‘She inspired me to never take bribe’: PM pens on mother’s 100th b’day

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a blog dedicated to his mother as she entered the 100th year of her life on Saturday, highlighting her sacrifices and various aspects of her life which "shaped" his mind, personality, and self-confidence.He also met his mother in Gujarat and sought her blessings.

Modi said his mother always inspired him to have a strong resolve and focus on “garib kalyan” (welfare of poor), a theme of his government’s numerous welfare schemes.

When the BJP picked him to be the Gujarat chief minister in 2001, he said, his mother was ecstatic and told him, “I don’t understand your work in the government but I just want you to never take a bribe.”Modi said his mother found happiness in other people’s joys and was extremely large-hearted.

He recalled that his father brought home his close friend’s son, Abbas, after his untimely death. “He stayed with us and completed his studies. Mother was as affectionate and caring towards Abbas just like she did for all of us siblings. Every year on Eid, she used to prepare his favourite dishes. On festivals, it was commonplace for neighbourhood kids to come to our house and enjoy mother’s special preparations (sic),” he said.“In my mother’s life story, I see the penance, sacrifice, and contribution of India’s matrushakti. Whenever I look at mother and crores of women like her, I find there is nothing that is unachievable for Indian women,” Modi said in his blog post, available in several languages.

Modi said a life lesson his mother taught him was that it was possible to be learned without being formally educated.

He said once he wanted to publicly honour all his teachers, including his biggest teacher -- his mother. However, his mother declined, saying she was an ordinary person. “I may have given birth to you but you have been taught and brought up by the Almighty,” Modi recalled her as saying.

The prime minister recalled that his family stayed in a small mud house in Vadnagar with clay tiles for a roof. He also mentioned the everyday adversities that his mother encountered and successfully overcame.