India: Narendra Damodardas Modi (1950 - ), Prime Minister of India (2014 - ). Photo by Government of India (CC By 2.0 License)

Narendra Damodardas Modi, born 17 September 1950, became 14th Prime Minister of India on 26 May 2014.

Modi was a key strategist for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the successful 1995 and 1998 Gujarat state election campaigns, and was a major campaign figure in the 2009 general elections, eventually won by the Indian National Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). He first became chief minister of Gujarat in October 2001 after the resignation of his predecessor, Keshubhai Patel, and following the defeat of BJP in the by-elections. In July 2007, he became the longest-serving Chief Minister in Gujarat's history.

Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is described as a Hindu nationalist by media and scholars. He is a controversial figure both within India and internationally as his administration has been criticised for the incidents surrounding the 2002 Gujarat riots. He has however been praised for his economic policies, which are credited with creating an environment for a high rate of economic growth in Gujarat.

Copyright:

Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Photographer:

Government of India

Credit:

Pictures From History