Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times - Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay

The first authoritative, deeply researched biography of one of the most polarizing and powerful leaders in modern Indian history. Discover an uncompromising, journalistic examination of the life, psyche, and meteoric rise of India's current Prime Minister.

On December 26, 2012, Narendra Modi was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the fourth consecutive time, cementing a record tenure in office. Even then, his name evoked extremes of intense adulation or fierce opposition. Over the years, while shifting the tectonic plates of Indian politics, his political career has demonstrated a singular mastery over the ultimate requirement of a democracy: winning elections.

Written by veteran journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times is the product of multi-layered, in-depth personal interviews, meticulous archival research, and extensive travel throughout the length and breadth of Gujarat. This definitive biography cuts through the noise of contemporary political rhetoric to reveal hitherto unknown aspects of the leader’s personal and political evolution.

The book traces his fascinating journey through critical, formative phases:

• The Early Years: A six-year-old boy selling tea at a railway station to help his father, while simultaneously distributing badges and raising political slogans for local leaders.

• The Search for Truth: The pivotal moment he walked away from his family and wife to pursue his own personal definition of a spiritual and purposeful life.

• The RSS Ideologue: His early initiation into the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a fledgling volunteer running mundane errands for senior cadre members, slowly absorbing organizational strategy.

• The Meteoric Rise: A calculated, sharp analysis of his rapid political ascent, particularly examining the events, administrative strategies, and polarizing socio-political climate post-2002.

Written with absolute journalistic objectivity, this book does not shy away from the complex questions surrounding the basic principles of a sovereign, secular nation. It offers an indispensable blueprint for political analysts, history buffs, civil service aspirants, and anyone seeking to understand the sheer force of personality behind India's larger-than-life leader.