NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-anticipated podcast with renowned MIT scientist and AI researcher Lex Fridman released on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi delved into a wide range of topics, sharing insights on his early life, journey in Himalayas, influence of RSS, and Hindu nationalism.
Talking about his early life, PM Modi said, “Looking at the world as I understand it today, I can reflect on my childhood and the unique environment I grew up in. My village had certain fascinating aspects, some of which are quite rare, even globally. “
PM Modi further said, “Perhaps it was some divine design that led a boy born in Vadnagar to eventually make Kashi his realm of duty, living in the embrace of Mother Ganga. When I think about my family, my father, my mother, my siblings, my uncles, aunts, grandparents, we all grew up together in a small house. The place we lived was likely even smaller than where we are sitting now. There was no window, just a small door. That’s where I was born. That’s where I grew up. Now, when people talk about poverty, it’s natural to discuss it in the context of public life, and by those standards, my early life was spent in extreme poverty, but we never really felt the burden of poverty.”
When Fridman asked PM Modi about some memorable moments of 2 years which he spent in Himalayas at young age, PM Modi said, ” I spent time in the Himalayas embracing the solitude of the mountains. I met many remarkable individuals along the way. Some were great ascetics, people who had renounced everything, but still my mind remained restless. Perhaps it was my age of curiosity, of wanting to learn, to understand.”
He added, ” It was a new experience, a world shaped by the mountains, by ice, by the towering snow-covered peaks. But all of this played a huge role in shaping me. It strengthened me from within and enabled me to discover my inner power. Practicing meditation, waking up in the sacred pre-dawn hours, bathing in the cold, serving people with devotion and naturally tending to elderly saints became a seamless part of who I was. Once, a natural calamity struck the region, and I immediately devoted myself to helping the villagers. So, these were the saints and spiritual masters with whom I stayed from time to time. I never remained in one place for long, I kept moving, constantly wandering. That was the kind of life I lived.”
PM Modi also delved into the impact of RSS and talked about Hindu nationalism. When asked about how he joined RSS, PM Modi said, “In our village, there was a branch of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, where we played sports and sang patriotic songs. Something about those songs touched me deeply. They stirred something inside me, and that’s how I eventually became part of the RSS.”
Lex Fridman is a research scientist who also hosts his own podcast, “Lex Fridman Podcast.”
In his podcasts, several personalities from various walks of life have discussed issues ranging from complex niches to other areas of mass understanding.
Notable figures include political leaders like US President Donald Trump, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Argentinian Prime Minister Javier Milei, as well as leading personalities in their fields, such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Magnus Carlson, and Yuval Noah Harari.
Fridman wrote on X, “I had an epic 3-hour podcast conversation with @narendramodi, Prime Minister of India. It was one of the most powerful conversations of my life. It’ll be out tomorrow.”
Responding to Fridman, Prime Minister Modi called it a “fascinating conversation” and shared that he discussed various time periods of his life, such as his childhood days, to the years spent in the Himalayas and eventually his way into public life.
“It was indeed a fascinating conversation with @lexfridman, covering diverse topics including reminiscing about my childhood, the years in the Himalayas and the journey in public life. Do tune in and be a part of this dialogue!” PM Modi wrote on X.
Earlier in February, Fridman called PM Modi “one of the most fascinating human beings I have ever studied”.