Campaign@8: Newsmakers who headlined our timeline: Narendra Modi

As part of the Campaign India eigth anniversary issue, we celebrated Newsmakers Who Headlined Our Timeline, with the headlines, perspectives and learnings. Here's the first of our eight, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

 

From the horse’s mouth

 

“A son of a poor man is standing in front  of you today. This is the strength of a democracy”

- In his first speech inside parliament, May 2014

 

The Headlines

 

“Narendra Modi is sworn in as  the 15th Prime Minister of India”

The Times of India – May 2014

 

“Look East, Link West, says PM Modi at ‘Make in India’ launch”

The Hindustan Times – September 2014

 

“India’s Modi Comes Full Circle at Madison Square Garden”

Time – September 2014

 

Perspective

 

“NaMo needs to invest in re-building his image for posterity bottom-up. This will happen when he will focus more at the grass-roots level of development and job-creation. It will happen when he will be seen more as a ‘Karyakarta’ rather than a visionary leader. NaMo needs to roll up his sleeves, step into the hinterland of India, reduce his overseas visits to nothingness and represent the real issues of real India and show results that touch the common man not on one day, but every day. This is God’s work. And surely, a labour of love. I do believe Mr. Modi is capable of this.” 

 

- Harish Bijoor, CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults, Campaign India, August 2015

 

Campaign View

 

After winning charge of Gujarat in 2012 for the fourth time, the longest serving chief minister of the State won the right to take charge of the country in May 2014. Since then he’s visited country after country to rapturous ovation – the highlight of which would be the visit to Madison Square Garden, 10 years after he had been refused a visa to visit the country. The last year has thrown several challenges and brand NaMo, according to some, may have lost some of the sheen it had before Lok Sabha elections of 2014. But it has also been a brand that has given birth to several other brands, which have demonstrated the power to mobilise Indians and those with an interest in India. If ‘Swachch Bharat’ had celebrities and brands taking to the streets, ‘Make in India’ continues to make headlines with brand after brand moving to ‘make’ in the country.

 

(This article first appeared as part of a feature in the issue of Campaign India dated 4 September 2015)