person is not possible. I believe the almighty must have chosen him especially to serve the country and humanity.

COMPILED AND EDITED BY SHASHIKANT SHARMA